French’s Troupe of ice skaters, roller skaters and bicyclists, circa 1890

French’s Troupe (fl. 1880s/1890s), ice skaters, roller skaters and bicyclists
(cabinet photo: Elmer Chickering, 21 West Street, Boston, Massachusetts, circa 1890)

‘WANTED, a Good KNOCKABOUT SKATER, to join French’s Troupe of Skaters (late French, Harris, and Mdlle. Rose.)
‘Address, GEO. FRENCH, 10, Second Avenue, Queen’s-park, Harrow-road [London].’
(The Era, London, Saturday, 3 January 1885, p. 19c)

Berlin, 22 March, 1887
‘The feeling of Germans against Frenchmen is now so intense that a French [sic] troupe of skaters at the Concordia Music Hall were, and are, nightly severely hissed before they get a chance to even commence their performance.’
(The Era, London, Saturday, 26 March 1887, p. 8e)

‘FRENCH’S TROUPE of Skaters and Bicyclists (Four in number – Two Ladies, Gent, and Youth). Two Distinct Specialities, just concluded Nine Weeks’ tremendously successful Engagement, Concordia Theatre, Berlin. At Liberty, May 9th [1887]. For particulars, address as above; or, permanent address, 14, Second-avenue, Queen’s-park, London.’
(The Era, London, Saturday, 7 May 1887, p. 23d)

‘FRENCH’S TROUPE
‘The best scientific and most laughable COMIC SKATERS in the World. Also TRICK BICYCLISTS and MONOCYCLISTS. 4 in number. 2 Ladies. 2 Gents: 2 distinct specialities: now meeting with enormous success through South America and West Indies, with F.A. Gardner’s Grand Circus.
‘AT LIBERY, TO ACCEPT ENGAGEMENTS FROM JAN. 12, 1891. Address all communications to G. FRENCH, care of CLIPPER.
‘A FEW OPINIONS OF THE PRESS:
‘Gardner’s Circus. – The best treat of the evening was the grand roller skating by the French troupe. This act provoked roars of laughter, and frequent applause sounded from all parts of the house. – JAMAICA POST, Kingston. Aug. 7, 1890.
‘The Bicycle Act by the Family French created quite a sensation, and was loudly applauded. Mr. Harry French, on his unicycle, performs some prodigious feats, with must be seen to be believed. It is incomprehensible how he can girate [sic] at such lightning like rapidity on only one wheel of his bicycle. – GLEANER, Jamaica, Aug. 2, 1890.
‘The part played by the French Family was simply first class, and new, as it is to us, delighted the audience, and the comic business brought forth roars of laughter. – HERALD, Barbados, Aug. 28, 1890.
‘After the intermission, a grand roller skating entertainment, along with a new sort of pantomime, engaged the audience a while amid continuous bursts of laughter. – GLOBE, Barbados, Aug. 28, 1890.
‘The bicycling and roller skating by the French Family it would be difficult to eclipse. – DAILY CHRONICLE, Georgetown, Demerara, Sept. 10, 1890.’
(The New York Clipper, New York, Saturday, 3 January 1891, p. 687)

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French’s Troupe (fl. 1880s/1890s), ice skaters, roller skaters and bicyclists
(cabinet photo: Elmer Chickering, 21 West Street, Boston, Massachusetts, circa 1890)

‘WANTED, a Good KNOCKABOUT SKATER, to join French’s Troupe of Skaters (late French, Harris, and Mdlle. Rose.)
‘Address, GEO. FRENCH, 10, Second Avenue, Queen’s-park, Harrow-road [London].’
(The Era, London, Saturday, 3 January 1885, p. 19c)

Berlin, 22 March, 1887
‘The feeling of Germans against Frenchmen is now so intense that a French [sic] troupe of skaters at the Concordia Music Hall were, and are, nightly severely hissed before they get a chance to even commence their performance.’
(The Era, London, Saturday, 26 March 1887, p. 8e)

