Healey, Olga – Stan Laurel’s sister was a popular local landlady

Beatrice Olga Healey (1894-1978)

Olga Healey was the sister of legendary comic actor Stan Laurel.

Daughter of Arthur Jefferson and his first wife Margaret Jefferson she continueD the family tradition on the musical hall. She moved to Grantham in the 1920s.

While working at Grantham’s Theatre Royal, in George Street, Olga met local musician William Henry (Bill) Healey. Bill, played cello and banjo in the theatre orchestra.

Stan first came to town on his own in 1927, when he stayed at the George Hotel, before going to see Olga on stage at the Theatre Royal.

Bill was the son of William H Healey, musician and music teacher, of 12 Welham Street, Grantham.  His sister Dolly was one-time pit pianist at the Picture House in town.

Following a short and undistinguished career in acting, Olga retired from the stage and the two lived together for a while, before marrying in Grantham in 1937 and becoming licensees of The Plough Inn, in West Street, Barkston, a popular wartime haunt for American airmen and soldiers from around Barkston Heath airfield.

Bill and Olga were strict disciplinarians and when `time` was called you didn’t argue.

In 1942 Arthur Jefferson (Stan and Olga’s father), retired from the theatre and went to live with Olga and Bill Healey at the Plough.

In 1947 Hollywood stars Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy came to Britain on the first of their theatrical tours, but Olga, Bill and AJ  missed their arrival as they were snowed in at Barkston.

However, in March 1947 Stan and Ollie travelled from London to Grantham and had lunch at the Red Lion, High Street before travelling on to Barkston.

Olga used to play the piano and sing to the customers – we always had a good night there.  But the Plough was so popular that it always ran out of beer by Saturday night.  In fact, it was nicknamed – The Pub with no beer”.

In 1950, Olga and Bill left the Plough Inn to take over the Bull Inn, Bottesford, where Stan and Ollie visited them on several occasions.

Olga died in 1978 and was cremated in Sunderland.