Hall (Julia May) Collection, 1930-1946

Summary

Title:

Julia May Hall Collection

Dates:

1930-1946

Creators:

Hall, Julia May

Abstract:

The Julia May Hall Collection contains digital photographs of Julia and her first husband, James Brown, taken around the time of their internment in Shanghai during World War II. Earlier portraits are included, as well as images of Julia's dance performances, and a portrait taken after the war in Hollywood

Extent:

1.54 Megabytes

Language:

English.

Preferred citation:

For information about citing items in this collection consult the appropriate style manual, or see the Citing Archival Materials guide.

Background

Scope and content:

The Julia May Hall Collection contains digital photographs of Julia and her first husband, James Brown, around the time of their internment in Shanghai during World War II. This includes one photograph taken at Chapei internment camp. The image of James is a close-up of a portrait which hung above Julia's bed in the internment camp. Portraits of Julia are also included; one taken in Hollywood, California, and two documenting her performances. Accompanying each image is a brief description from Julia's nephew, Graham Hall.

Biographical / historical:

Julia May Hall was a professional dancer born in Margam, Wales on May 18, 1903. In 1941, while living in Shanghai, China, she married James Brown, an American trumpeter from Cincinnati, Ohio. The two were members of a Black dance troupe performing in Shanghai at the time. From March 1943-August 1945 James and Julia were interned at Chapei Camp. In April 1947, they arrived in America via New York City. According to Julia's Petition for Naturalization, her last place of foreign residence was Shanghai's French Concession.

Sometime after entering the United States, James and Julia divorced and in 1951 Julia moved to southern California, living in Santa Monica and later in Los Angeles. She worked as a nanny to the children and grandchildren of film stars such as Paul Newman and Jack Benny. Upon retirement she moved to Nebraska where she lived until her death on May 11, 1994.

Processing information:

Christine Hertzel, 2016

Rules or conventions:

Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Indexed terms

Subjects:

Photographs

About this collection guide

Date Encoded:

This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2025-04-08 15:31:19 -0700 .

Restrictions:

This collection is open for research use.

Terms of access:

Copyright for unpublished materials authored or otherwise produced by the creator(s) of this collection has not been transferred to California State University, Northridge. Copyright status for other materials is unknown. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.

Preferred citation:

For information about citing items in this collection consult the appropriate style manual, or see the Citing Archival Materials guide.

Location of this collection:

California State University, Northridge, Old China Hands Archives

18111 Nordhoff Street

Northridge, CA 91330, US

Contact:

(818) 677-4594

Website