There’s No Business Like It

There’s No Business Like It

He’s one of the most recognisable faces in Wigan today – but Cllr Chris Ready has met someone who was one of the most well-known of the late 1950s and early 1960s.

Today, few may remember tuning in to “Oh Boy” or “Six Five Special”, but as the leading entertainment shows of the age, stars like Marty Wilde and Cliff Richard were regularly joined by The Vernons Girls. Formed from employees at Liverpool’s football coupon firm, the Vernons Girls’ singing and dancing was a major part of the big music shows of the day. The ladies also make records, appeared at Royal Variety Performances and on stages right across the UK.

“It’s my brief to support culture and leisure in the borough,” says Chris, “and it’s always a privilege to meet those who have worked hard to provide entertainment for others and form a little part of our cultural memories.”

Margaret Cleary, now Margaret Boden, was one of those girls. She remembers queuing with Nat King Cole for a cuppa, going to Marty Wilde’s wedding and doing summer season with Ruby Murray.

“We got to meet all the stars,” she recalls. “A sing-along with Des O’Connor in his hotel room and meeting Sammy Davis Jr at the Royal Command Performance. Innocent days with the public’s idols – but they were down-to-earth people who were great to work with.”

Margaret toured the country – making several trips to the north west – with the Vernons Girls - before moving on to work in John Lewis in Liverpool. She kept in with her dancing, but assumed that the showbiz days were over.

And then Cliff Richard rang. “He asked me if I could join one of his retrospective shows,” Margaret says. “Some of the original Vernons Girls were to do Wembley with him to showcase his 50s era music – and he was lovely. Our first day of rehearsal was as if we’d never been away – although the size of the show was much, much bigger than those old days on stage.”

Margaret loved working with Cliff’s regular musicians, The Shadows.

Chris adds: “Next year, we’re being joined by Hank Marvin of the Shadows at the Wigan Jazz Festival, and that festival continues to attract other big names as well. It’s a pleasure to meet with someone who was a part of showbiz at such an amazing