‘FRENCH’S TROUPE of Skaters and Bicyclists (Four in number – Two Ladies, Gent, and Youth). Two Distinct Specialities, just concluded Nine Weeks’ tremendously successful Engagement, Concordia Theatre, Berlin. At Liberty, May 9th [1887]. For particulars, address as above; or, permanent address, 14, Second-avenue, Queen’s-park, London.’
(The Era, London, Saturday, 7 May 1887, p. 23d)

‘FRENCH’S TROUPE
‘The best scientific and most laughable COMIC SKATERS in the World. Also TRICK BICYCLISTS and MONOCYCLISTS. 4 in number. 2 Ladies. 2 Gents: 2 distinct specialities: now meeting with enormous success through South America and West Indies, with F.A. Gardner’s Grand Circus.
‘AT LIBERY, TO ACCEPT ENGAGEMENTS FROM JAN. 12, 1891. Address all communications to G. FRENCH, care of CLIPPER.
‘A FEW OPINIONS OF THE PRESS:
‘Gardner’s Circus. – The best treat of the evening was the grand roller skating by the French troupe. This act provoked roars of laughter, and frequent applause sounded from all parts of the house. – JAMAICA POST, Kingston. Aug. 7, 1890.
‘The Bicycle Act by the Family French created quite a sensation, and was loudly applauded. Mr. Harry French, on his unicycle, performs some prodigious feats, with must be seen to be believed. It is incomprehensible how he can girate [sic] at such lightning like rapidity on only one wheel of his bicycle. – GLEANER, Jamaica, Aug. 2, 1890.
‘The part played by the French Family was simply first class, and new, as it is to us, delighted the audience, and the comic business brought forth roars of laughter. – HERALD, Barbados, Aug. 28, 1890.
‘After the intermission, a grand roller skating entertainment, along with a new sort of pantomime, engaged the audience a while amid continuous bursts of laughter. – GLOBE, Barbados, Aug. 28, 1890.
‘The bicycling and roller skating by the French Family it would be difficult to eclipse. – DAILY CHRONICLE, Georgetown, Demerara, Sept. 10, 1890.’
(The New York Clipper, New York, Saturday, 3 January 1891, p. 687)

the audience at the Brixton Theatre, 6 January 1906, during a performance of Cinderella

the audience at the Brixton Theatre, South London, during a performance of the pantomime, Cinderella, 6 January 1906
(photo: unknown, London, 6 January 1906)

The cast of the Brixton Theatre 1905 pantomime, Cinderella, which opened on Boxing Day, included Lily Iris as Prince Casimir, Milly McIntyre in the title role, George French as the Baron, Tom W. Conway as Tiny, Herbert St. John as Dandini, Adelaide Gracey and Madge Yates as Araminta and Elvira (the ugly sisters), and Ellaline Thorne as the Duke of Whistbridge.

Happy Fanny Fields, American vaudeville comedienne

Happy Fanny Fields (1884-1961),
American vaudeville comedienne,
(photo: Claude Harris, London, 1913;
photograph dedicated by Miss Fields to the
English comedian and pantomime dame, George French and his wife)

Happy Fanny Fields appears in a short film entitled Happy Fanny Fields and the Four Little Dutchmen, 1913 ‘For the first time Happy Fanny Fields, the popular variety artiste, has been ”taken” for pictures, and appears with four little ”Dutch” children in one of her typical dances in a field entitled Happy Fanny Fields and the Four Little Dutchmen, which will be shown at the leading picture houses within a very few days. The film is entirely British, being made not far from London. Many more thousands will now see Happy Fanny Fields, and the four little Dutchmen add materially to the attractiveness of the subject. Specially composed and characteristic Fanny Fields music will be issued to the picture theatres screening the film, which, like other ”Selsior Dancing Films,” is so produced that, when exhibited, any pianist or orchestra can easily synchronise their music with the stops of the dancers by following the bâton of the conductor seen in the corner of the film, and this without any apparatus whatever. The conductor is Geo. R. Hatley, musical-director of the Holborn Empire.
(The Era, London, Wednesday, 16 July 1913, p. 26a)