Introducing the Ely Dandies
The Ely Dandies were a mainstay of Ely's musical life in 1914. In this "sophisticated" pose with their cigarettes, Bert Armsby is the Dandy seated holding what appears to be a piece of sheet music. The other seated figure is pianist Ernest Harlock Cooper. The standing Dandies from left to right are Vic Cowley, Clifford Cooper, Albert Cowley and Ernie Dunham.
In 1912 -14 Ely had a thriving musical life, an important component of which was the Ely Dandies Concert Party, a talented group of amateur Glee Club singers and comics who appeared to great acclaim at many local events, ranging from summer evenings at the local sports pavilion, to Christmas treats at the workhouse, to benefit concerts and fundraisers for institutions or political parties. In November 1913 some members of the group “who happened to be present” were even persuaded to take a turn at the Ely City Band Concert at the Corn Exchange! The Dandies are found appearing at events as far from Ely as Bluntisham and Linton. Occasionally other singers would join the group to make up numbers; in addition to the core group, the Dandies were joined on at least one occasion by Allan Bertram, A Edwards, H Hammitt, Victor Franks or Clifford Lister.
The group of friends appear to have met up initially at school or at St Peter’s Church in Broad Street and included two sets of brothers. There is no indication that the Dandies re-formed after the War, after all, they had lost two of their number. However, Vic Cowley and Arthur Sillett became founder members of Ely's Amateur Pierrot Troupe called "Odds And Ends" in 1922. The Pierrots, like the Dandies, were a group of comics and singers who gave regular charity concerts and made appearances at charity functions by request. This time, however, the group included both men and women.
At some events pre-War as few as three Dandies would be present, while on other occasions there could be twice this number. What happened to these young men as the War broke out? They certainly started by raising money for the War Fund with their talents, but how many then enlisted? We know two died, but what of the others? The fate of the Dandies appears below:
Bert Armsby: Bert worked at Dingles Grocery Store in Market Street. He was a keen sportsman. He was twenty at the outbreak of the War (born 24th May 1894). He was a Territorial and enlisted in the 7th Battalion of the Suffolk Regiment. He reached France in May of 1915 and survived for only a month at the Front. More of his personal story can be found elsewhere on this website.
Clifford Cooper: Clifford is sometimes recorded as acting as the Dandies’ Master of Ceremonies. He was twenty-one at the beginning of the War and worked with his father and brother Ernest as a plasterer. The family lived in New Barns Road and then West Fen Road. Clifford became a Sapper with the Royal Engineers, and was invalided home for a period in the second half of 1916 with shell-shock.
Ernest Harlock Cooper: Ernest (who usually appears as “ Mr Harlock- Cooper” in the newspapers) supported several of the city’s musical groups, including the Dandies, as a pianist. He was Clifford’s older brother , being twenty-three at the outbreak of the War (born 10th May 1891). The Census of 1911 shows that he began his working life as a member of the family plastering business, but by 1914 was employed as a pianoforte tuner. He lived with the rest of the Coopers in West Fen Road. Harlock was a Territorial; he enlisted as soon as possible, on 26th September 1914, to serve in the Cambridgeshire Regiment (No.326005). Ernest married Mabel Thompson 23rd October 1915. Ernest and Mabel named their son Clifford (born 1916) after Harlock’s brother and fellow Dandy. Ernest had suffered from scarlet fever in childhood and it appears that this weakened his heart, and this problem was aggravated by his war service. He was promoted to Lance Corporal on 18th November 1916, but was not long after posted to the Suffolk Reserve. On 1st April 1918 he was transferred to 683 company Labour Corps (Agricultural Company) as a Private (No. 546763). Finally Ernest was moved to the Royal Defence Corps on 5th October 1918, and from here was discharged on 23rd April 1919. He was issued a Silver War Badge (No. 6687) as his heart trouble was bringing on regular fainting fits and he was reckoned to have 50% disability. Ernest and Mabel lived in Wisbech Road, Littleport. After the War Ernest returned to the family business, manufacturing concrete products and plastering. He died in 1945. Scroll to the bottom of the page to see a painting and poem Ernest wrote in an autograph book, and his silver war badge.
