Miriam Bibbero Johnson Biography

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Miriam Bibbero Johnson Biography

MIRIAM BIBBERO JOHNSON 

FAMILY, PHILANTHROPY, FASHION

A BIOGRAPHY OF HULL’s ACTRESS-ENTERTAINER 

1840 – 1947 

In 1840 a small Jewish family emigrated from Posen, Prussia settling in Kingston Upon Hull.

100 years later Mira Bibbero Johnson was one of the most famous actresses in England carrying on the family tradition of generosity in Yorkshire’s caring city.

Introducing swimmer Professor Marcus Bibbero and grandfather Barnett, Mira Johnson’s biography charts her electrifying career.

From the Wireless Age to BBC Television, Vaudeville, Variety and her West End Studio stage school Mira’s biography takes you from Victorian Britain to her work in the Voluntary Entertainment Service up to the end of World War II.

Owner of Hull’s exclusive fashion house the House of Mirelle her story is truly fashionable, a stylish glimpse into clothes and society from days gone by.

Illustrated with original artwork and told against a backdrop of theater, radio and film it’s an 100 year romp with all the twists and turns you’d expect from Hull’s charitable, characterful and creative pioneer.

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Look through our gallery and spot some of the locations in the book!

Profits from the sale of this book will help preserve Mira Johnson’s legacy and that of her fashion house, the House of Mirelle.

Hammonds Department Store Kingston Upon Hull 1930s
Hammonds department store twinkles with Christmas lights, Hull. c. 1930s.

Edition 2 of Mira’s life story will be published soon, available on Amazon and in Hull libraries

Read an extract from Miriam Bibbero Johnson’s Biography…

Cold December air ushered guests towards Powolny’s restaurant, flagpoles jutting across King Edward Street, guests rounding from Victoria Square.

It was a lesser event than City Hall, but people dressed up to celebrate the end of 1935 straight after Christmas, with as much verve and style as ever.

Clutching tickets for 1 penny only, people walked the hallways past the main eating space, to find hostess Mira Mountain illuminated at a dining room entrance, tables and white napkins, tea cups and layers of cake stands displaying food for Hull’s discerning guests.

‘Welcome’ she said generously to each of the 130, giving them a greeting name by name. ‘I hope you enjoy your evening, please follow the Maitre D.’

Gracious to the last, she gave the impression of knowing  each guest in person, regarded as an ‘entrepreneur’ as well as host of the entire event, by the press.

Sliding gloves onto tables, gentlemen positioned ladies’ chairs, creating a room alive with chatter before cabaret dancers from the West End Studio arrived, dipping and dancing in time with jazz and swing.

Waitresses in black uniform took care with orders and in softer moments women shimmered, clasped around bare backs by their men’s hands as they were lead towards the dance floor.

Pleasurable hours later, voices poured from the restaurant, chiming with the icy midnight hours of Christmas, winter’s season approaching its end, 1936 on its way.

© Carrie Henderson. 2024.

1880 Map of Hull carriehenderson.uk
Vintage map from 1880 of Hull in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. The city of Hull has served as market town, military supply port, trading hub, fishing and whaling centre, as well as an industrial metropolis.

Copies available through Hull libraries

Two are at Hull History Centre, one in the local studies library where members of the public can borrow a copy. One is also held in the History Centre reference Searchroom.

Other copies can be borrowed at Central Library, Avenues, Fred Moore (Derringham), Brandsholme and Ings.

My Library is not on the list..

You can reserve a copy at your local library through an inter-library loan at a cost of 70p.

Outside Hull, The British Library based in London and Boston Spa, Yorkshire can also make a request for an inter-library loan.

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Can you spot locations mentioned in Mira Johnson’s Biography…?

Most can be found in its pages, from new town to old.