Hull's Musical Heritage - David Whitfield 1 | Page 2

D

avid Whitfield
was born in the
Drypool area of Hull
in 1926, a year that
saw John Logie Baird
demonstrate his
television. It was also the year in
which John Coltrane and Dame Joan
Sutherland were born.
1926 was a great year for the musical industry.
His family lived on Albert’s Terrace,
which was located just off Clarence
David Whitfield in an early
promotional photograph
Street. Sadly the house and street
no longer exist. During his
formative years, the Whitfield’s also At the end of 1945, David relocated
to the Far East, and was part of the
lived in Harcourt Street, and
Entertainment Division that
Beaumont Street.
performed for the soldiers based
David attended St. Peter’s School on overseas, and he left the Royal
Church Street, and it was there that Navy in 1949, a process known as
he gained links to St. Peter’s Church being Demobbed.
where his love of singing started.
During this time, David entered a
After leaving school, he joined the talent show in Southampton, but he
Royal Navy. Aged 17, serving in the was disqualified because the rules
stated that the act had to complete
Far East, and also on HMS
Ramillies during the Second World their act in it’s entirety. David was
unable to complete his because the
War. As a seaman gunner on the
audience applauded so loudly, and
Ramillies, David was part of the
D-Day Landings, protecting the area therefore the judges were unable to
hear the last part of his song.
known as Sword Beach
A major turing point in David’s
career was being persuaded to
enter a heat of the popular talent
show, Opportunity Knocks.

HMS Ramillies - A Battleship on which David
Whitfield served during the D-Day Landings

The show was hosted by Hughie
Green, and broadcast on Radio
Luxembourg, a commercial
station in the days of BBC radio
having complete control of
broadcasting.