Louie Freear as Reggie in The Babes in the Wood, Theatre Royal, Manchester, Christmas 1898

Louie Freear (1871-1939), English actress and singer, as she appeared as Reggie the boy babe in The Babes in the Wood, the pantomime produced at the Theatre Royal, Manchester, on 24 December 1898.
(photo: Lafayette, Manchester, 1898/99; for another pose from this sitting, see The Sketch, London, Wednesday, 15 March 1899, p. 330)

‘A curious and interesting experiment will be tried in Manchester at Christmas [1898]. When the Drury-lane Babes in the Wood is reproduced at the Theatre Royal. Mr Dan Leon’s part will be played by Miss Louie Freear, who is to have the noble salary of £110 a-week. The girl babe [Chrissie] will be Mr [John] Brabourne.’
(The Era, London, Saturday, 7 May 1898, p. 12a)

‘The pantomime of The Babes in the Wood, which was produced at Drury-lane last year with Mr Dan Leno as a central figure, has been transplanted to the Theatre Royal, Manchester. With its adornment of local allusions and up-to-date matter of general interest, and the inevitable fun which must ever attend the efforts of such favourites as Miss Maggie Duggan [Prince Paragon], Miss Louie Freear, and Mr Thomas E. Murray [the Baron], the revivified Babes in the Wood promises to have a most successful run. One scene which promised to develop as a mirth-provoking incident of the pantomime is a schoolroom episode which even at this early period provides a fund of irresistible merriment. Another novelty of the pantomime, s those who saw it in London well know, is that the babes, Miss Louie Freear and Mr Brabourne, are not the usual innocent victims of a designing baron. They are real, live babes with a penchant for mischief which provokes merriment all round, and Miss Louie Freear’s dry humour, which takes the form of a quiet, spontaneous wit, rather than vivacious liveliness, is droll and invigorating in the extreme… .’
(The Era, London, Saturday, 31 December 1898, p. 24d)

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Louie Freear (real name Louisa Freear), one of the children of Henry Butler Freear (1840/41-1879), an actor, and his wife Mary (née Burke, 1835-), was baptised at St. John’s, Waterloo Road, Lambeth, Surrey, on 17 December 1871. Both her parents were born in Ireland, where they were married in 1860. She was married in 1912 to Charles Shepherd (who is thought to have died in 1963) and died in 1939.

Herbert Darnley and company on tour during 1917/18 in the United Kingdon in Mr Mayfair

Herbert Darnley (1872-1947), English actor manager, song writer, composer and playwright, on tour in the United Kingdom in 1917/18 in Mr Mayfair, a musical comedy written by himself and Wal Pink. The piece was first produced at Leamington Spa on 10 September 1917 before the tour began at the Hippodrome, Willesden, north London on 15 October; the original cast included Herbert Darnley and Dan Leno Jr. (top photo, respectively centre and far right), Violet Parry, Wyn Blundell, J. Spry-Palmer, Line Hicks, Basin Hambury and Iris De Villiers. The cast list dates from the same tour.
(photos: unknown, 1917)

Herbert Darnley, whose real name was Herbert Walter McCarthy, enjoyed a busy career, both as a performer and writer. He began his theatrical career in the late 1880s on the music hall stage as one of the Darnley Brothers (Albert and Herbert), patter and sketch comedians, singers and dancers; they also appeared in a number of pantomimes. He afterwards appeared as an actor on his own account as well as producing plays and sketches and continuing his work as a writer and composer, particularly of songs and material for music hall performers like Dan Leno, for whom he co-wrote ‘No More Fancy Balls for Me!‘ and ‘The Tower of London,’ and alsoAda Reeve. Darnley himself made a number of recordings for Berliner and The Gramophone & Typewriter Co Ltd between 1900 and 1903, including ‘My Next Door Neighbour’s Garden‘ (which owes a good deal to Gus Elen’s ‘If it Wasn’t for the ‘Ouses in Between’). In spite of his talent and efforts Darnley was not financially successful and found himself in the Bankruptcy Court in 1909 and again in 1917. He died after a long illness at his home in Clapham, south London, on 6 February 1947.

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The Richmond Hippodrome, Richmond on Thames, Surrey, originally the Richmond Theatre and Opera House is now known as the Richmond Theatre.

