BLACK ANNA (SOLO)

Still remembered by most Norwich pub goers of the period although clearly not part of the changing pop culture remit. Antoinette Hannent nee Carrara or Anna as she was known to her friends and patrons, is certainly one of the cornerstones of local entertainment history.

 

It is believed that her family originally walked to England from Medina, Northern Italy in the 1880’s, selling almost everything they owned to pay for the cross channel journey. Born in Norwich [1905], Anna was first known for her ballroom dancing. She later married Kenneth Hannent and in September 1935 they took over the running of The Jolly Butchers PH, Nch. The pub had originally been a lodging house and later had become used by the police as the local doss-house for vagrants and drunks.

 

Anna would sing regularly in the bar and during WWII US servicemen billeted at the pub, would teach her their favourite jazz and blues numbers. Anna became interested in the style and began to build up her own repertoire. Soon after the war Kenneth passed away and the pub continued to be run by Anna. By the mid fifties a full band had developed at the pub; friend and music colleague Albert Cooper recalls, “There was no amplification, Anna frowned upon it, and it wasn’t used at the pub until much, much later. Anna would stand at the front and belt out the tunes in her quasi English accent, with a Sophie Tucker style growl. Any musician playing too loud or caught trying to steal her limelight got the stare. She was the star and we all knew that.” Anna would also play many engagements outside of the pub, at the local jazz clubs and ballrooms see - The JB Quartet, she also guested with The Jolly Butchers SG and The Mustard City Stompers among many other jazz bands.

 

Anna sang regularly at the pub until early 1976, when after a short illness she passed away. Musical colleague Geoff Kelly has written a small history dedicated to The Jolly Butchers PH, Nch including a piece on Anna and although it was not published, a copy is deposited at Norfolk Heritage Centre.

 

Discography:

No official commercial releases exist to the best of our knowledge. Many reels of live recordings are around but as yet undocumented. The best quality recordings we are aware of are those that accompany a short documentary put together by Anglia TV for a News Profile in 1973. It’s claimed that Black Anna made a single, however, in out 35 year history we have not come across this artefact. We also enquired with Anna’s drummer, the late Mike Winton, who possessed a large collection of Black Anna memorabilia, if he knew of such an item and he said, “If she made one, I would have it.” . Has anyone got a vinyl release by Black Anna?   

 

Mediography:

Ann, of the Jolly Butchers, is popular singer EEN 26/06/54 (P)

Death of Ber Street’s Black Anna EDP 04/05/76 Obituary

Radio:

BBC Radio Norfolk ~ A tribute to Black Anna aired ??/??/96

hosted by close friends Albert Cooper & Geoff Kelly

TV:

Anglia TV: News Profile ~ unk trks aired c73

Bibliography:

The History Of The Jolly Butchers PH GK