I am a distant relative of the famous Scottish showman, Walford Bodie. I’m
also an avid collector of Bodie material. I believe that in 1896, Walford
Bodie’s main stage lady was a lass who went by the name of Lil Clifford. Lil
was a great hypnotic subject, and in 1897 was part of Bodie’s ‘Bolton Trance
Event,’ where she was kept in a trance for up to a week. The famous English
hangman, James Billington, was part of the Committee of Inspection during
this time. Later that year Lil married John Bodie in Wolverhampton. John
Bodie was Walford Bodie’s brother.
Some little time after leaving the ‘Bodie Show,’ Lil acquired the licence
for the White Hart Hotel In Stafford. In years to come it became a popular
watering hole and gathering place for all kinds of showbusiness people and
entertainers, performing at nearby shows and the like, one of whom would
have been Walford Bodie, when performing in the area. The Mayor of Stafford
was also said to be a good friend and a regular attendee. The hotel was
obviously very busy, popular with the locals, and well attended during its
heyday. I believe the Hotel was also used as a police station during the
war years.
I live in Australia, but am quite sad to hear of the hotel’s demise, given
its history, and the fact that I had planned to visit the UK in the next
year or so, and the hotel would have been one of my first ports of call.
