Nancy Spain
Encyclopedia
Nancy Brooker Spain was a prominent English broadcaster
and journalist
.
She spent much of her youth in Jesmond
, Newcastle upon Tyne
. Her father was Lieutenant-Colonel Spain, a freeman of the city and a prominent figure in local military and antiquarian affairs. He was a writer himself and appeared in a number of radio plays as well as broadcasting commentaries on Newcastle United games. Nancy's mother, Norah, was the daughter of Lucy Dorling, a sister of Isabella Beeton.
As a child, Nancy remembered pushing the future eminent journalist William Hardcastle
into the Bull Park
Lake on the Town Moor, where she used to learn to ride at five shillings an hour "with other little bourgeois tots".
Nancy went to Roedean School
(a family tradition) where she began wearing "mannish" clothes, and developed the speaking voice which stood her in such good stead in her eventual media career. She played lacrosse
for Northumberland
and Durham
, and hockey
for the North of England, as well as acting on BBC radio
, where she took over the star parts vacated by Esther McCracken
. During the war, Nancy served in the WRNS
on Tyneside, a period covered in her book Thank you, Nelson (1945).
Nancy Spain became a star columnist for the Daily Express
, She and the News of the World
in the 1950s and 1960s and made many radio broadcasts, particularly on Woman's Hour
and My Word!
She later appeared as a panellist on BBC TV's record review programme Juke Box Jury
and in 1962 performed 'The Blaydon Races
', the Victorian Tyneside song, at London's Marquee Club
with Alexis Korner
and Blues Incorporated
. A recording of the latter was published on the album R&B from the Marquee
.
Spain's scatty style of column-writing caused the Daily Express
to be sued successfully for libel - twice - by Evelyn Waugh
. Often in the news, and tempted to marry to seem 'respectable' - her name was linked with that of Gilbert Harding
- she lived openly with the editor of She, Joan Werner Laurie
(Jonny), and was a friend of the famous, including Noel Coward
and Marlene Dietrich
. She and Joan were regulars at the Gateways club
in Chelsea, London, and were widely known to be lesbians.
She died, with Joan and four others, in a light aeroplane crash on her way to the Grand National
and was cremated with Joan at Golders Green Crematorium, London. She left one son - publicly unacknowledged during her lifetime - Tom Carter. Noel Coward
summed up: 'It is cruel that all that gaiety, intelligence and vitality should be snuffed out when so many bores and horrors are left living.'
As well as her books of memoirs, including Why I'm Not a Millionaire (1956), Nancy wrote a biography in 1948 of her relative Mrs Beeton, and a series of detective novels. Rose Collis wrote a posthumous biography of the broadcaster and journalist in 1997.
Broadcasting
Broadcasting is the distribution of audio and video content to a dispersed audience via any audio visual medium. Receiving parties may include the general public or a relatively large subset of thereof...
and journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
.
She spent much of her youth in Jesmond
Jesmond
Jesmond is a residential suburb and is split into two electoral wards just north of the centre of Newcastle upon Tyne, England. The population is about 12,000. It is adjacent to, and to the east of, the Town Moor, providing pedestrian and cycle paths to Spital Tongues and the city's two Universities...
, Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
. Her father was Lieutenant-Colonel Spain, a freeman of the city and a prominent figure in local military and antiquarian affairs. He was a writer himself and appeared in a number of radio plays as well as broadcasting commentaries on Newcastle United games. Nancy's mother, Norah, was the daughter of Lucy Dorling, a sister of Isabella Beeton.
As a child, Nancy remembered pushing the future eminent journalist William Hardcastle
William Hardcastle (broadcaster)
William Hardcastle was a British journalist, editor of the Daily Mail and first presenter of the lunchtime news programme The World at One on BBC Radio....
into the Bull Park
Exhibition Park, Newcastle
The Exhibition Park is a short walk from Newcastle City Centre.- History :The 1870 Town Moor Improvement Act determined that 2 x 35acres of land to be developed for recreation one would become Leazes Park and one at the Town Moor. The original location of the park was to be the Bull Park where the...
Lake on the Town Moor, where she used to learn to ride at five shillings an hour "with other little bourgeois tots".
Nancy went to Roedean School
Roedean School
-Roedeanians in fiction:* Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward * Dawn Drummond-Clayton * Emily James...
(a family tradition) where she began wearing "mannish" clothes, and developed the speaking voice which stood her in such good stead in her eventual media career. She played lacrosse
Lacrosse
Lacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh...
for Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
and Durham
Durham
Durham is a city in north east England. It is within the County Durham local government district, and is the county town of the larger ceremonial county...
, and hockey
Hockey
Hockey is a family of sports in which two teams play against each other by trying to maneuver a ball or a puck into the opponent's goal using a hockey stick.-Etymology:...
for the North of England, as well as acting on BBC radio
BBC Radio
BBC Radio is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927. For a history of BBC radio prior to 1927 see British Broadcasting Company...
, where she took over the star parts vacated by Esther McCracken
Esther McCracken
-Biography:She was born Esther Helen Armstong in Newcastle upon Tyne on 25 June 1902 and was educated at the Central Newcastle High School, where she won the cricket-ball throwing competition every year....
. During the war, Nancy served in the WRNS
Women's Royal Naval Service
The Women's Royal Naval Service was the women's branch of the Royal Navy.Members included cooks, clerks, wireless telegraphists, radar plotters, weapons analysts, range assessors, electricians and air mechanics...
on Tyneside, a period covered in her book Thank you, Nelson (1945).
Nancy Spain became a star columnist for the Daily Express
Daily Express
The Daily Express switched from broadsheet to tabloid in 1977 and was bought by the construction company Trafalgar House in the same year. Its publishing company, Beaverbrook Newspapers, was renamed Express Newspapers...
