The grave of Vesta Tilley at Putney Vale Cemetery

Image: © Marathon Taken: 11 Mar 2020

Bordered on two sides by Wimbledon Common and Putney Heath, Putney Vale Cemetery was opened in 1891 and the crematorium in 1938. Putney Vale's only rival in the London area for the number of famous people buried or cremated here is Golders Green Crematorium. Among those whose funerals were held here were Arthur Askey, Stanley Baker, James Beck of Dad's Army, Howard Carter who discovered Tutankhamun, James Hunt who won the Formula One Drivers' Championship, Hattie Jacques, J Bruce Ismay who was a passenger on the Titanic and Chairman of the White Star Line, Daniel Massey, Bobby Moore, Kenneth More, Jon Pertwee, Roy Plomley of Desert Island Discs, Nyree Dawn Porter, Joan Sims and Vesta Tilley. Vesta Tilley was born on 13th May 1864 and died on 16th September 1952. She was a noted music hall star and became one of the most famous male impersonators of her era. She was a star in both Britain and the United States for over thirty years. One presumes that her husband, no less than Colonel Sir Walter de Frece, enjoyed the fame of his wife Lady Matilda Alice de Frece. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vesta_Tilley for more information and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pf3LsGQPxSU and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pExpnHkmYgQ and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6TUkv_uzBI to hear her voice and to see a short clip of her with her husband.

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