The Weston Brothers (Music Hall)

Subject: The Weston Brothers (Music Hall)
From: Skipper Jack
Date: 27 Dec 03 - 03:07 PM

Does anyone know of the Weston Brothers? They were a duo, a sort of music hall act back in the 40's - 50's. One used to wear a monocle and they dressed in tops and tails and bow ties, etc. I believe one of them used to play the piano. They used to talk very "high-brow" if you know what I mean?

I trying to discover any information on them - specifically their Christian names? Anything further information would be appreciated.
I have searched the web without success.

Subject: RE: The Weston Brothers (Music Hall)
From: Billy Weeks
Date: 27 Dec 03 - 03:23 PM

Names were Kenneth and George Western (not Weston). They were great radio artistes as well as variety stage performers. They recorded prolifically in the 1930sand nearly everything they reorded is now available on modern CD. Shouldn't be too hard to find.

Subject: RE: The Weston Brothers (Music Hall)
From: Willa
Date: 27 Dec 03 - 06:03 PM

I'm surprised how little info there is about them; you might find these sites helpful:


http://www.pathefilm.freeserve.co.uk/95flmdancesoft.htm (Soft Lights and Sweet Music)

Subject: RE: The Weston Brothers (Music Hall)
From: Willa
Date: 27 Dec 03 - 06:05 PM

One of the links didn't appear!
http://www.wirelessworks.co.uk/info/whoswhoW.htm

Subject: RE: The Weston Brothers (Music Hall)
From: Compton
Date: 27 Dec 03 - 07:26 PM

"Paly the game, you cads,play the game!"..Big Number!

Subject: RE: The Weston Brothers (Music Hall)
From: Skipper Jack
Date: 28 Dec 03 - 05:06 AM

Thank you one and all and especially to Willa for the Web page!

I shall now pass this information to my nephew who wasn't even a twinkle in his grandfather's eye when the "Wireless Cads" were strutting their stuff! I shall have to find out why he is so interested in The Western Brothers?

Thanks again.

Dave R.

Subject: RE: The Weston Brothers (Music Hall)
From: GUEST,Jim Ward
Date: 28 Dec 03 - 06:16 AM

The Western Brothers (Hello Cads!) were actually cousins and they will be well known to anyone who is old enough to remember radio in the 1940's, appearing all the time on shows like "Workers Playtime", "Monday Night at Eight" and "Henry Hall's Guest Night". They both wore evening dress and monocles and sang in unison to George's piano accompaniment with a very laid-back, sophisticated air. With the demise of the variety theatres and the rise of television in the 1950's they broke up the act and one of them finished up running a confectionery and tobacco kiosk on a London (Euston?) Station. I think they both died in the 1960's.

Subject: RE: The Western Brothers (Music Hall)
From: GUEST,Pamela nee Western
Date: 19 Oct 04 - 12:19 PM

I am the eldest daughter of George Western and live in Weybridge, where my father also lived until he died in 1969.

If anyone has any questions about the Western Brothers I would be pleased to try and help.

Does anyone know Trevor Western, if so I would be pleased to hear from him.

Regards Pam.

Subject: RE: The Weston Brothers (Music Hall)
From: GUEST,Jim Ward
Date: 20 Oct 04 - 09:41 AM

Tony Barker has recently added a Western Brothers CD (All their known recordings) to his sizeable list of 'Cylidisc' Music Hall CDs. Details here

Subject: RE: The Weston Brothers (Music Hall)
From: Dave Bryant
Date: 20 Oct 04 - 09:46 AM

I can remember them singing a song with a chorus which was along the lines of "You always want a thing when you haven't got it". In one verse it was jumping out of a plane and realising he didn't have a parachute, and in another being stopped by the police and asked for his driving licence.

Subject: RE: The Weston Brothers (Music Hall)
From: GUEST,Derek
Date: 14 Apr 11 - 08:58 PM

Kenneth and George Weston had a public house in Weybridge.

Cannot remember the name. anyone know it?

I can remember them being on a Saturday night Radio show in the late 40's early 50's.


Their catch phrase was,'Get up them stairs'


I am reasonably sure that 'Two ton' Tessie O'Shea was a frequent visitor to their public house.

Subject: RE: The Weston Brothers (Music Hall)
From: GUEST,Pony moore
Date: 08 Apr 13 - 09:53 AM

My cousin was the house boy at Tempsford Lodge in the village of that name in Bedfordshire UK where they made their home during the war, it was said that messages were sent during their BBC broadcastes during the second world war. It was established after the war that it was from a very isolated airfield near Tempsford that the light aircraft dropped spys etc into France

Subject: RE: The Weston Brothers (Music Hall)
From: Artful Codger
Date: 08 Apr 13 - 10:53 AM

Can some Mudelf please correct the title of this thread? I thought it would concern R.P. Weston or the Weston publishing house (which published a number of collections of music hall songs in the 1800s). Apparently the "Related Threads" section is under the same impression.

Subject: RE: The Weston Brothers (Music Hall)
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 08 Apr 13 - 11:57 AM

My recollection is that "Get up them stairs' was the catchphrase of some other comedian of the time, but, rack my brains as I may, I can't remember which; nor can I find it on google. It doesn't seem at all to fit with the Western Bros' persona as I recall it. Anyone else identify it?

I remember seeing the Western Bros on stage once during the War; I think at the New Theatre Northampton, where we were evacuated 1940-43. Remember thinking them quite amusing, but not exactly hilarious.

~M~

Subject: RE: The Weston Brothers (Music Hall)
From: GUEST,Hootenanny
Date: 08 Apr 13 - 12:18 PM

MtheGM,

If my memory is correct I believe it was Horace John Waters, brother of Elsie and Doris aka Jack Warner.
Having seen both acts live I agree with your remarks re the Weston Bros persona.

Hoot

Subject: RE: The Weston Brothers (Music Hall)
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 08 Apr 13 - 12:20 PM

Their catchphrase, as I recall it, was (more in keeping with their image), "Play the game, you cads", together with frequent references to "The old school tie".

"Get up them stairs" was indeed a popular phrase of the day, much used among us schoolchildren in about 1943 to mean something like "Get away with you, don't talk such nonsense". But I still can't racall with which radio act it originated. I don't think it was any of Tommy Handley's ITMA associates.

Subject: RE: The Weston Brothers (Music Hall)
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 08 Apr 13 - 12:29 PM

Crossposted. Thanks, Hoot. But the catchphrase I most remember of Jack Warner was "Mind my bike". That was in his days as a comedian on the music hall stage. Later on he became a popular actor, following his appearance as PC Dixon in 1950 film The Blue Lamp, shot at the end by Dirk Bogarde's young tearaway ~~ which didn't prevent his resuscitation as a wise old copper, exemplar to all the young police recruits, in long-running tv series "Dixon of Dock Green". I don't think "Stairs" was his, however; but I could be wrong about that.

~M~

Subject: RE: The Weston Brothers (Music Hall)
From: GUEST,Hootenanny
Date: 09 Apr 13 - 04:30 AM

Yes I am aware of Jack Warner's career, he and I were born in the same atrea and went to the same school but some years apart and "Mind my Bike" was indeed his.
If "Get up them Stairs" was not also his it could possibly have been Tommy Trinder.

Hoot

Subject: RE: The Weston Brothers (Music Hall)
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 09 Apr 13 - 04:35 AM

Yes, indeed: Tommy Trinder sounds much more likely. Thank you.

You seem anyhow, Hoot, to agree with me that it would not have been the Western Bros.

~M~