Grace Stansfield was born over her grandmother's fish and chip shop in Molesworth Street, Rochdale, Lancashire on the ninth of January 1898. Grace was christened at St. Chad's parish church, where her parents Fred and Jenny Stansfield were married a year earlier. Grace was the eldest of four children, Edith, Betty and Tommy and grew up amongst the close-knit community of workers in the cotton mill. The road that led to the mill passed their front door, another was at the back, every road went to the factories from their street with its tawdry block of terraced houses. The Stansfield's had never known anything but sheer hard work and poverty, Jenny had no intention of staying that way, they were "going up". When Fred got a pay-rise, one-and-a-tanner, they moved to a house of their own three rooms instead of two, each sixpenny rise meant another move. Jenny had a passion for the theatre and quite determined that Grace was going on the stage. Twenty-seven years "going up" realised her ambition beyond her wildest dreams. All four children were on the stage in London and Gracie proclaimed a star.

Fame did not change her personality one iota she was as natural as the air she breathed. In the early 1930's she blued every penny to buy a house and property in Capri after the war she made it her permanent home. Gracie enjoyed the simple things of life, Lancashire hot-pot, fish and chips, sticky parkin and Yorkshire pudding, her husband Boris described her as simple and noble.

During a serious illness in 1939 she received nearly half a million letters from  worldwide admirers and a vast amount of gifts and flowers. In a special radio broadcast she said, "I always thought you liked me a little bit,  but I didn't think you loved me, well not as much." "I will do my best to please you in the future as I think I have done in the past."

Gracie kept that promise for forty years until her life expired on the twenty-seventh of September 1979.
                                                                  
~ Farewell ~

You were there and we were there under the roof of a grand theatre, nothing in all the world could ever be any better. When the orchestra played 'Sally' we felt an inner glow, it was the highlight of The Royal Variety Show. You sang just one song in a voice still crystal clear, emotion overcame us as we wiped away a tear, your Farewell Performance at eighty years old, Gracie Fields with a heart of gold. You were there and we were there now you are no more, on the Isle of Carpi you fell asleep and the world became so poor.  

~ A Message From Gracie ~

I was a humble Rochdale lass who swiftly rose to fame I travelled far I travelled wide and became a household name. Proclaimed as the queen of laughter and tears, entertaining, loving and caring for sixty golden years. Folk enjoyed my sense of humour and my songs of sentiment I could not stay for ever, we are only lent. 'Now is the Hour' the good Lord said to me, you will sing with the angels in sweet eternity. Please do not mourn at my sudden call, when I look down from heaven I smile and bless you all.

                                                         Beryl Down.