Nellie Waring, English variety theatre vocalist

Nellie Waring (active 1907-1920), English popular vocalist and variety theatre and vaudeville entertainer. Her professional partnership with the American J.W. Wilson (John W. Musante, 1863/69?-1928), comedy duo, appears to have begun about 1912.
(photo: James Bacon & Sons, Leeds, circa 1910)

Shea’s Theatre, Buffalo, New York, August 1909
‘The bill at Shea’s Theater this week is full of entertaining qualities and every feature was liberally applauded at both performances yesterday. Nellie Waring, the clever and sprightly comedienne from England, has a pleasing voice and she sings her own topical songs inimitably. Her costumes are quite charming and her dancing is dainty and skillful [sic].’
(The Buffalo, Courier, Buffalo, New York, Tuesday, 24 August 1909, p. 7f)

‘Nellie Waring, the dainty English comedienne, who heads the bill at Shea’s theater this week, has made an instantaneous hit, and she has been called the second Alice Lloyd for the tunefulness of her songs and delightful personality.’
(The Niagara Falls Gazette, Niagara Falls, New York, Tuesday, 24 August 1909, p. 4b)

‘Nellie Waring is the latest of the English singers to invade our shores and she has met with a favorable reception.’
(Los Angeles Herald, Los Angeles, California, Sunday, 24 October 1909, part III, p. 8c)

J.W. Wilson and Nellie Waring appeared with nearly 150 other music hall and variety favourites in the ‘Variety’s Garden Party’ tableau at the first royal music hall performance at the Palace Theatre, London, on 1 July 1912, attended by King George V and Queen Mary.

‘NEW ACTS NEXT WEEK [October 1912] …
‘Nellie Waring. Singing Comedienne. 17 Mins.; One [stage set]. Bronx.
”’England’s Sparking and Dainty Comedienne” is Nellie Waring’s billing this week at the Bronx. Miss Waring is just a pretty girl. She sings four English made songs. For each there is a change of gown, and, in order the clinch the conventionality of the turn, a male ”plant” is seated in a box. The spotlight is aimed at him while she sings to him. In addition tot eh young woman’s limited abilities as a performer, her songs are not good. Jolo.’
(Variety, New York, Friday, 18 October 1912, p. 20c)

* * * * *

‘FORTUNES WASTED
‘VARIETY ARTIST DEAD
‘Pauper Despite High Pay
‘SPECIAL TO ”THE NEWS”)
‘LONDON, January 3 [1928]
‘The death is announced of Mr. Jack W. Wilson, variety artist, who once visited Australia.
‘Wilson, who was known as Mustante [sic], partnered Miss Nellie Waring in Britain, America, Australia, and South Africa. He was a contemporary of Cinquevalli, the famous juggler, and Chirgwin, ”the white-eyed Kaffir.”
‘He lost three fortunes on the Stock Exhange and the turf. Before he was 30 he gambles away £10,000 of his theatrical earnings in real estate in Seattle.
‘In 1898 he took £30,000 from Australia, but he lost £20,000 in a wheat gamble in New York.
‘An effort to make a recovery on the turn in 1907 resulted in a loss of £7,000, and further fortunes followed in the same way.
‘Wilson earned £100 a week in England and £200 in America, but died penniless of pneumonia at the Fulham Hospital [London]. Miss Waring sat at his bedside for 14 hours.
‘Wilson was born in California. He was the son of a ”forty-niner” (miner who went to California in the early days of the gold rush). He ran away with a travelling circus, then entered vaudeville, and later played in straight plays.’
(The News, Adelaide, South Australia, Wednesday, 4 January 1928, p. 7d)

‘Bonnie’ Kate Harvey, English music hall serio-comic, circa 1894

‘Bonnie’ Kate Harvey (fl.1880s/1890s),
English music hall serio-comic singer
(photo: James Bacon, Newcastle on Tyne, circa 1894)

‘Mr. Fred. Fordham sang a song with the chorus ”I tickled her and she tickled me,” … He was succeeded by Miss Kate Harvey, who deserves to be reckoned one of the brightest and best of the newest serio-comic ladies. Her appearance is very pleasing. She has a comely face and a good figure. Her dresses are excellent. She sings well, and her manner is free and vivacious, without being rough. ”Down in the lane by the old toll gate” was her first essay. In her second she sang of many things she would rather be than ”An old man’s darling.” Thirdly, she was a girl in a pinafore – say, a minx of sixteen – singing ”It might have been naughty, but you have all done the same.” In response to warm and prolonged applause, Miss Harvey came on a fourth time, and sang of ”A Bonnie Boy in Blue.” She is evidently a favourite.’
(The Era, London, Sunday, 23 November 1879, p. 4a)

‘Bonnie’ Kate Harvey (fl.1880s/1890s),
English music hall serio-comic singer
(photo: James Bacon, Newcastle on Tyne, circa 1894)

‘Mr. Fred. Fordham sang a song with the chorus “I tickled her and she tickled me,” … He was succeeded by Miss Kate Harvey, who deserves to be reckoned one of the brightest and best of the newest serio-comic ladies. Her appearance is very pleasing. She has a comely face and a good figure. Her dresses are excellent. She sings well, and her manner is free and vivacious, without being rough. “Down in the lane by the old toll gate” was her first essay. In her second she sang of many things she would rather be than “An old man’s darling.” Thirdly, she was a girl in a pinafore – say, a minx of sixteen – singing “It might have been naughty, but you have all done the same.” In response to warm and prolonged applause, Miss Harvey came on a fourth time, and sang of “A Bonnie Boy in Blue.” She is evidently a favourite.’
(The Era, London, Sunday, 23 November 1879, p. 4a)

Millie Hylton, English actress and singer

a cabinet photograph of Millie Hylton (1870-1920), English actress and singer (photo: James Bacon & Sons, 81 Northumberland Street, Newcastle-on-Tyne, circa 1900)

Millie Hylton, Horace Mills, Lydia Flopp, Coralie Blythe et al on UK tour of The Circus Girl, August 1897

‘Considerable excitement was caused at the Portsmouth Town Station on Sunday last by the discovery that the chief baggage van of the special train conveying Mr George Edwardes’s Circus Girl company had caught fire through an over-heated axle. Expensive costumes were hurriedly thrown out on to the platform, and the principal properties were saved. The ladies were very much upset, and Miss Millie Hylton and [her sister] Miss Lydia Flopp both fainted. Messrs Page, Horace Mills, and Charles Stevens were conspicuous in their activity in saving the property of the company.’ (The Era, London, Saturday, 14 August 1897, p. 10b)

The Circus Girl touring company at the Theatre Royal, Portsmouth, week beginning Monday, 9 August 1897

‘… Of the ladies Miss Millie Hylton invested the part of Mrs Drivelli [created by Connie Ediss when The Circus Girl was first produced at the Gaiety Theatre, London, on 5 December 1896]with clever low comedy, speaking with a true cockney twang, though scarcely looked plump enough for the part, but always charming and refreshing, her song ”Oh, what a wet, wet day,” and ”The proper way to treat a lady” being vociferously redemanded. Miss Lydia Flopp as Dora Wemyss [created in the original production by Ellaline Terriss] was naïvely natural, and acted and sang delightfully, her ”Little bit of string” being a great favourite… . Miss Coralie Blythe delighted everyone with her fresh conception of the part of Lucille [a circus slack wire walker, created by Katie Seymour].’ (The Era, London, Saturday, 14 August 1897, p. 11d)