Calls have been made for Aberdeen arts bosses to do more to honour an opera legend who paid for wounded soldiers to attend shows at His Majesty’s Theatre.
Mary Garden was born in the Granite City and rose to global fame in the early 20th Century, appearing on the front of Time magazine and even starring in silent pictures.
But she ended her days back in her hometown, a figure of mild curiosity doing her shopping on Union Street while dressed in the sort of finery rarely seen in post-war Britain.
And by the time she died in 1966, aged 92, the woman who made millions in her lifetime was broke.
We’ve also spoken to some of Mary’s modern-day Aberdeen relatives – and have nine surprising facts about the woman who was a global icon
Some attribute her penniless state to the generosity she displayed in her twilight years, which included shelling out for injured Second World War servicemen to take in shows.
Historian, playwright and Mary Garden super-fan Mike Gibb has been on a crusade to put Mary back in the spotlight.
We’ve also spoken to some of Mary’s relatives, who feel the same way.
Mike was disappointed the link between the star and HMT was not honoured when it came time to decide on a name for the new-look dining space there.
But it’s reignited his desire to raise the profile of the 1874-born diva.
‘I don’t think there’s anybody more famous from Aberdeen…’
The writer said: “I’ve been fascinated by the idea that while renowned in Europe and America, she’d come back to Aberdeen and everybody would walk past her…
“Nobody knew who she was.
“She had such a sad ending to an amazing life, and it remains a shame there’s so little here.
“Mary was so big, I don’t think there’s anybody more famous to have come from Aberdeen.
I’ve pressed Aberdeen Performing Arts (APA) before, but it really would be brilliant if they could do something lasting to honour her in one of our arts venues.”
It comes after the Mary Garden Room at Aberdeen Music Hall was dumped when it was revamped a few years ago.
And with the name of The Terrace now set, along with the interior design, APA says naming the new HMT restaurant after Mary Garden is “not an option”.
But the body has pledged to keep the singer in mind for any future projects.
A spokeswoman said: “We acknowledge the amazing achievements of Mary Garden and her remarkable career, and have given recognition to that through events in our programme in the past.
We are happy to consider how we could further celebrate Mary in the future.”
Listen to a recording of Mary singing from 1926:
Mary Garden’s Aberdeen relatives agree more should be done
Mike has been backed by none other than Cameron Garden, a 42-year-old descendant of the singer, in his quest to honour her memory.
Cameron and his nine-year-old daughter, Jessica, were in the audience for a talk Mike gave at Aberdeen Central Library.
And while Mary may be largely forgotten in her hometown, Jessica is doing her very best to keep her memory alive – telling her young classmates all about her famous relation.
Cameron, whose granddad was Mary’s nephew, added: “There really should be more done.
“We should recognise people like her, who have come from the city.”
My tour of Aberdeen takes us to 41 Dee Street, birthplace of opera singer, Mary Garden.
She moved to the US as a child, trained in Paris, making her debut as lead, Louise in Charpentier’s opera. She climbed Mont Blanc to improve her lungs for the part of Salome in Strauss’s opera pic.twitter.com/DCsnQNpX1f— Small Stories (@gabiReith) March 21, 2022
They were among about 30 people who braved a stormy November night to attend, with Mike showing a short film about Mary Garden before answering questions on the singer.
The poignant work brought some in the audience to tears, as Michelle Bruce as an older Mary ruefully reminisced about her glory days from her humble Aberdeen home.
How would you like to see Mary Garden remembered in Aberdeen? Let us know in our comments section below
Mary Garden factfile:
- She made 30 gramaphone records between 1903 and 1929.
- Long before Beyonce, she had her own “celebrity fragrance”… In an advert for her own brand of perfume, it was suggested that Mary Garden could be the “reincarnation of Cleopatra” due to her “intelligence and beauty”.
- She starred in two silent movies produced by industry luminary Sam Goldwyn.
- When she toured America’s east coast she had her own private train with 11 members of staff, including a security guard for her jewellery!
- She’s thought to have boarded one of the final flights from Paris as war raged in 1940. Her home there was later trashed by the Nazis.
- Far removed from her glory years, she opened a fete to celebrate a successful fundraiser for Hilton High Church in 1950 – and gave a speech about the name “Mary”.
- She died in Daviot Hospital, near Oldmeldrum, which is now houses and flats having been closed in 1995.
- Fewer than 50 people attended her cremation.
- The 2012 Billy Connolly comedy Quartet contains a reference to the Aberdeen star, when it’s suggested a new arrival to the film’s fictional showbiz retirement home could be Mary Garden.
You can watch Mike’s 24-minute short film on Youtube and his book is available here.
Read more about Mary Garden here:
There’s something about Mary… Opera legend lauded abroad but ‘forgotten in her hometown’
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