CHAPLIN'S YOUTH.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 67, 21 March 1938, Page 5

CHAPLIN'S YOUTH.

WATCHED FOR STARS.; OPENED CARRIAGE DOORS, j SHOEMAKER REMEMBERS. One of London's oldest craftsmen, Mr. B. Deitch, maker of hand-made shoes, who has just had to seek new premises, recalled how Charles Chaplin was once a regular visitor to his shop adjoining Sadler's Wells Theatre. "Charlie Chaplin used to sit in my shop in that chair in front of the counter," said Mr. Deitch. "He would watch

for llio stars of Sadler's Wells to arrive at the stage doors in their carriages. Then he would nip out to open the car-; riage door for twopence. l'erJ>nj>s that was how he got a taste for the istage.'' The ancient shoe shop luis just-been demolished to make room for extensions of the back-stage accommodation at | Sadler's Wells, planned as a memorial | to Lilian Baylis. ! "Charlie lived in the little shop next j door. (That had been demolished too.) i He was brought up in these two ►shop*." sttid the shoemaker. "I've enough work to keep me busy for a year." he said, "and nobody to help. I've had 11 men. but they're all dead except one, and he's 90. "The hand-shoemakers are dying out. and the young ones won't learn the trade. I have to refuse some orders and keep the rest waiting. Our trade is finished. It belongs to the pest."