, She and the News of the World
News of the World
The News of the World was a national red top newspaper published in the United Kingdom from 1843 to 2011. It was at one time the biggest selling English language newspaper in the world, and at closure still had one of the highest English language circulations...
in the 1950s and 1960s and made many radio broadcasts, particularly on Woman's Hour
Woman's Hour
Woman's Hour is a radio magazine programme broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in the United Kingdom.-History:Created by Norman Collins and originally presented by Alan Ivimey the programme was first broadcast on 7 October 1946 on the BBC's Light Programme . It was transferred to its current home in 1973...
and My Word!
My Word!
My Word! was a long-running radio panel game broadcast by the BBC on the Home Service and Radio 4 . It was created by Edward J. Mason and Tony Shryane, and featured comic writers Denis Norden and Frank Muir, famous in Britain for the series Take It From Here...
She later appeared as a panellist on BBC TV's record review programme Juke Box Jury
Juke Box Jury
Juke Box Jury was a musical panel show which originally ran on BBC Television from 1 June 1959 until December 1967. The programme was based on the American show Jukebox Jury, itself an offshoot of a long-running radio series....
and in 1962 performed 'The Blaydon Races
Blaydon Races
Blaydon Races is a famous Geordie folk song written in the 19th century by Geordie Ridley, in a style deriving from music hall. It is regarded by many as the unofficial anthem of Tyneside and is frequently sung by supporters of Newcastle United Football Club and Newcastle Falcons rugby club...
', the Victorian Tyneside song, at London's Marquee Club
Marquee Club
The Marquee was a music club first located at 165 Oxford Street, London, England when it opened in 1958 with a range of jazz and skiffle acts.It was also the location of the first ever live performance by The Rolling Stones on 12 July 1962....
with Alexis Korner
Alexis Korner
Alexis Korner was a blues musician and radio broadcaster, who has sometimes been referred to as "a Founding Father of British Blues"...
and Blues Incorporated
Blues Incorporated
Blues Incorporated were a British R&B band in the early 1960s, led by Alexis Korner and featuring at various times Jack Bruce, Charlie Watts, Terry Cox, Ginger Baker, Long John Baldry, Ronnie Jones, Danny Thompson, Graham Bond, Cyril Davies, Malcolm Cecil and Dick Heckstall-Smith.-History:Korner ...
. A recording of the latter was published on the album R&B from the Marquee
R&B from the Marquee
R&B from the Marquee was an album by Alexis Korner's Blues Incorporated released in November 1962 on Decca Records. Blues Incorporated was a British R&B band in the early 1960s, which was led by Alexis Korner and featured various musicians...
.
Spain's scatty style of column-writing caused the Daily Express
Daily Express
The Daily Express switched from broadsheet to tabloid in 1977 and was bought by the construction company Trafalgar House in the same year. Its publishing company, Beaverbrook Newspapers, was renamed Express Newspapers...
to be sued successfully for libel - twice - by Evelyn Waugh
Evelyn Waugh
Arthur Evelyn St. John Waugh , known as Evelyn Waugh, was an English writer of novels, travel books and biographies. He was also a prolific journalist and reviewer...
. Often in the news, and tempted to marry to seem 'respectable' - her name was linked with that of Gilbert Harding
Gilbert Harding
Gilbert Charles Harding was a British journalist and radio and television personality. His many careers included schoolmaster, journalist, policeman, disc-jockey, interviewer and television presenter...
- she lived openly with the editor of She, Joan Werner Laurie
Joan Werner Laurie
Joan Werner Laurie was the daughter of Thomas Werner Laurie, a London publisher with a reputation for publishing risqué titles...
(Jonny), and was a friend of the famous, including Noel Coward
Noël Coward
Sir Noël Peirce Coward was an English playwright, composer, director, actor and singer, known for his wit, flamboyance, and what Time magazine called "a sense of personal style, a combination of cheek and chic, pose and poise".Born in Teddington, a suburb of London, Coward attended a dance academy...
and Marlene Dietrich
Marlene Dietrich
Marlene Dietrich was a German-American actress and singer.Dietrich remained popular throughout her long career by continually re-inventing herself, professionally and characteristically. In the Berlin of the 1920s, she acted on the stage and in silent films...
. She and Joan were regulars at the Gateways club
Gateways club
The Gateways club was a noted lesbian nightclub located at 239 Kings Road on the corner of Bramerton Street, Chelsea, London, England. It was the longest-surviving such club in the world, opening in 1930 and legally becoming a "members club" in 1936...
in Chelsea, London, and were widely known to be lesbians.
She died, with Joan and four others, in a light aeroplane crash on her way to the Grand National
Grand National
The Grand National is a world-famous National Hunt horse race which is held annually at Aintree Racecourse, near Liverpool, England. It is a handicap chase run over a distance of four miles and 856 yards , with horses jumping thirty fences over two circuits of Aintree's National Course...
and was cremated with Joan at Golders Green Crematorium, London. She left one son - publicly unacknowledged during her lifetime - Tom Carter. Noel Coward
Noël Coward
Sir Noël Peirce Coward was an English playwright, composer, director, actor and singer, known for his wit, flamboyance, and what Time magazine called "a sense of personal style, a combination of cheek and chic, pose and poise".Born in Teddington, a suburb of London, Coward attended a dance academy...
summed up: 'It is cruel that all that gaiety, intelligence and vitality should be snuffed out when so many bores and horrors are left living.'
As well as her books of memoirs, including Why I'm Not a Millionaire (1956), Nancy wrote a biography in 1948 of her relative Mrs Beeton, and a series of detective novels. Rose Collis wrote a posthumous biography of the broadcaster and journalist in 1997.