Red House Reveals Fascinating Mystery
When I perchanced upon this 1959 story of the Red House in Skegness, I didn’t realise I was about to uncover a fascinating mystery.
But first things first, let’s take a look at the newspaper article which appeared in the Skegness Standard 11th March 1959.
PLANS FOR RED HOUSE
Ballroom renovation
A NEW chapter is likely to open in the history of the Red House Hotel, Scarbrough Avenue, Skegness.
Built in 1900 as a family residence (the only term for such an imposing building, four storeys counting a basement) for Mr. John Hudson, well-known Skegness musician, it served as such for over 30 years. The architect was Mr. WaIter H Bridges, and the builder Messers J. Crawshaw and Sons.
The article continues by telling us a little about the Hudson family who lived in the Red House.
The Hudsons were a large and talented family of musicians (one of their number composed the once-popular song “The Sunshine of your Smile”), and in their time the premises were called Parkside.
When the late Coun Davey bought it, he renamed it the Red House from the name of his previous home in Drummond Road.
Incidentally, in brackets, it’s mentioned that a member of the Hudson family wrote ‘the once-popular song “The Sunshine of your Smile” ‘. In a 1959 musical climate of jazz and rock n roll, the song would have been out-dated and described as ‘once-popular’.
Now are you thinking what I’m thinking? Is this the EVER, TO THIS DAY popular song made famous by Mike Berry in the 80s?
Let’s do some digging to try and find out…
Well try as I may, I cannot find anywhere on the internet where it mentions the composer of the song, “The Sunshine of Your Smile”. Could it be that a small-town composer like our John Hudson didn’t get the credit he was due when his composition was ‘whisked away’ by the recording companies?
The John Capstack Hudson (mentioned as the owner of Red House above) was born in 1858 in Burnley, Lancs to a Professor of Music, Richard Hudson and wife Ann, nee Capstack, who married in 1856.
John was also a professional musician who married Emma Remison in 1891.
Sadly Emma died three years later having first born him a daughter.
John remarried a couple of years later, Jessie Jane Moss, and we can see him with his family on the 1901 census (left) living in Prospect House, Drummond Road, Skegness. One of his daughters, born in 1898, is also named Jessie after her mother.
Now let’s consider the video below (courtesy of 78man) of “The Sunshine of Your Smile”, recorded c1915 by Jessie Broughton.
These are long-shots, I know, but nevertheless – the name ‘Jessie’ features twice in the Hudson Family. There was a Charlotte Broughton living in Skegness on the 1901 censuses and indeed on several censuses before, who was – a music teacher. I traced Charlotte back through time but have not so far connected her with a ‘Jessie’.
Or could John’s daughter, Jessie be the singer on the 78 record in the video? Perhaps she married a Broughton. Who knows? Jessie would have been around eighteen when the song was recorded, but I seem to think that the singer in the video sounds to have a more mature voice.
Dear face that holds so sweet a smile for me
Were you not mine, how dark this world would be
I know no light above that could replace
Love’s radiant sunshine in your lovely face.
Give me a smile, the love-light in your eyes
Life could not hold a sweeter paradise
Give me the right to love you all the while
My world forever, the sunshine of your smile.
Shadows may fall across the land and sea
Sunshine from all the world may hidden be
But I shall see no clouds across the sun
Your smile shall light my life till life is done.
Give me a smile, the love-light in your eyes
Life could not hold a sweeter paradise
Give me the right to love you all the while
My world forever, the sunshine of your smile
My world forever, the sunshine of your smile.
Someone out there MUST be able to help with this one. Where might we find an account of the composer of the famous song?
I have a strong feeling that my hunch is correct and a Skegness Musician composed the famous song “The Sunshine of Your Smile”.
Help us prove it!
I was excited to read in the above article that my favourite song of all time, ‘The sunshine of your smile’ may have been composed by someone from my own hometown, Skegness. I therefore wanted to verify that this was correct, but further searching on the net has produced evidence to the contrary. The song is credited to ‘Lilian Ray’ a pseudonym of John Neat [1876-1949]It was composed in 1915, and the lyricist was Leonard Cooke.
It is a disappointing outcome, but what a lucky day it was when I came across such an interesting and nostalgic site as the Skegness Magazine. I was born there in 1944 and lived there until 1966. What memories you have brought back again!
Thanks, Glennis for this valuable information.
I hear what you say but I’m still rather uneasy about it.
The release of Jessie Broughton’s 78 record fits in with the 1915 theory. But still the 1959 newspaper reports: ‘one of their [Hudsons]number composed the once-popular song “The Sunshine of your Smile”’. This would have been perhaps slightly earlier than 1915 – but both songs have exactly the same title?
Playing on my mind also is the research I did about the Switchback Rollercoaster – everywhere I looked, in books and on the internet it was documented that the first one in the UK was built in Skegness in 1885. But according to the Skegness Herald, the amusement ride was actually built here in 1887! http://skegnessvideo.com/2009/04/skegness-switch-back-rollercoaster-mystery/
I think I’m going to remain open-minded on this one – at least for now lol!
I am researching the music hall career of my grandma Isabella Mantle nee O´Reilley who was a long time resident of Skegness.She performed with a troupe of young singers and dancers called Hayley´s Juveniles.I have manged to find an advertisment for a review of a show they were in at the Sunderland Empire during July 1912 and lo and behold , on the same bill were Olgar ,Elgar and Eli Hudson who apparently were so good they recieved an encore.
If you would like copies of the reviews angela , please let me know.
Thank, Sue, that would be fantastic!
I’ll watch out for Isabella and the dancers during my trawls of the old newspapers.