Mrs. Betty Drown was a talented pianist who played for us every Sunday evening in the Prison Officers' Club aka American Club aka Central Recreation Club.
To hospital; hung over verandah while Mrs Drown's choir sang outside: Happy Birthdays for the new baby born this morning - Janet Sallis, for Jimmy Barnes (medical staff), for one of the patients, and for Mrs Drown herself tho her birthday was yest. Such a bright sunny morning.
The name "Betty Drown" certainly rings a bell for me. My brother, Viacheslav Atroshenko, was a very talented young pianist. I might be wrong but I think that he may have had piano lessons from Betty Drown in the late 1940s, or early 50s. Does anyone know if she gave private piano lessons in Hong Kong?
I can't be 100% sure that Betty Drown gave private piano lessons, but looking at the passenger lists above the 1946 list shows her as 'teacher' and the 1952 list shows her as 'musician'. Putting those two together, giving piano lessons seems very likely.
was a music teacher before the war, and in 1941, she became an ANS nurse at Queen Mary Hospital.
1940s Olga Franklin's embroidery - signatures, by Alan Ho
Wearing what he jokingly refers to as his PoW dress uniform, Edward (Ted) Drown listens affectionately to wife Betty Drown playing an old familiar tune. 27JUN84
Comments
Frances Elizabeth Drown aka Betty nee Leaper 24 Dec 1904 - 1985
Passenger List Hong Kong to Liverpool arrving 27 October 1945
Elizabeth Drown age 40 housewife Address in UK Costly Cottage South Devon
Passenger List London to Hong Kong departing 14 September 1946
Frances Elizabeth Drown 41 teacher
Passenger List London to Hong Kong departing 31 October 1952
Edward Charles Drown 47 civil servant Godwell Cottage Ivybridge
Frances Elizabeth Drown 47 musician
Probate Calendar 1985
DROWN Betty otherwise Frances Elizabeth of 112 Mill Road Burgess Hill Sussex died 7 September 1985
DROWN E C Lance Corporal HKVDC 2105
Edward Charles Drown birth registered Quarter 1 1905 Kensington London
Royal Navy Seamen Register
Edward Charles Drown Service 19 October 1924 - 7 November 1927
Marriage 1938 Plympton Devon Frances E Leaper to Edward C Drown
Frances Elizabeth Leaper born 24 December 1904 Registered Quarter 1 1905 Wandsworth
Barabra Anslow's Diary 25 December 1942
To hospital; hung over verandah while Mrs Drown's choir sang outside: Happy Birthdays for the new baby born this morning - Janet Sallis, for Jimmy Barnes (medical staff), for one of the patients, and for Mrs Drown herself tho her birthday was yest. Such a bright sunny morning.
Betty Drown
The name "Betty Drown" certainly rings a bell for me. My brother, Viacheslav Atroshenko, was a very talented young pianist. I might be wrong but I think that he may have had piano lessons from Betty Drown in the late 1940s, or early 50s. Does anyone know if she gave private piano lessons in Hong Kong?
Piano lessons
I can't be 100% sure that Betty Drown gave private piano lessons, but looking at the passenger lists above the 1946 list shows her as 'teacher' and the 1952 list shows her as 'musician'. Putting those two together, giving piano lessons seems very likely.
Mrs Elizabeth Drown's signature on Olga Franklin's embroidery
Wearing what he jokingly refers to as his PoW dress uniform, Edward (Ted) Drown listens affectionately to wife Betty Drown playing an old familiar tune. 27JUN84
* Sources: " A Midsommer Night's Dreame " Musick Arranged by Elizabeth Drown (Frances Elizabeth DROWN (née LEAPER, aka Betty) [1904-1986])