Olga Visits Stan in London in 1932

In 1932, at the height of their success, Stan returned to England with Ollie for a summer vacation. There were enthusiastic crowds of adoring fans wherever they appeared. At the end of July 1932, Olga and Bill travelled to London to meet them, her father Arthur Jefferson and her stepmother Venitia for what was to become a rare family reunion.

(Stan, Venitia and Arthur Jefferson)

AJ Marriot’s superb book `Laurel & Hardy - The British Tours` captures the joy of the meeting through conversations that had been recorded by a couple of newspaper reporters who were allowed to gatecrash the party. Firstly, by a Daily Herald reporter...

"Come in and join the family party, " said Stan greeting me with a broad smile, "I’ve been waiting for this reunion for five years, saving up all I had to say, and we haven’t got past the old times yet. Ollie the great old scout has shuffled off and left us to it. He went to see the `Changing of the Guard` this morning. They must have heard he was coming and were afraid he might get up to something, `cos they didn’t have it,” he announced, and his peal of laughter bounced off the ceiling. "So, he’s gone to the Cheshire Cheese Inn to have a few cheeses. Reckon he’s full of - er - cheese by now"

Then later by a Daily Sketch reporter...

"As for the boy, well........," said Mr Jefferson, then after a while, "A good boy. a very good boy. Success hasn’t spoiled him. It’s something to say that."

"He’s still the same kid," said his sister.

The boy hung his head modestly.

"Seems to me," said Jefferson, "that comedians are born, not made."

"You said a lot, dad" said the boy.

"I always go to see him in the pictures," Mr Jefferson added. "In our home in Shields in the old days I could see he had something in him. Always being funny, he was. So I made him a little theatre in the attic. Spent the day there, he and his sister Olga. Well what I say is, what’s bred in the bone...."

Here, the account ends.

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