WW2 major's failed bid for Hollywood stardom

For the first time, a female army uniform has gone on display at a Shropshire museum, alongside the one-time owner's rejection letter from Hollywood.

The formal "mess dress" and letter belonged to Joan Crooke, from Shrewsbury. She had joined the Women's Royal Auxiliary Corps in World War Two, working in education and training, rising to the rank of major, but longed to become an actress.

In 1946 during the Golden Era of Hollywood she wrote to renowned producer and director Gabriel Pascal, but clearly came across a little too self-deprecating.

The collection of items donated by her family to the the Soldiers of Shropshire Museum at Shrewsbury Castle, show Pascal explaining the reasons why he did not think she had the qualities needed.

The letter read: "That you feel yourself ugly is rather a delightful exception among young ladies aspiring to film fame, but your confession that you cannot act is hardly an encouraging one for me to base a future career for you or to consider your application.

"Yours sincerely, Gabriel Pascal."

Her nephew Stephen Artus, from Cheshire, donated photos, letters and other personal items, as well as the formalwear dress.

He said: "She can only have written to him to ask if there were any jobs going, but confessed at the same time that she wasn't very good looking - which was not true, she was actually very good looking.

"And also that she couldn't act, which was also not true."

Artus explained that Crooke had a passion for the arts, reading and writing poetry, and did amateur dramatics.

"I actually went to see her," he said.

"She performed in A Man For all Season's at the Garrick Theatre in Shrewsbury. We saw her rehearsals and she actually was quite good."

Her dress which is the first service women's uniform to be represented at the museum was made in 1962 and she wore it to formal army social events.

It has been preserved and put on display, but still bares tomato soup stains from one of the dinners.

Crooke retired from the Army in 1972 and settled back in Shrewsbury. She never married and died in 1993.

Artus said it was very poignant that her belongings were now at the castle, because she took him there when he was eight years old, because he loved castles.

"Joan herself would be pleased her dress has gone on display at the museum as she was a proud Salopian," he added.

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