Doris Gwendoline Helliwell (born 16 December 1895) was a renowned concert pianist in early Johannesburg, South Africa. She was awarded Honours in the Associate in Music examinations through Trinity College, London.
In 1916, Doris married prominent violinist Francesco Ferramosca[1] (b. Francescantonio Ferramosca, 23 August 1893, Viggiano, Italy).
After Ferramosca died in 1932, she married Michele Scuto (name changed to Scuto Mitchell). After Mitchell died a few years later, she married the big-game hunter John Francois Burger. With Burger, she traveled extensively throughout Southern Africa, big-game hunting and gold prospecting. Accompanying them on their journeys was Doris' pet leopard, Spots. These expeditions are documented in various books written by Burger.[2][3]
As Mrs. Doris Ferramosca she won the inaugural Southern African beauty competition, held by South African Pictorial ("The Union's National Weekly") in 1923,[4] which was a precursor to the official Miss South Africa pageant.
Doris was born in 1895 in Sheffield, England to Frederick Helliwell (b. 1870), master butcher in Rotherham and Matilda Earnshaw (b. 18 January 1869), school teacher in Treeton. She had one sister, Phyllis Ida Helliwell (b. 22 November 1900, West Riding, Yorkshire). The family emigrated to Johannesburg, Transvaal Colony in the early 1900s. Doris started studying piano under Barclay Donn, a teacher who specialized in grooming promising pianists for public appearances. She later became a student of the acclaimed piano teacher Sr. Lorenzo Danza.
Musical career
Doris performed at a number of concert venues in Johannesburg from 1910 to 1915, and received considerable praise in the press for her interpretations of difficult and intricate piano pieces. She appeared in several printed programmes. [5][6][7][8][9][10][11]
Family
Doris married Francesco Ferramosca (m. 11 January 1916) and they had two boys, Joseph Frederick Lorenzo ("Genzie") Ferramosca (b. 17 May 1916; d. 3 January 2007) and Frank Eugene ("Chickles") Ferramosca (name changed to Mitchell) (b. 21 January 1921; d. 14 March 2003).
After the birth of their children she was persuaded by the Cape Town photographer H. Goldstone to enter into the national weekly journal, South African Pictorial's Beauty Competition. The competition opened on 16 June 1923 and concluded on 24 November 1923. From a large number of entries, Doris won the £20 First Prize. This competition was a precursor of the official Miss South Africa pageant.
Doris' third husband, John Francois Burger, was an avid big-game hunter. In the exploratory days of the early 1900s, despite modern controversy over the practice, game hunting was a substantial source of income for the family. John hunted and slaughtered over 1000 buffalo, by far the most prolific hunter of his time. [12][13][14][15][16][17]
^Fantasie Impromptu (Chopin Op. 66), First Eisteddfod, East Rand, 1914 (won Senior Piano solo, and awarded the Eisteddfod gold medal)
^Grand Sacred Concert, Standard Theatre, Johannesburg, Sunday 17 May 1914
^Sacred Farewell Concert, Standard Theatre, Johannesburg, Sunday 12 July 1914, 8:45pm [4][5]
^Burger, John F. (1947), Horned Death, Standard Publications, Huntington, West Virginia
^Burger, John F. (1957), African Adventures, Robert Hale Limited
^Burger, John F. (1957), African Buffalo Trails, Robert Hale Limited
^Burger, John F. (1958), African Jungle Memories, Robert Hale Limited
^Burger, John F. (1959), African Camp-fire Nights, Robert Hale Limited
^Burger, John F. (1960), My forty years in Africa, Robert Hale Limited
February 01, 2023
doris, gwendoline, helliwell, born, december, 1895, renowned, concert, pianist, early, johannesburg, south, africa, awarded, honours, associate, music, examinations, through, trinity, college, london, born, 1895, december, 1895ecclesall, bierlow, sheffield, en. Doris Gwendoline Helliwell born 16 December 1895 was a renowned concert pianist in early Johannesburg South Africa She was awarded Honours in the Associate in Music examinations through Trinity College London Doris Gwendoline HelliwellBorn 1895 12 16 16 December 1895Ecclesall Bierlow Sheffield EnglandDied10 September 1952 1952 09 10 aged 56 Johannesburg South AfricaEducationAssociate in Music Honours Trinity College LondonOccupationConcert PianistSpousesFrancesco