Main Menu

Tip jar

If you like CaB and wish to support it, you can use PayPal or KoFi. Thank you, and I hope you continue to enjoy the site - Neil.

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

Support CaB

Recent

Welcome to Cook'd and Bomb'd. Please login or sign up.

March 28, 2024, 10:54:52 PM

Login with username, password and session length

The Convent Garden Conundrum

Started by thepuffpastryhangman, October 26, 2006, 12:13:25 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

thepuffpastryhangman

Dear Aubrey


As a friend of a friend of a fellow highly regarded former theatrical dresser, I'm aware it's seldom frowned upon should a gentlemen choose to share the odd reminiscence with friends over a fine brandy and the odd Havana. In which case I'd like to make polite enquires regarding the 'Covent Garden Conundrum', with which I'm sure you're familiar.

Between January 24th - 27th 1963, with My Fair Lady entering it's fifth year on Drury Lane, Rex Harrison mysteriously disappeared. The show just had to go on and his American understudy Con Yewall was a competent if uninspiring replacement. But to this day little is known of Harrison's whereabouts over that seventy two hour period. Early on the morning of the 26th January the body of Soho barrow-boy Henry Harold Hackett was found under the wheels of his barrow on Covent Garden market. Initial suspicions where that Hackett, described as 'your typical cheerful cockney sparrow' had taken his own life, but a post mortem proved Hackett had died from repeated blows to the skull with a solid narrow object, believed to be a cane or umbrella. Despite rumours that Hackett was last seen being repeatedly asked his name by a very dapper increasingly frustrated gentlemen, no witnesses have ever come forward.

I wonder if - with your inside knowledge of the theatre and doubtless the Covent Garden area - you're able to shred any light on either the mysterious disappearance of Rex Harrison or the sad demise of poor Henry Harold Hackett?
You're my only hope as my friend's friend refuses to discuss either issue.


Thanks in anticipation.

Aubrey Barkus

Quote from: "thepuffpastryhangman"Con Yewall

Poor attempt.  B-