Whimsical Walker

Whimsical Walker (1850/51-1934), English clown
(photo: unknown, probably 1915/16)

‘Dear Girls and Boys –
‘How many of you have never seen a pantomime? Not many, I imagine, for the funny business between clown and pantaloon with which all proper pantomimes still conclude has always strongly appealed to the hearts of the children. I wonder if any of you have seen Whimsical Walker, the world’s most famous living clown. For some years he has been appearing regularly in the pantomime at Drury Lane Theatre, and because he is also appearing in the Trans-Atlantic British-made film comedies I have published his portrait, and feel sure a few facts about his adventurous career will interest you.
‘Mr. Walker was born at sea on July 5th, 1854, and first appeared before the public at Burnley as a tiny clown who emerged from a carpet bag carried by another member of the company. In 1872 he was engaged for the famous Sanger’s Circus in Westminster Bridge Road, London (as a boy ”Uncle Tim” saw and enjoyed many shows there), where a stage performance was given in addition to the circus. Mr. Walker admits that his stage efforts were so bad that he was sacked every night, but always re-engaged because of his skill in the circus. In 1874, and important period in his career, he was engaged by Charles Hengler to appear at his circus in London, where he was christened ”Whimsical Walker,” and for fourteen winter seasons he appeared there regularly. (”Uncle Tim” also enjoyed himself on rare occasions at Hengler’s, which stood on the site of the present Palladium.) In America Mr. Walker appeared with other circuses, including the great Barnum and Bailey shows, and was also commissioned to purchase the famous elephant Jumbo from the Zoo at a cost of £1,000.
‘Jumbo was an enormous success in America, many single day’s takings amounting to as much as £3,000. The cast was poured into great wooden casks and sent to a bank in New York.
‘In 1882 Whimsical Walker opened a theatre of his own in new York with a pantomime called Three Wishes. Its success brought temporary misfortune, for the top gallery dropped a bit when filled with people, a stampede followed, and actions for damages reduced poor Mr. Walker to the clothes he wore and a few dollars. He had to borrow money to return to Liverpool, where he was again engaged by Mr. Hengler.
‘On boxing Day, 1882, feeling in need of a refresher, Whimsical Walker chartered a horse at 7 a.m., and started off for a gallop. Before he had travelled far, however, the horse stumbled and fell, and the clown sustained a fractured leg, which laid him up for five months.
‘In a singularly adventurous career, this is the only serious accident he has ever suffered.
‘On February 20th, 1886, Whimsical Walker was honoured by a Command Performance to appear with his singing donkey before her Majesty the Queen at Windsor Castle. In commemoration of this visit the queen presented Mr. Walker with the beautiful diamond tie-pin which he is wearing in the [above] photograph.
‘In 1904 the great clown embarked for Australia for a long tour there, but on landing at Melbourne he was cabled for by Mr. Arthur Collins, of Drury Lane Theatre, and he returned immediately. The fact is that Whimsical Walker had been appearing every season in the Drury Lane harlequnade since 1890, and the reason for his sudden recall was that, owing to the death of Herbert Campbell, and the absence of Dan Leno from the cast, Mr. Collins felt that he could not possibly do without the popular clown as well.
‘I hope these details have not bored you. The subject fascinates me. I should like to write a big book about Mr. Walker’s life. Oh, I’ve forgotten to tell you that the first of these films in which he is now appearing on the screen is called The Knut and the Colonel, so mind you look out for it.’
(Uncle Tim, ‘The Young Picturegoer,’ Pictures and the Picturegoer, London, weed ending Saturday, 12 February 1916, pp. 463 and 464)

Whimsical Walker (1850/51-1934), English clown
(photo: unknown, probably 1915/16)

