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Lancashire Telegraph October 9th 2008.
Did you know that Gracie Fields' first public performance took place, not in her native Rochdale, but in Burnley?
Historian Steve Chappels has told how the singer; born over a fish and chip shop 110 years ago, sang at the Empire when she was seven.
Her debut came in 1905, through a singer called Lily Turner: whose stage name was Rose Bush. Rose lived close to, and was friendly with Gracie's mother and got permission to bring the youngster to Burnley.
They dressed her in one of Rose's old stage frocks, cut down to size, added some silver spangles, and let Gracie play truant from school.
She was given a seat in the gods and, after Rose sang the chorus, young Gracie stood up and sang the second chorus back to her:
Gracie was born Grace Stansfield above her Grandmother Sarah's chip shop at 9, Molesworth Street, Rochdale, in 1898. The terrace row has been demolished, but a bronze plaque marks the spot outside a car wash. Steve said: "My first hearing of a Gracie Fields' song was in 1957 when my music teacher, Mr Bence, played us a recording of 'The Biggest Aspidistra in the World', which led to chuckles all around the hall of Mansfield Secondary Modern School in Brierfield!"
Stephanie.
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