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Beti Lloyd-Jones joined the company as a chorister on September 3rd 1956. She comes from a highly musical family in North Wales. Her great grandfather was a well-known composer. Both her parents were singers. Beti herself first went on stage when she was four years old. She took part in local festivals and eisteddfodau, and broadcast on Children's Hour. She was trained by Madame Nellie Lewis who had been Clara Butt's accompanist.
By December; Beti was already understudying Joyce Wright. On her very first day Joyce was taken ill and Beti had to go on for her. "I started on Boxing Day and did a whole week."
In 1958, she took the role of Saphir. She played Inez for 11-12 years and appeared in all the contralto parts at one time or another.
"Very few of us had cars in those days. We nearly all would be there for the train calls. We would have two or three coaches reserved for us. We were all very short of money - the girls would bring along food for the boys. Our wages were £10 a week, and we had to live entirely from that."
In those days, there was still a certain formality between choristers and principals. "I became second understudy for Ann Drummond-Grant. I clearly recall the day when Miss Grant gave me permission to call her 'Drummie'. Yet, as a Company, we were very close."
Beti suffered a serious car accident in March 1962. She was in hospital until August. "When something like that happened, the Company backed you up all the way. Many travelled long distances to visit me in hospital. Not a day went by without someone getting in touch. Letters, cards, all sorts of things."
When Beti returned to the stage, her leg movements were severely restricted. She had difficulty kneeling; the other choristers would surreptitiously help her. She discovered that "Patience" is an opera with a lot of kneeling in it.
In 1981, when Beti celebrated 25 years with the company,She said that she believed that whilst there had been superficial changes, the important things about being in the Company had changed very little. "Still the same feeling of happiness while we're working. And we're still family In time of crisis, we stand back to back against all opposition. I think it marvellous. Beti summed up her first 25 years without any hesitation at all. "Very happy years. don't regret a single moment."
Beti Lloyd-Jones was with the company from 1956 to 1982 and played the parts of Lady Sangazure, Mrs Partlet, Buttercup, Ruth (Pirates), Lady Saphir, Lady Jane, Fairy Queen, Lady Blanche, Pitti-Sing, Katisha, Dame Hannah, Dame Carruthers, Inez, Duchess of Plaza Toro, Salata and Bertha.
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