Sisters' Morecambe Winter Gardens diaries reveal 50 years of stories

The story of two sisters who worked backstage at the Morecambe Winter Gardens for almost half a century will be revealed at the theatre.

Lena and Netta Ferrarini kept private diaries of their days working at the iconic venue during its glory era until the time of its closure in 1977.

This Saturday (September 19), Professor Vanessa Toulmin, chair of the Winter Gardens Preservation Trust, will give a talk called 'The Ferrarini Diaries: 50 Years Backstage at Morecambe Winter Gardens' about their remarkable service at the theatre.

Lena was the box office manager and Netta had various roles behind the scenes.

Morecambe Winter Gardens

The sisters, who were born in London of Italian heritage and came to Morecambe in 1914, started at the Winter Gardens in 1933 after previously being at the Central Pier.

Their diaries begin in 1927 and they worked at the theatre during a golden age when many famous names trod its boards from Laurel and Hardy to Morecambe and Wise.

The talk will give the audience the chance to step back in time and offers a rare backstage look at 50 years of magic and memories, bringing their personal accounts to life to celebrate the every day history, humour, and changing times of Britain’s golden age of seaside entertainment.

The talk is part of the Heritage Open Days celebration of history and culture at historic venues around the UK. It starts at 2pm and is free. You can register HERE.

The building will be open to the public as normal from noon to 4pm on Saturday and Sunday.

* The Winter Gardens' final opening weekend of the year will be September 26 and 27 when the theatre will close for the winter and reopen at Easter (end of March).

There will be the usual cafe and refreshments, tombola, merchandise and exhibition, along with special tours and a wondrous look around the Grade II* listed 19th century building.

Read more: LISTEN: "A thriving Winter Gardens benefits Morecambe" - Beyond Radio