BRIEF LIVES: GEOFFREY GOMER DAVIES: 1908-1954

 

BRIEF LIVES: GEOFFREY GOMER DAVIES: 1908-1954

ACTOR AND THEATRE OWNER WITH DAVID LAMBERT

Geoffrey Gomer [Davies] was born in London  on 7 February 1908 and died today on 4 November 1954 at Dartford in Kent.

His father was Robert Cropley Davies , ( 1874-1941),  a  solicitor, his mother, Ethel  Beatrice Woolf ( 1878-1952),  was a Yorkshire lass.  The family home  with several siblings, was first at Gerrards Cross and Geoffrey later moved to Hartford, near Dartford.

He was educated at Lancing College, West Sussex,  and became an army cadet, he later joined the Territorial Army and he was also a Police Reservist.

As “ Geoffrey Gomer” he made a name for himself  as a stage  actor and stage manager  with  his  close friend and business partner, David Lambert, whose family were based in Lewisham, South London.

                              The Richmond Players

The Gomer/ Lambert combo thrived  for many years, with weekly rep played out at the Theatre Royal, Lincoln and  The Scala, Dartford.  As the “Richmond Players” they toured the country  in a number of shows, including Emlyn Williams’ drama “ Night Must Fall”, the screw ball American comedy        farce  “ Arsenic and Old Lace” and Noel Coward’s “ Hay Fever”. 

                             Where the Rainbow Ends

In the 1930s, a notable role for Geoffrey as an actor was to play St George for four years at the Holborn Empire in “ Where The Rainbow Ends”,  a favourite Christmas children's entertainment.

In 1932 Gomer received rave notices for his performance in an epic show,  “ Miracle at Verdum”, a war parable  staged at the Embassy Theatre, London.

He also co-starred  at the Apollo Theatre, with stage luminaries Sybil Throndike and Marie Tempest in “ The Distaff Side” and with Ellen Pollock and Leo Glenn in “ Beggars in Hell” at the Garrick Theatre, in 1933.

             Geoffrey the Broadcaster in Rome in WW2

During the Second World War Geoffrey was a prominent radio producer and front man for the BBC, broadcasting at ‘pop up’ stations throughout Europe. He was later on the staff of  the BBC’s Light programme department. He also formed the Geoffrey Gomer Agency, providing freelance news services.

After demob from the army he joined up with fellow actors  David Lambert (1916-1979)  and Kenneth Cleveland (1920-2004),  with a season at the little Torch Theatre at Hyde Park Corner, in Knightsbridge. Their first presentation was Jack Alldridge's war story, set in Italy,  “All This Is  Ended”.

 Geoffrey later appeared in an early live recorded  BBC TV film,  of  "All This Is Ended"   the play produced  at the Torch, about the affects of war and  "Without the Prince"  ( 1947)  another BBC production,  an adaptation of a stage play by Philip King, a farce set in a rural English village. 

In the 1950s, despite  success and popular support  The Richmond Players were hit hard with financial problems, worries over the lease of  the 900 seat  Scala Theatre at Dartford. 

https://theatricalia.com/place/64y/scala-theatre-dartford-dartford

But  the greater sadness was over the uncertainty created by the deterioration in Geoffrey’s health  and this brought the dire climax.

       Geoffrey Gomer Davies Grave at All Saints, Hartley

The end came suddenly, Geoffrey died  at  the early age of 46, with so much left to do. He was buried at All Saints, Hartley, where a small gravestone ( much weathered by time) can be found.

Another of the very great what might have beens.

 

William Cross, FSA Scot

4 November 2025

For more information, contact Will by email.

williecross@aol.com

For more information contact Will