Never Forget Her Seaside: Mamie Stuart Poem by Paula Glynn

A member of a troupe and now a Chorus Girl
Mamie Stuart actually christened Amy Stuart
Born on the celebrated day of 24th November 1893
In her hometown of Sunderland in England
Regretfully murdered between 12th November
And the 6th of December 1919
Having been a fun and vivacious 26 year old
With dreams of glamourhood and being free.

The Chorus Girl Mystery dubbed by the media
A young woman vanishing without a trace
The prime suspect her violent and evil husband
George Everard Shotton
A man a bigamist and rightfully put in prison
In his cursed and punishable place
The police never forgetting the disappearance -
And 40 years later - discovery of Mamie's poor body.

But Amy - or Mamie - led a good life
A far too short a life: but a superstar never forgotten
She had one sister called Edith: also bright and fun
She had a younger brother called James Smith Stuart
And reaching her teenage years she realized
She had a passion for music halls where dancing calls
Becoming a Chorus Girl with The Magnets
A life of parties and wild nights out that had to be done.

Growing up she left her happy home to pursue
A career in stage performances
Her own troupe The Five Verona Girls
Risqué when showing their legs in prudish times
But when Mamie disappeared
Where had she gone? She loved her life and success
With everything to live for and never depressed
With a charismatic character no one could ignore.

In 1917 Mamie to have married George Shotton
A marine engineer but who knew
What went on behind closed doors
But they moved a handful of times
Eventually ending up in a remote cottage
Overlooking Swansea Bay in Ty-Llanwydd
But this was far from paradise
No matter the tourists excitedly visiting the seaside.

And so a woman's tale is told:
But it is a story that doesn't grow old
Or even have Mamie suffer out in the cold
The world may have moved on
But listen to the angels: Mamie smiles and lives on
And tells women suffering domestic abuse
Free themselves with no tricks that do confuse
To be a woman breaking the chain: now free from abuse.