1940s

1940 March – Marjorie and Connie Otsu in Hull “are delightful entertainers” – last appearance

1940 March – Tomio & Val, conjuring, Watling.

1940 April – Marjorie Otsu marries Belfast born James McMurrough in Leeds

1940 May – Kondo and Hanako last appearance at Cheltenham opera house.

1940 August – Nabekichi Mayeda variety artist (alien) left on Suwa Maru, without his wife Theresa L Mayeda.

1940 October 10 – “calls for next week” Kiraku Brothers last appearance as the Kiraku Brothers in Britain – Morecambe.

1940 October – Tomio Yamaguchi and Val (Winifred) and Violet and Kamejiro Yoshida (a Kiraku Brother),Mizunos, Inosuke Ide left London with other Japanese residents such as Yoshijiro Urushibara, an artist, paid for and “under advisement from the Japanese Embassy in Tokyo in light of the possibility that Japan would become embroiled in World War II in collaboration with Germany and Italy. Travelled from London to Liverpool by rail, crossed the Irish channel to Dublin, transited Ireland to Galway by rail, and there on November 5th boarded NYK liner, SS Fusimi Maru 1 bound for Japan. Travelling via Bermuda, New York, Newport News, Panama Canal, San Pedro (Los Angeles), arrived in Yokohama on 8 January, 1941.” Hajime Yamaguchi is mentioned as the father, living in Meguro, Tokyo.

1940 November – Chokichi Mizuno and his wife Toku, music hall artists, Masakazu Mizuno, Hanako Mizuno left on the Fusimi Maru. Son Kojiro Mizuno (b 1916 in Mansfield) seems to have stayed in Britain.

1941 December 7 – Japan declares war on the Allies

1941 December 8 – Britain declared war on Japan following the Japanese attacks on British Malaya, Singapore and Hong Kong on the previous day as well as in response to the bombing of the US fleet at Pearl Harbor.

114 Japanese men were interned on the Isle of Man, not all of them immediately.

1941 December 8 – Ichitaro Nishizawa interned – was an acrobat, then a general labourer in Pontypool

1941 9th December Hirokichi Fujii (A Kiraku Brother) is interned

1942 January – Masu and Yuri last performance as Masu and Yuri in pantomime Mother Goose in Southport, with Masu as a Goose and Yuri peforming hand balancing. No mention of them being Japanese since October 1939.

1942 February – last appearance of Mizuhara Gintaro as Gintaro in Burnley. Changes name to Ziska “the famous Chinese juggler” from April, performs in Britain through to his death in 1948.

1942 February – the Java Brothers (Ryunosuke Iizuka and Jujiro Deguchi, + 1) make their first appearance. Perform in Britain through to December 1950.

1942 March – Japanese seamen transferred from Isle of Man to POW camp in Scotland.

1942 May – Rene Takeda – factory worker, wife of Naojiro Takeda is re-admitted to British nationality.

1942 June – Masu and Yuri became Lamonte & Julie, a balancing and juggling team.

1942 June – Fujii’s appeal to be released from internment refused

1942 July – large number of Japanese internees depart Liverpool on El Nil as part of diplomatic exchange.

1942 August – Gertrude Minnie Iizuka, music hall artiste, wife of Ryunosuke, is granted re-admission to British nationality.

1942 November – 24 Japanese internees

1943 May – Fujii’s appeal to be released from internment refused

1943 July – Constance Otsu dies of TB in Yorkshire

1943 September – 12 internees. Of original 114, 47 voluntarily repatriated, 66 released when conditions permitted.

1943 November – Lamonte & Julie trio – joined by Sumako

1943 December – Therese Lilian Maeda, music hall artiste, wife of Nabekichi Maeda, is re-admitted to British nationality.

1944 September – Nishizawa’s appeal to be released from internment refused

1945 February – Variety Artists Federation annual general meeting

The Foreign Question

Bud Flanagan then proposed “That members of the V.A.F. pledge themselves for the immediate post-war period of five years not to appear in the programmes of any entertainments in Great Britain in which it is proposed to include such enemy aliens as German and Japanese performers.” He said when hostilities ceased they would again be faced with foreign artists flooding the country. He did not refer to American performers – if a man was good enough to fight with he was good enough to work with. They should penalise all Germans and Japs. If this resolution was passed there was an opportunity for the Agents’ Association to adopt a similar one. Ronald Frankau said he thought the resolution was ill-founded, absurd, and unworthy. It was sheer Fascism, and he hoped they would adopt the ideological point of view. N’Gai also spoke against the resolution, and suggested an approach to the Home Office in the matter. He said, “Can we make a pledge and keep it? “ and many of those present answered “Yes.”

Our Own Boys

Elsie Waters made a plea for our own British boys – they’ll want jobs when the war with Japan is over – “You’ll tell us when that will be, won’t you, Ronnie?” she said to N’Gai. Russ Carr spoke of our duty to the public in the matter, and Will Hay said that while everyone agreed with the broad principles, the matter must be attacked at the source – the Home Office immigration department. Talbot O’Farrell thought the matter must be fought in the profession by saying “We will not work with them,” and Chesney Allen supported this.

The Resolution as Carried

Russ Carr proposed that ten years be substituted for five: other speakers suggested other amendments, and finally, with Bud Flanagan’s consent, the original resolution was amended to “That members of the V.A.F. pledge themselves for the immediate post-war period of not less than ten years not to appear in the programmes of any entertainments in Great Britain in which it is proposed to include German, Japanese, or other ex-enemy alien performers, and that the Committee take the necessary steps to elicit the support of the appropriate Government department to prevent the entry into this country of enemy aliens who wish to take part In the entertainment industry.” This was carried.

1945 April – Ziska, with the aid of three attractive girl assistants, does remarkable feats in balancing and top spinning.

1945 June – Fujii released from internment subject to conditions

1946 July – Charlie Kunz, Ziska and Ronald Frankau appear at Newcastle Empire

1945 August 14 – Victory over Japan Day

1946 August – The Lamonte Julie Trio are a foursome, and the chief merit in this turn is some smart juggling by an attractive young brunette. A little more showmanship would add to the effectiveness of the various tricks. (The Stage, 22nd August) – joined by Jujiro aged 16?

1945 August – Nishizawa released from internment.

1946 September – Violet Yoshida returns, without Kamejiro. Has been living in Japan during war.

1946 December – Winifred Yamaguchi returns to Britain, described as “housewife” and “stateless”. Lived with her brother Christopher and his second wife Monica in Harrow until at least 1963.

1947 June – 2082nd meeting of the executive committee of the Variety Artists Federation to rescind the ban on artists of ex-enemy nationality (excluding Germans and Japanese on whom the ban continues to obtain), 867 votes; opposed to the recommendation – 602 votes; majority in favour of the recommendation.

1947 October – Winifred Yamaguchi, wife of Tomio Yamaguchi, “no occupation” is re-admitted to British nationality.

1947 – 1948 The Lamonte Julie Trio – two girls and a boy

1948 Ziska is a Juggler, who also performs some interesting balancing feats. A capital exhibition of juggling amd top-spinning is given by Ziska. Ziska balances a glass of water on many superimposed bricks to form a highly spectacular and thrilling finale.

1949 November – The V.A.F. has been approached by the Ministry of Labour to reconsider the 10-year ban placed on artists of German and Japanese origin in 1945. In order to get the opinion of the complete membership it was proposed to take a ballot before any decision. Was a 3:1 vote in favour of retaining ban. Then further discussion where it was pointed out that the ban on German performers was having an impact on British performers in Germany, and that France did not have a similar ban. So in the interests of European amity, the ban on German performers was lifted in 1950.