Mary Marshall (3)

Mary was born in Bolton. Lancashire, UK She had been singing since the age of 17 and only truly began to reap the rewards worthy of her talent after stepping off the train in London in 1956. She found a flat in Maida Vale and began working in floor shows at various nightclubs such as The Pigale, Jack of Clubs and The Stork. 'She also joined the 142 Club, a showbiz haunt, for contacts and camaraderie. Regulars included Tommy Steele, Dicky Valentine, Jackie Trent, Dorothy Squires, Roger Moore and Matt Munro. In her early 20s, in 1958 Mary learned that the record label, Decca, was interested in her. But while the executives were deliberating, Columbia stepped in with an offer - to make a test recording with the promoter, Denis Preston. Along with many other nervous hopefuls at the studio that day was a young singer by the name of Cliff Richards - at that time his name had an 's' - who'd just recorded Move It.He said to Mary: "I didn't think I'd get this contract, but I had a sound they wanted."' All the music papers, including New Musical Express and Melody Maker, gave her recording of Kiss, Kiss, Kiss rave reviews. Mary was launched into the big time. Signing autographs was commonplace, there were tours to Iceland and Cyprus and between contracts she appeared in movies including Blood of the Vampire and Man with the Gun, presented American movie star Jayne Mansfield with a bunch of flowers for a publicity shot (the photo never appeared because, Mary confided, the Hollywood star believed her figure compared unfavourably with hers), was nearly Gina Lollobrigida's body double and was asked to audition for the part of Maid Marion in the TV series, Robin Hood. That was when she met Sydney James. London's loss was Guernsey's gain. Sidney Died in 1985 and In 1994 she married James Cassaday, former Fire Brigade chief and an old acquaintance of Sydney's, and today Mary still sings, albeit not in public.