Page 138 - Redditch People

Redditch People

Life and Times of Elsie Siddele Downing

Elsie Siddeley Downing was born in 1908 in Yorkshire to parents Sydney Hall Downing
and Edith Alice Downing and on the 1911 census they lived in Sheffield with their 4
children. In 1933 in Sheffield Elsie married Albert L. Biggs who was a greengrocer in
Redditch.

Elsie Siddele Downing was a well-known dance teacher and fundraiser and is probably
best known for her dance schools and lavish shows performed from the early 1940’s,
many of which were performed at the Palace Theatre, Redditch.

As well as masterminding the productions, she appeared in the shows herself in the early
years but later went on to be an adjudicator at dance competitions all over the country.
She was a renowned dance teacher and many of her former pupils went on to have
careers on the stage; including Mary Hooper, who went on to become a TV Topper on
television and Colin Stowe, who became a dancer at the London Palladium.

She was also well-known for her charity work, particularly for Smallwood Hospital,
Redditch Carnival and the blind. For many years the carnival queen float was designed
by her and she also made dresses for the Carnival Queen and her attendants. She was
an accomplished artist and was a member of Redditch Arts Circle for many years

Elsie died in 1994 aged 86

Page: 138 © RLHS 2015