Gracie

As the Upper Sixth turn to the ‘thirties, a few snippets of the popular culture of the period and some other stuff. To kick us off, Gracie Fields singing Sally, the biggest British star of the era.

Grace Stansfield was born over a fish and chip shop in Rochdale, Lancashire. Sally was her theme song, and the high point of her first movie, Sally in the Alley. Gracie was already a star, but with this she became a national superstar, even being given the CBE in 1938 (one of the first entertainers to be honoured in that way). The toned down Lancashire accent, and the brassy yet sentimental persona she always played, might be seen in the context of the ‘thirties and even economic depression. Here is another clip from her 1939 hit, Shipyard Sally.