Florence Rayner
1882-1978

Florence Rayner was born in a caravan at Sneinton Market, Nottingham in 1882, the daughter of Edward Rayner ("Teddy Senior") and Caroline (née Watson). From an early age she acted in the family's travelling theatre company, which had been started by her grandfather, Sammy Rayner, and then managed in turn by her father and her brother, George.

Theatre poster (1897)

The theatre poster on the right advertised a Grand Benefit Performance in aid of the Tibshelf Colliery Cricket Club, to be given at the Palace Theatre, Tibshelf in Derbyshire, near Sutton-in-Ashfield, on 30th June and 1st July 1897. The play was The Waltz of Death, and the starring role of Nora was played by Florence. All the other parts seem to have been played by members of the family.

Admission cost 2 shillings in the balcony (which had to be booked in advance) and 1 shilling in the pit. The performance commenced at 7.00pm. "Ordinary Doors" opened at 6.30pm, but "Early Doors" were at 6.00pm at an extra charge of 3d (three pence).

In 1903 Florence married William Shepherd, and they finally settled in Somercotes, Derbyshire, where they had two sons and four daughters.

Florence died in 1978 at the age of 96.

We are very grateful to Gary Wilkinson, Florence's great-grandson, for the photographs on this page and for giving us additional information about Florence Rayner. If you wish, you may e-mail him here.