By Derbyshire Record Office
Buxton Opera House, The University of Derby & Buxton Museum and Art Gallery
Cast of Sporting Love (1947-04) by Buxton Amateur Dramatic and Operatic SocietyDerbyshire Record Office
"Why don't you come with me to BADOS?"
Barbara was encouraged by her father and friend to join BADOS (Buxton Amateur Dramatic and Operatic Society) in 1947.
Barbara was interviewed in 2024 by Anne as part of the 'Buxton's Present from the Past' oral history project.
Real love within 'Sporting Love'
On the set of 'Sporting Love', Barbara fell in love with Ted. He played Wilfred Wimple and she was Mabel Dane. They married two years later.
Programme for The Desert Song (1948) by Buxton Amateur Dramatic and Operatic SocietyDerbyshire Record Office
Desert Song, 1948
Barbara and Ted took to the stage again the following year.
Some of the cast from Desert Song (1947-04) by Buxton Amateur Dramatic and Operatic SocietyDerbyshire Record Office
Ted (centre) played the Red Shadow
By the time they performed in the comedy 'No Medals', two years later, they were married.
It was a marriage that lasted seventy years.
Barbara Sutton in a production of No Medals (1950) by UnknownDerbyshire Record Office
Barbara playing Helen Wyland, in 'No Medals'.
"... but it was Barbara Sutton, as a Wren, and Humphrey Williams, her husband, who stole the acting honours with a beautiful played scene on a quayside."
Buxton Herald & Visitors Gazette, 3 November 1950.
"It was a family affair. It all started when my mother saw an advert in the paper as BADOS needed an Artful Dodger for Oliver. She thought my brother had the right character traits!
And then we all got involved, my mum, dad and me. My mum did all the make up, she decorated the Oliver float for the carnival."
Pam, a volunteer at Buxton Opera House and former BADOS member, 2024
“There was such a rake on the stage that anything on wheels would slide around. I remember standing on top of a set for 'My Fair Lady', precariously, and my dad and Nick Pilling were behind it, holding it in place so it didn’t slide around”.
Pam, a volunteer at Buxton Opera House and former BADOS member, 2024
Photograph showing a production of My Fair Lady at Buxton Opera House (1971) by Buxton Amateur Dramatic and Operatic Society and Buxton Opera HouseDerbyshire Record Office
"You can see how precarious it was"
Pam on stage during 'My Fair Lady', 1973
BADOS weren't the only players.
Buxton Drama League, founded in 1922, are still performing today.
And there was Buxton Opera Group too
"My mum was an acting member of Buxton Opera Group for around 20 years, from the early 60’s. She made my brother and I associate members from an early age - I was around 5 years old.
Even from a very young age, I loved spending time watching rehearsals, and particularly the dress rehearsals just before the shows.
I remember being mesmerised by how the scenery, costumes, and live orchestra brought the shows completely to life. It was so exciting to see".
Jane, former Buxton Opera Group member, 2025
"My parents met at Buxton Opera Group. During a production of 'The Gondoliers', my dad proposed on the last night. The cast put him in a gondola and pulled him on and off stage during the encore".
Paula, former Buxton Opera Group member, 2025
Nurses at Devonshire Royal Hospital, Buxton (1966-10-12) by J. D. MeddinsDerbyshire Record Office
Dome - the musical
Sue, an occupational therapist at the Devonshire Royal Hospital, remembers the musical, 'Dome', performed at the Opera House in 2000 to commemorate the closing of the hospital.
Sue was interviewed by Anne in 2016 as part of the 'Buxton's Present from the Past' oral history project.
Penny, David and Lynda in Dome the musical
"It was a privilege to be part of an original musical 'Dome' created by one of the Buxton Drama League members, Ian Cleare with his wife Mary. She was a nurse at the Devonshire Royal Hospital before it closed, and this was a tribute to the place and the people who worked there.
It was hard work putting together a full scale show which ran for only two days and evenings in 2000, but so worth it. We became a family!"
Penny, 2025
Buxton Opera House
The University of Derby
Buxton Museum and Art Gallery
Barbara Sutton and her daughters Sara and Nikki
Pam Hallam
Jane Barson
Paula Williams
Sue Allan
Penny Evans
Anne Rogerson
'Buxton's Present from the Past' oral History project
Funded by Arts Council England
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