 Gertrude Millar was born in Manningham, Bradford, where her father, John Millar, was a mill worker, and her mother, Elizabeth (née Miller), was a worsted-stuff worker and dressmaker.As a child, Millar performed in London pantomimes, beginning with "Babes in the Wood" at the St. James Theatre in Manchester, at the age of 13.She started out as a singer and dancer in the music halls of Yorkshire.