Page 11 - link magazine

Woman who interviewed Wyvern Theatre stars on Swindon Viewpoint
community TV, and met Mother Theresa
Mary Morgan has the perfect title for her memoir – that is if she ever finds time to sit down and write it. Fran Bevan meets a Grange Park resident
with a fascinating back story of working in Swindon and abroad.
Mary, who will be celebrating her passed a variety of duties and a pro-
eightieth birthday later this year, has duction of the ground-breaking Black
worked as a charity fundraiser estab- Macbeth in 1972 presented her with
lishing Help the Aged in Canada and quite a headache when director Peter
in New York and here in Swindon she Coe suddenly demanded foliage for
was appointed the first public rela- the stage and the Evening Advertiser
tions officer at the Prospect Hospice refused to carry an advertisement for
in 1980. But this wasn’t her first two young ‘black’ actors. Starring
involvement with Swindon. Oscar James and Mona Hammond
In 1971 Mary was working for the the production opened at the Wyvern
Belgrade Theatre in her home town of on 8 February before transferring to
Coventry on a short term contract to the Round House, London on 22
introduce modern marketing meth- February that year.
ods for the British Arts Council. Then In 1974 a cancelled holiday and a
she saw an advertisement in the trade chance meeting with Mother Theresa
newspaper The Stage, for a public rela- at the Help the Aged office in London
tions officer at a new theatre opening proved a turning point in Mary’s life
in Swindon. and she left the Wyvern to work for
The Wyvern, headed by Brian Mary with her memory treasure chest. Photo: Richard Wintle www.calyxpix.com the charity in Canada and New York.
Chitty as administrator, theatre man- Richard Todd in The Winslow Boy. tablished by Radio Rentals in 1958. She mused: “I have a knack of being
ager Alan Knowles and James Scott “At that time the Wyvern was run “They gave me a half hour slot every in the right place at the right time.”
as production manager, opened in the by Thamesdown Borough Council week and I could interview whoever When Mary read in the March
Autumn of 1971 with a performance and we were able to have some big came to the theatre.” Link that Swindon Viewpoint is
by the Ukrainian Dance Company. names,” said Mary, who quickly Mary rubbed shoulders with some celebrating its fortieth year and had
That first season saw a production saw the opportunity to promote of the big stars of the day, some much of its extensive video archive
of The Old Boys starring Michael the theatre on Swindon Viewpoint, who are now considered national digitised online, she wondered if
Redgrave followed by The Marquise the experimental community cable treasures – Vera Lynn, Glynis Johns, any of her programmes might have
with Glynis Johns and later that year broadcasting television station es- Joan Plowright, heart throb Charles survived. Unfortunately these were
Dance who appeared as Ratty in a recorded on an early system and
production of Wind in the Willows, Swindon Viewpoint doesn’t yet have
as well as Swindon’s own Diana Dors. the equipment to digitise the tape,
Ask Peter B Confidante to the stars, Mary tells although they are trying to salvage
Ask Peter B
Ask Peter B
how Diane Cilento once admitted the material.
that ex-husband Sean Connery had And that book title? Well Mary
Advice for small businesses already has her epitaph written: ‘I had
from Peter Bromiley ACA become ‘too rich’ for her.
Technical Director She is still good friends with Sue a great time getting here.’
AMS Accountancy Ltd. Swindon. Nicholls, Audrey from TVs Corona- And with her charactistic wry
tion Street. humour she added: “It would be
Q. Q. Q. I get child benefit but my income for 2012/13 went Most of the performers who passed terrible if I ended up in an old folk’s
over £50,000 – what should I do? through the town were keen to help home and I’d be sitting in the corner
promote their shows but Mary is and people would be saying ‘her up
Where a parent or their partner has income over £50,000, happy to name two of the difficult there, she thinks she knows this one
at least some of their child benefit will be clawed back due ones: Tony Booth, star of ‘Til death and that one. Take no notice of her.’”
to the High Income Child Benefit charge. do us part’ and father of Cherie Blair, So, when she eventually slows down
and Mick Jagger’s sometime girlfriend long enough to start work on that
You didn’t opt out before 5th January 2013, so payments Marianne Faithful. autobiography she’s going to call it
you received must be declared to HMRC by you or your Her public relations role encom- ‘Before I Forget …’
partner (the highest earner). Do this by registering for
Self-Assessment and submit a tax return in January 2014.
School seeks history help
When calculating your income; company car benefits, Lydiard Millicent Primary School has embarked on a research project that
rental and investment income, etc., all count towards the will culminate in a book tracing its history since it was founded in 1841
£50,000 total. You can reduce the tax by contributing to through to the present.
pensions, gift aid and childcare vouchers and other items. The school is appealing to readers who may have any information, pho-

For details of our Self-Assessment Tax Return Service : tographs, or anecdotes to get in touch. Headteacher Carol Dougill said: “Our
01793-818400 / [email protected] school has played an important role in Lydiard Millicent for over 170 years.
The idea of documenting our history is an exciting one but we need help.
If there are any ex-pupils, teachers or friends who have any information or
pictures please let us know. Anything we borrow we will take good care of
and return it when we’ve finished using it.”
Anyone who has information or photographs can contact the school by
calling 01793 770571 or mail: [email protected]
12 swindonlink.com • August 2013

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