‘Dear Girls and Boys –
‘How many of you have never seen a pantomime? Not many, I imagine, for the funny business between clown and pantaloon with which all proper pantomimes still conclude has always strongly appealed to the hearts of the children. I wonder if any of you have seen Whimsical Walker, the world’s most famous living clown. For some years he has been appearing regularly in the pantomime at Drury Lane Theatre, and because he is also appearing in the Trans-Atlantic British-made film comedies I have published his portrait, and feel sure a few facts about his adventurous career will interest you.
‘Mr. Walker was born at sea on July 5th, 1854, and first appeared before the public at Burnley as a tiny clown who emerged from a carpet bag carried by another member of the company. In 1872 he was engaged for the famous Sanger’s Circus in Westminster Bridge Road, London (as a boy “Uncle Tim” saw and enjoyed many shows there), where a stage performance was given in addition to the circus. Mr. Walker admits that his stage efforts were so bad that he was sacked every night, but always re-engaged because of his skill in the circus. In 1874, and important period in his career, he was engaged by Charles Hengler to appear at his circus in London, where he was christened “Whimsical Walker,” and for fourteen winter seasons he appeared there regularly. (“Uncle Tim” also enjoyed himself on rare occasions at Hengler’s, which stood on the site of the present Palladium.) In America Mr. Walker appeared with other circuses, including the great Barnum and Bailey shows, and was also commissioned to purchase the famous elephant Jumbo from the Zoo at a cost of £1,000.
‘Jumbo was an enormous success in America, many single day’s takings amounting to as much as £3,000. The cast was poured into great wooden casks and sent to a bank in New York.
‘In 1882 Whimsical Walker opened a theatre of his own in new York with a pantomime called Three Wishes. Its success brought temporary misfortune, for the top gallery dropped a bit when filled with people, a stampede followed, and actions for damages reduced poor Mr. Walker to the clothes he wore and a few dollars. He had to borrow money to return to Liverpool, where he was again engaged by Mr. Hengler.
‘On boxing Day, 1882, feeling in need of a refresher, Whimsical Walker chartered a horse at 7 a.m., and started off for a gallop. Before he had travelled far, however, the horse stumbled and fell, and the clown sustained a fractured leg, which laid him up for five months.
‘In a singularly adventurous career, this is the only serious accident he has ever suffered.
‘On February 20th, 1886, Whimsical Walker was honoured by a Command Performance to appear with his singing donkey before her Majesty the Queen at Windsor Castle. In commemoration of this visit the queen presented Mr. Walker with the beautiful diamond tie-pin which he is wearing in the [above] photograph.
‘In 1904 the great clown embarked for Australia for a long tour there, but on landing at Melbourne he was cabled for by Mr. Arthur Collins, of Drury Lane Theatre, and he returned immediately. The fact is that Whimsical Walker had been appearing every season in the Drury Lane harlequnade since 1890, and the reason for his sudden recall was that, owing to the death of Herbert Campbell, and the absence of Dan Leno from the cast, Mr. Collins felt that he could not possibly do without the popular clown as well.
‘I hope these details have not bored you. The subject fascinates me. I should like to write a big book about Mr. Walker’s life. Oh, I’ve forgotten to tell you that the first of these films in which he is now appearing on the screen is called The Knut and the Colonel, so mind you look out for it.’
(Uncle Tim, ‘The Young Picturegoer,’ Pictures and the Picturegoer, London, weed ending Saturday, 12 February 1916, pp. 463 and 464)

Rita Barrington as The Blue Bird in Jack and the Beanstalk, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, 1899

Rita Barrington (fl. late 19th/early 20th Century), English dancer, a pupil of John D’Auban, as she appeared as The Blue Bird in the pantomime, Jack and the Beanstalk, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London, 26 December 1899 (photo: Hana, London, 1899/1900)

‘AMUSEMENTS IN BIRMINGHAM … GRAND THEATRE. Proprietor and Manager, Mr J. W. Turner. – Mr Dan Leno is attracting huge houses here, where he is the life and soul of the new musical farce, In Gay Piccadilly, which is being played for the first time in Birmingham by Mr Milton Bode’s company. The many disguises he assumes in his rôle of a comic detective, his patter, and his extraordinary antics are excruciatingly funny. Mr Dan Leno is well supported by Mr Johnnie Danvers as Ebenezer Tinketop, Mr. George Sinclair, and Mr Tim Riley. Miss Florence Darley, Miss Emily Stevens, and Miss Lillie Young all played well. Miss Beatrice Willey sang very sweetly as Lady Molly, and Miss Adie Boyne, a clever little comedienne, created much fun as Gladys Ada; and mention must be made of the exceedingly pretty dance which was beautifully executed by Miss Rita Barrington.’ (The Era, London, Saturday, 11 November 1899, p. 23a)

Rita Barrington (fl. late 19th/early 20th Century), English dancer, a pupil of John D’Auban, as she appeared as The Blue Bird in the pantomime, Jack and the Beanstalk, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London, 26 December 1899 (photo: Hana, London, 1899/1900)

’AMUSEMENTS IN BIRMINGHAM … GRAND THEATRE. Proprietor and Manager, Mr J. W. Turner. – Mr Dan Leno is attracting huge houses here, where he is the life and soul of the new musical farce, In Gay Piccadilly, which is being played for the first time in Birmingham by Mr Milton Bode’s company. The many disguises he assumes in his rôle of a comic detective, his patter, and his extraordinary antics are excruciatingly funny. Mr Dan Leno is well supported by Mr Johnnie Danvers as Ebenezer Tinketop, Mr. George Sinclair, and Mr Tim Riley. Miss Florence Darley, Miss Emily Stevens, and Miss Lillie Young all played well. Miss Beatrice Willey sang very sweetly as Lady Molly, and Miss Adie Boyne, a clever little comedienne, created much fun as Gladys Ada; and mention must be made of the exceedingly pretty dance which was beautifully executed by Miss Rita Barrington.’ (The Era, London, Saturday, 11 November 1899, p. 23a)