Yep. That is indeed Mick McManus and Thora Hird. But no, this isn’t a mixed wrestling tag team made in heaven, rather this unlikely couple, like a number of entertainers / celebrities, have something in common: They spent their final years in Brinsworth House in Twickenham.
Built in 1850, it has been a residential and nursing retirement home for theatre and entertainment professionals since 1911. Set in five acres of land, it has 36 bedrooms, six living rooms, a library, an in-house bar and, of course, a stage. Not so sure about a wrestling ring!
Brinsworth House
Owned and maintained by the Royal Variety Charity, it was founded in 1908 to care for members of what was at that time the variety and music hall profession. The charity and the house are funded by the Royal Variety Performance, by voluntary donations and, since 2007, by part-proceeds from phone voting from ITV's Britain's Got Talent.
Current residents include Mona Hammond, Richard O'Sullivan and Mike Yarwood. Past celebrity residents have included:
- Jack Wilson, (died 1970), of Wilson, Keppel and Betty fame
- Hylda Baker (died 1986)
- Ben Warriss (died 1993)
- Dame Thora Hird (died 2003)
- Charlie Drake (died 2006)
- Alan Freeman MBE (died 2006)
- Emily Perry (died 2008)
- John Hewer, (died 2008), best known for role as Captain Birdseye
- Sir Norman Wisdom (died 2010)
- Kathy Kirby (died 2011)
- Alf Pearson (died 2012)
- Mick McManus (died 2013)
- Derek Cooper, (died 2014), journalist, broadcaster, food specialist
- Ronnie Ronalde (died 2015)
- Teddy Johnson (died 2018)
- Pearl Carr (died 2020)
Brinsworth House in 1914
*March 2024 updates: Both Mona Hammond and Mike Yarwood have passed away at Brinsworth House since this post was written: Mona Harwood died on July 4th 2022, and Mike Yarwood on September 8th 2023.
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