Nova Pilbeam

N ova Pilbeam, born in 1919, was Britain's leading child and teenage star on both screen and stage in the 1930's and 40's. Aged just 12 she appeared on stage as Marigold "Toad of Toad Hall" at the Savoy Theatre and in 1934 took the leading role in "Little Friend" a film by Gaumont British about a marital breakup seen through a child's eyes.

She is descended from the Galindo family and this page describes her ancestry from the Galindos.

Alfred Miles Galindo married Elizabeth Paulet Hollingberry on 15th May 1817 in St Pancras Old Church London. This marriage seemed to have problems and the birth dates of the children are discussed here. The second daughter of this union, Harriette Ansdell Galindo, leads to Nova Pilbeam.

Harriette married Alexander Pilbeam, an architect, on 7th July 1859 in Holborn, London. They had four children, Clara Harriette born in 1860, Ada Elizabeth in 1862, William Alexander in 1864 and Francis Newcastle in 1867. Alexander died in Wimbledon in 1897 and Harriette in 1922.




The line to Nova Pilbeam can be seen in the following tree.



William Alexander married Lucy May Arnold, in Dover in 1889. They had twins, Alton Alexander and Arnold William, born in Dover, in 1890, (sadly Alton died the following year) and possibly Ada May, also in Dover, in 1895. (In the 1911 census William states they had three children with one surviving).
In 1901 the family is in Greenwich where William is described as a Mechanical Engineer. He died in 1956, Lucy in 1958.

Arnold William supported himself and later his family in the Theatre, first as an actor and later as a Manager.
The first review of his acting ability appears in 'The Hastings and St. Leonards Observer' of 4th October 1913 when he played Alan in 'Hindle Wakes'. 'With his cultured accent, Mr Arnold Pilbeam, as Alan, made that youth not without attractiveness....'
In May 1929 he appeared in 'She Stoops to Conquer' at the Princes Theatre Bristol. The main role, Tony Lumpkin, was played by Sir Nigel Playfair and other cast members all came from Sir Nigel's company at the Lyric Theatre Hammersmith. Other famous members included Peggy Ashcroft.
Although forgotten today he clearly worked with the best.

His later acting career seemed to be confined to the radio where the BBC would have made full use of his cultured accent.

He married Margery Cecilia Stopher in about 1918. They had Nova Margery born November 15th 1919, and Anthony Stopher in 1924, he was killed whilst on active service in WW2 in 1944.

Margery Cecilia Stopher was born in Nova Scotia and this would be the rationale behind naming their daughter Nova, an inspired, romantic name ready for stage fame!

This page illustrates the connection between Nova Pilbeam and the Galindo name and is not intended to be an obituary.

For comprehensive obituaries of Nova see here and here

Nova Pilbeam, born November 19th 1919, died July 17th 2015.