Nancy or Nan Bates

Nancy Bates was born 18 Sep 1904 as Anne Bates in Marylebone, London.
She was one of thirteen children of whom most became involved with show business.
She and her sisters started in the Pierrot shows at Margate and than joined Leslie Fullers Ped’lers. She had some small parts in films and met Leslie Fuller again in 1932 when appearing in a rather exoctic role as a bare-back elephant rider in a film about a circus. By this time Leslie ahd been a widower for two years. They worked together in Summer Season at Cliftonville and by Oct they were married at Marylebone registry office. The Ped’lers was very much a family affair with 3 of the Bates girls as dancers (Nan, Helen & Cecila) and Leslie and Ernest Fuller comedians and Lily Fuller designing the costumes. Nancy gave birth to twin girls Anne & Sheila in 1934 and Gracie Fields was the girls god-mother.