Daisy Brown Dance School

The Daisy Brown Dance School, was run by Mrs Brown of Glasgow Road in the late 1940s and throughout the 1950’s. Mrs Brown was part of an enterprising couple who also owned the Dookit Cinema next door to the east side of their dance school. Daisy and her husband Jack Brown, who was the manager of the Picture House Cinema (Dookit) were involved in show business for many years. They lived at 2 Alpine Street and their school of dance produced many talented dancers. The students performed an annual dance show, usually performed in the large hall of the Miners Welfare Institute at Calder Street. Their 2 children Joyce and Bobby, also later became involved with the theatre. Bobby Brown, was knowns as “Scotland’s Boy Comedian” and dressed in the style of Harry Lauder.

The Dance school, faced out on to Glasgow Road and was midway between former Alpine Street and Greenside Street. It would have been where the grass area is now in front of the modern Sports Centre.

Shared here kindly from Lillias Addison is a photo from the very early 1950’s of Daisy Brown’s Dance School. Lillias is the little girl on the front far left. Do you know more about the Brown family?

On social media:

Catherine Morrison Remember them used to go to the dancing and everybody went to Dookit great days X x

Helen Grieve I went for dance lessons early 50s.

Liz Boxall My cousin Irene Burns and I went to the dance school … Daisy also did keep fit classes for adults our mums went to them … When Joyce got married I was her flower girl Lovely family . My mum Betty Tennant worked in the cash desk in The Dookit 😀

Liz Doonin Went there for ballet and tap

Carol Crombie Jack was my great-uncle (my Nana’s brother) and after the Dookit went, he managed a cinema in Dennistoun. Unfortunately he passed away around 17 years ago. Great Aunt Daisy still had her dance school in Alpine Street until the early 70’s then it moved to the community centre on Glasgow road for a while. Daisy passed away in 1991. Aunt Joyce now lives in Mallorca with uncle jimmy – having moved there 20 plus years ago.

The Blantyre Project thank you Carol. I will add that detail to the archived story on the main website and to the records I’m keeping offline.

Marie Thomson Did the doom it used to be the bowling alley in Glasgow Road, I think I remember being told it burned down

Betty Brown The dookit, remember the chucked oot. Brick mc callum

Marion Robertson I remember my sister Fiona Glen and I went to Mrs Brown’s dancing in the 60 ‘s x

Jane Johnstone Oh heck Paul, I attended Mrs. Brown’s dance school in the fifties, loved it. She was larger than life!

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