Lonnie Gleason Donegan. Rubbish, I seem to remember that his given name was Anthony or "Tony" Donegan. The story is that When blues singer guitarist Lonnie Johnson came to London in 1952 as part of a concert to raise funds for flood relief in the UK (New Orleans musician playing in London for flood relief believe it or not)Tony Donegan was on the same bill possibly with Colyer or Barber's band. It was then that Donegan adopted the name Lonnnie. One story says that the compere at the show got mixed up in his intro and mis-named him Lonnie?
Regarding Chris playing tea chest bass, having seen Chris on numerous occasions and spent time with him socially and doing some PR work for him I don't think so. Talking to a dance band leader at one time in Dundee Chris said that he took up trombone because the posture required for his first choice of instrument used to cause him back pain. I seem to recall that he was speaking of the violin but it might have been Double Bass.
Regarding Leadbelly he never made it to England. I believe he was only in France in 1949. Big Bill Broonzy and Brother John Sellars came to the UK around 1955 to 57 Terry and McGhee 1958 and Muddy Waters in 1958, and it should be pointed out that these people were brought over to appear alongside British Jazz Revivalist musicians as that is where the blues audience came from at the time.
Describing Ken Colyer's band as "Dixieland" would have him spinning in his grave and as for comparing Bet Jansch and John Renbourne's guitar playing to that of Leadbelly ????

Hoot