Ferramosca m 1916 died 1932 wbr Michele Scuto Scuto Mitchell m 1932 died 1937 wbr John Francois Burger m 1942 1984 wbr Children2Beauty pageant titleholderMajorcompetition s Our Beauty Competition 1923 Winner In 1916 Doris married prominent violinist Francesco Ferramosca 1 b Francescantonio Ferramosca 23 August 1893 Viggiano Italy After Ferramosca died in 1932 she married Michele Scuto name changed to Scuto Mitchell After Mitchell died a few years later she married the big game hunter John Francois Burger With Burger she traveled extensively throughout Southern Africa big game hunting and gold prospecting Accompanying them on their journeys was Doris pet leopard Spots These expeditions are documented in various books written by Burger 2 3 As Mrs Doris Ferramosca she won the inaugural Southern African beauty competition held by South African Pictorial The Union s National Weekly in 1923 4 which was a precursor to the official Miss South Africa pageant Contents 1 Early history 2 Musical career 3 Family 4 ReferencesEarly history EditDoris was born in 1895 in Sheffield England to Frederick Helliwell b 1870 master butcher in Rotherham and Matilda Earnshaw b 18 January 1869 school teacher in Treeton She had one sister Phyllis Ida Helliwell b 22 November 1900 West Riding Yorkshire The family emigrated to Johannesburg Transvaal Colony in the early 1900s Doris started studying piano under Barclay Donn a teacher who specialized in grooming promising pianists for public appearances She later became a student of the acclaimed piano teacher Sr Lorenzo Danza Musical career EditDoris performed at a number of concert venues in Johannesburg from 1910 to 1915 and received considerable praise in the press for her interpretations of difficult and intricate piano pieces She appeared in several printed programmes 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Family EditDoris married Francesco Ferramosca m 11 January 1916 and they had two boys Joseph Frederick Lorenzo Genzie Ferramosca b 17 May 1916 d 3 January 2007 and Frank Eugene Chickles Ferramosca name changed to Mitchell b 21 January 1921 d 14 March 2003 After the birth of their children she was persuaded by the Cape Town photographer H Goldstone to enter into the national weekly journal South African Pictorial s Beauty Competition The competition opened on 16 June 1923 and concluded on 24 November 1923 From a large number of entries Doris won the 20 First Prize This competition was a precursor of the official Miss South Africa pageant Doris third husband John Francois Burger was an avid big game hunter In the exploratory days of the early 1900s despite modern controversy over the practice game hunting was a substantial source of income for the family John hunted and slaughtered over 1000 buffalo by far the most prolific hunter of his time 12 13 14 15 16 17 Doris and Phyllis HelliwellReferences Edit https i ibb co HpQt24F Francesco01 jpg bare URL image file John F Burger Books Shakari Connection Retrieved 23 June 2020 John F Burger vorgestellt im Namibiana Buchdepot www namibiana de Retrieved 23 June 2020 South African Pictorial Our Beauty Competition Vol XVII No 434 November 24 1923 Johannesburg Ladies Choir Grand Concert Wanderer s Hall Wednesday 3 December 1913 1 Rhapsody Hongroise Liszt Masonic Hall Boksburg 11 November 1912 La Campanella Paganini Liszt Wanderers Hall Johannesburg Wednesday 5 March 1913 2 Rhapsody No 2 Liszt Wanderers Hall Johannesburg Wednesday 5 March 1913 3 Fantasie Impromptu Chopin Op 66 First Eisteddfod East Rand 1914 won Senior Piano solo and awarded the Eisteddfod gold medal Grand Sacred Concert Standard Theatre Johannesburg Sunday 17 May 1914 Sacred Farewell Concert Standard Theatre Johannesburg Sunday 12 July 1914 8 45pm 4 5 Burger John F 1947 Horned Death Standard Publications Huntington West Virginia Burger John F 1957 African Adventures Robert Hale Limited Burger John F 1957 African Buffalo Trails Robert Hale Limited Burger John F 1958 African Jungle Memories Robert Hale Limited Burger John F 1959 African Camp fire Nights Robert Hale Limited Burger John F 1960 My forty years in Africa Robert Hale Limited Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Doris Gwendoline Helliwell amp oldid 1120474624, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
