She became a dance teacher and established Terry's Juveniles in about 1919, at a time when choruses of children were a central part of pantomimes and other theatrical shows.
[1] The girls involved were aged about 12, about 5 feet (1.5 m) tall, and were selected through Miss Terry's visits to schools as well as through advertisements and recommendations.
They performed together as singers and dancers in summer variety shows as well as in pantomimes, especially those run by Emile Littler in Blackpool and other provincial centres.
[1][2] Terry's Juveniles regularly appeared on stage with stars of the time, such as George Formby and Arthur Askey, and featured in the film She Shall Have Music (1935),[3] and in the 1950 Royal Variety Performance.
Those who started their entertainment careers as members of Terry's Juveniles included Dorothy Squires, Sheila White, and Melvyn Hayes.