Home 1935 A Bombay Party

A Bombay Party

by naresh fernandes

This photo of mid-1930s Bombay was taken in the home of the Hutson Sisters, whom I wrote about here. It was sent to me by the wonderful Maxine Steller, a cousin to the Hutsons. She’s the little girl in the front row. Here’s what she says about the photo:

“When you see how small I was, you will realise why I don’t have many memories of those days.  My Dad [Bill Taylor of the Bombay Police] is behind Sybil [Hutson], and Merlyn [Hutson] is under Sybil holding a witch (it must have been a Halloween party).  Next to Merlyn is my Mum , then Mrs Hutson. Below them is my brother Desmond, myself and my brother Cedric.  Young Billy Cooper is sitting next to Cedric.  Billy’s mother is sitting above him.

  Look at the clock, they had been telling ghost stories and frightening the life out of me.

  The fourth gentleman in the row where Dad is standing (you can only see his glasses) is Mr Mollenoux, who was Thomas Edison’s apprentice when he invented the electric light.  He came to our school, Christ Church High at Byculla and told us the story in a science class.

 Bill Cooper Snr is up near the clock holding on to the window and [the African-American pianist] Teddy Weatherford is just below him.

 Around that time, Mr Cooper made Dad a lamp shaped like a Bombay police sepoy standing under a light.  His face is a coconut.  Unfortunately, it is too large to post (about two feet high).”

To accompany the image, here are two Teddy Weatherford tunes from the Marco Pacci collection. The vocalist is Bob Lee, a US Air Force recruit who found himself in India during the war.

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6 comments

Ashwin Panemangalore July 14, 2012 - 6:13 am

Amazing! Maxine Steller is a treasure house What she has should hopefully fill a book

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Jillian Cooper August 23, 2012 - 6:19 pm

Oh my goodness!I can’t believe it…… in this photograph there’s my father ( young Billy Cooper) as a boy next to Maxine’s brother Cedric, my grandfather Bill Cooper Snr. near the clock as you say Maxine, holding on to a window, my grandmother Annette Cooper nee Johnstone above young Billy Cooper, I think I can see young Billys older sister Edna above.
I treasure it thankyou.
Regards
Jillian

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naresh fernandes August 24, 2012 - 3:34 am

Dear Jillian,
Do tell us some more about what you know about these fascinating bunch of people!

best,
Naresh

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Jillian Cooper August 24, 2012 - 5:09 pm

Hello Naresh, Fascinating bunch of people yes, well I can only tell you about my family Grandfather Grandmother Father and two Aunt’s in the photo. Here is my account of the people I know in the picture.
As I said Young Billy Cooper (my father) sitting in front of his mother (my grandmother Annette Johnstone) was her maiden name, and Grandfather Bill Cooper at the back by the window. Grandad was a brilliant artist amongst other talents,
I have a photo of Granddad with his dog, outside his house which was called Avalon in Santa Cruz…. where I was eventually born.
This photo is in the mid 30’s as said by Maxine Steller, and Naresh, I was so stunned to see it.
Billy Cooper as you know, grew up to be the pianist in the Bombay Broadway Boys and was born on 13th August 1926 married Cynthia Norton. Billy and Cynthia (my parents) married in 1949 and Fred Steller was their Best Man, I have the photo of the wedding in my album..
When Bill Cooper left the band it was probably around 1954 1955 ish…..as I was born then I wouldn’t know all these details.
I dont think the date was ever discussed, I’m sure Maxine would be the one to know more or less when he left the band.
Both my mother and father have now passed away2003 and 2007 but I carry all their stories in my memory and when I read through your notes Naresh, the name Fred Steller I remembered that name as its written on my mums photo, as I mentioned before Fred Steller being their best man. Really really wish I could email Maxine Steller, has she an email address for email pals? Now todayas I was talking to my aunt, who is now 82, Maxine’s age, she (Margaret Norton) recalls Maxine, and Fred Steller her husband , Margarets husband went to the same school….. St Marys for boys. All I had to do was phone Aunty and Uncle, (My mother’s brother and sister) and they carried on telling me all about the Stellers.
Naresh thank you for your Story of Bombay’s Jazz age and I take it I could purchase the book?.
Kind Regards Jillian

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Anita May 15, 2020 - 9:51 pm

Do you have a recording of When Waltz Song?

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Deborah Claxton (nee Cooper) July 7, 2023 - 10:12 pm

Wow! I stumbled in to this feed and am amazed. Jillian and I are sisters from the same mister, but different mothers. I have never seen a picture of my dad (Billy Cooper Jnr). I am absolutely blown away from the faces I recognise. Nan and Grandad, Dad, I am sure Aunties Phylis and Edna must be there….

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