Albert Cowley: Albert was nineteen at the outbreak of the War; he was the youngest and newest member of the Dandies in August 1914. He worked in the family fruit and fish business on Forehill at this time, and then moved to Hitchin where he worked as a butcher. He attested as soon as he was twenty-one and served with the Royal Garrison Artillery, originally as a cook, and then with a heavy howitzer battery. He survived three months at the Front. More of his personal story can be found elsewhere on this website.
Victor Cowley: Vic (actually Frank Victor) was the older brother of Albert and was almost twenty-five at the outbreak of the War (born 6th September 1889). Like his brother Albert, he also originally worked in the family grocery business. Vic Married Lily Newman in the Summer of 1916. He enlisted on 6th February 1918 and was discharged on 14th March 1919 with a silver war badge. Vic served with the Royal Engineers as a Sapper in the Inland Water Transport Regiment (W.R. 330426). He never served overseas. After the War Vic worked as a postman and also as a window cleaner. He died in February 1950, aged fifty-nine.
Ernest Alfred Dunham: Born in 1893, Ernie was twenty-one at the outbreak of War. He was an only child, living with his parents in Cambridge Road and working as a clerk. Ernest's father Alfred, then a brewery manager, was called up as an army reservist, while Ernest himself enlisted on 6th September 1914 and fought with the Bedfordshire Regiment. He was discharged with a silver war badge for serious wounds on 23rd October 1917. Ernie had a noteable career after the War, becoming the Managing Director of Criswells Garage in Newmarket and even receiving an MBE in 1947 for services to the Ministry of Transport as a Regional Repairs Adviser during World War Two. He was also a Justice of the Peace for the Newmarket Division and a Councillor for West Suffolk (including being Chair of the Council). He died in 1968.
Arthur Patrick Sillett: Although he does not appear in the photograph above, Arthur Sillett was also a regular member of the Dandies. Arthur was twenty-two at the outbreak of the War (born 2nd November 1892). He was a porter at Ely railway station and lived with his family in Victoria Street. He married Alice Peckett in 1915 and their son Alan was born early in 1917. He served with the Royal West Kent Regiment (G/27192). After the War he returned to the railways and ultimately became a foreman porter at Ely railway station. In World War Two he served as a local ARP warden. Arthur died in 1960.
The group of friends appear to have met up initially at school or at St Peter’s Church in Broad Street and included two sets of brothers. There is no indication that the Dandies re-formed after the War, after all, they had lost two of their number. However, Vic Cowley and Arthur Sillett became founder members of Ely's Amateur Pierrot Troupe called "Odds And Ends" in 1922. The Pierrots, like the Dandies, were a group of comics and singers who gave regular charity concerts and made appearances at charity functions by request. This time, however, the group included both men and women.
At some events pre-War as few as three Dandies would be present, while on other occasions there could be twice this number. What happened to these young men as the War broke out? They certainly started by raising money for the War Fund with their talents, but how many then enlisted? We know two died, but what of the others? The fate of the Dandies appears below:
Bert Armsby: Bert worked at Dingles Grocery Store in Market Street. He was a keen sportsman. He was twenty at the outbreak of the War (born 24th May 1894). He was a Territorial and enlisted in the 7th Battalion of the Suffolk Regiment. He reached France in May of 1915 and survived for only a month at the Front. More of his personal story can be found elsewhere on this website.
Clifford Cooper: Clifford is sometimes recorded as acting as the Dandies’ Master of Ceremonies. He was twenty-one at the beginning of the War and worked with his father and brother Ernest as a plasterer. The family lived in New Barns Road and then West Fen Road. Clifford became a Sapper with the Royal Engineers, and was invalided home for a period in the second half of 1916 with shell-shock.
