Jane Carr (actress)

Jane Carr was the stage name of Dorothy Henrietta Brunstrom, born 1st August 1909, 23 South Parade, Whitley Bay, Tynemouth, died 29th September 1957, buried Mendham, Norfolk.

Jane's first husband was James Bickley, whom she married in September 1931 in London.

Jane appeared in a number of films in the 1930's, 1940's and 1950's.

She subsequently married John Donaldson-Hudson, the grandson of Charles Donaldson-Hudson, from Cheswardine Hall, Shropshire on the 7th January 1943 at the Registry Office, Westminster. John Donaldson-Hudson was one of the partners in John Logie Baird Ltd, and Jane Carr's face appeared as one of the first images to be shown as television image on apparatus designed by John Logie Baird, as was that of Prince Monolulu.

Jane was divorced from John Donaldson-Hudson before September 1947

Jane and John had a daughter who relates the details of Noel Coward visiting her mother's flat in London at about the time of the Festival of Britain preparations in 1950. She said:-

"Noel Coward was a frequent visitor to our flat in South Audley Street, Mayfair, where my mother, a well known actress at the time, Jane Carr, had two Bluthner grand pianos in our drawing room. Noel wrote the song "The Festival of Britain" there, and my mother, who at the time was a pianist and singer at Quaglino's and The Savoy, sang it regularly. It may have been frivolous, but was in my opinion immensely amusing, starting with a stanza I can't quite entirely remember. I only learnt it sitting on his knee 60 years ago!

In September 1955, she married Henry J Robert Stent, the managing director of Trust House hotels.