Ernest Harlock Cooper: Ernest (who usually appears as “ Mr Harlock- Cooper” in the newspapers) supported several of the city’s musical groups, including the Dandies, as a pianist. He was Clifford’s older brother , being twenty-three at the outbreak of the War (born 10th May 1891). The Census of 1911 shows that he began his working life as a member of the family plastering business, but by 1914 was employed as a pianoforte tuner. He lived with the rest of the Coopers in West Fen Road. Harlock was a Territorial; he enlisted as soon as possible, on 26th September 1914, to serve in the Cambridgeshire Regiment (No.326005). Ernest married Mabel Thompson 23rd October 1915. Ernest and Mabel named their son Clifford (born 1916) after Harlock’s brother and fellow Dandy. Ernest had suffered from scarlet fever in childhood and it appears that this weakened his heart, and this problem was aggravated by his war service. He was promoted to Lance Corporal on 18th November 1916, but was not long after posted to the Suffolk Reserve. On 1st April 1918 he was transferred to 683 company Labour Corps (Agricultural Company) as a Private (No. 546763). Finally Ernest was moved to the Royal Defence Corps on 5th October 1918, and from here was discharged on 23rd April 1919. He was issued a Silver War Badge (No. 6687) as his heart trouble was bringing on regular fainting fits and he was reckoned to have 50% disability. Ernest and Mabel lived in Wisbech Road, Littleport. After the War Ernest returned to the family business, manufacturing concrete products and plastering. He died in 1945. Scroll to the bottom of the page to see a painting and poem Ernest wrote in an autograph book, and his silver war badge.
Albert Cowley: Albert was nineteen at the outbreak of the War; he was the youngest and newest member of the Dandies in August 1914. He worked in the family fruit and fish business on Forehill at this time, and then moved to Hitchin where he worked as a butcher. He attested as soon as he was twenty-one and served with the Royal Garrison Artillery, originally as a cook, and then with a heavy howitzer battery. He survived three months at the Front. More of his personal story can be found elsewhere on this website.
Victor Cowley: Vic (actually Frank Victor) was the older brother of Albert and was almost twenty-five at the outbreak of the War (born 6th September 1889). Like his brother Albert, he also originally worked in the family grocery business. Vic Married Lily Newman in the Summer of 1916. He enlisted on 6th February 1918 and was discharged on 14th March 1919 with a silver war badge. Vic served with the Royal Engineers as a Sapper in the Inland Water Transport Regiment (W.R. 330426). He never served overseas. After the War Vic worked as a postman and also as a window cleaner. He died in February 1950, aged fifty-nine.
Ernest Alfred Dunham: Born in 1893, Ernie was twenty-one at the outbreak of War. He was an only child, living with his parents in Cambridge Road and working as a clerk. Ernest's father Alfred, then a brewery manager, was called up as an army reservist, while Ernest himself enlisted on 6th September 1914 and fought with the Bedfordshire Regiment. He was discharged with a silver war badge for serious wounds on 23rd October 1917. Ernie had a noteable career after the War, becoming the Managing Director of Criswells Garage in Newmarket and even receiving an MBE in 1947 for services to the Ministry of Transport as a Regional Repairs Adviser during World War Two. He was also a Justice of the Peace for the Newmarket Division and a Councillor for West Suffolk (including being Chair of the Council). He died in 1968.
Arthur Patrick Sillett: Although he does not appear in the photograph above, Arthur Sillett was also a regular member of the Dandies. Arthur was twenty-two at the outbreak of the War (born 2nd November 1892). He was a porter at Ely railway station and lived with his family in Victoria Street. He married Alice Peckett in 1915 and their son Alan was born early in 1917. He served with the Royal West Kent Regiment (G/27192). After the War he returned to the railways and ultimately became a foreman porter at Ely railway station. In World War Two he served as a local ARP warden. Arthur died in 1960.
A second photograph of the Dandies - but why is the sixth man not in shot?
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