homeless men photographed by flashlight at night under the awning of the Palace Theatre, Cambridge Circus, London, about 1903

homeless men photographed at night under the awning of the Palace Theatre, Cambridge Circus, London, during an engagement of John Hewelt (Charles de Saint-Genois), puppet master and creator of ‘startlingly lifelike’ marionettes.
(photo: unknown, London, circa 1903)

The original caption to this photograph read, ‘FLASHLIGHTS ON SALVATION ARMY WORK. A Queue Outside the Palace Theatre. These men are lounging outside the Palace Theatre in order to bask in the grateful warmth which surges up through the gratings from the engine rooms below – taken at 1.30 a.m.’
(The Bystander, London, Wednesday, 23 March 1904, p. 180).

John Hewelt made the first of several return visits to the Palace Theatre of Varieties, London, in March 1897.
‘The programme at the Palace Theatre has been further diversified and improved by a number of new ”turns” … The principal change in the programme last night was, however, the production of Mr. John Hewelt’s automatic theatre. This is on the lines of the old marionette shows – with a great difference. It shows us for the first time in England as French café chantant in full swing. There is an orchestra, whose conductor gravely swings his baton, and the musicians go through the motion of playing. The audience in the boxes glance through their opera glasses at the people in the stalls, and evidently engage in conversation when the performers are on the mimic stage, though occasionally they applaud. The performers have a galvanised liveliness about them which is most amusing.’
(The Standard, London, Friday, 12 March 1897, p. 3d)

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Helen Lord (d. 1911),
American musical comedy actress,
as she appeared as successor to Edna May as Violet Gray in The Belle of New York
(photo: C.J. Horner, Boston, USA, circa 1899)

This real photograph cigarette card in one of the series issued in England about 1900 with Ogden’s Guinea Gold Cigarettes shows Helen Lord in one of the costumes for Violet Gray in which she succeeded Edna May, the originator of that part in The Belle of New York.

‘Wonder if Hugh Morton realized when he dashed off the book of The Belle of New York that he was creating therein a character which would bring prominence to everyone who played it? “Violet Gray,” the Salvation Army lassie, certainly takes first place among the light characters creations of the last dozen years. It is not because of its originality nor yet is it due to any remarkably meritorious music that “Violet” scores so heavily. It is the decided and pleasant contrast which the character offers to every other in the play, in all probability, that lends to it its peculiar charm. Edna May’s unparalleled career could only have been made possible by such a part. Helen Lord, her successor and a chorus girl, therefore, has become prominent since she essayed the character. Now the news comes from Australia that Louise Willis Hepner, the pretty but not overtalented blonde who used to play “Jack” in Jack and the Beanstalk, has aroused the greatest enthusiasm in the same character.
‘The Belle of New Yor, by the way, has made a success in Australia. In Melbourne they did not take so very kindly to it, but that was a guarantee that in Sydney, if it had the least merit, it would certainly meet with a fair share of success. It has “caught on” in the latter city beyond every expectation and the individual “hits” in the cast have been many. Belle Bucklin plays the little French candy girl, made popular by Phyllis Rankin. Oscar Girard wobbles [sic] not unpleasantly in “Dan” Daly’s shoes and other not widely known actors are spoken highly of.’
(The Herald, Syracuse, New York, Sunday, 2 July 1899, p.10a)

‘In Gay Paree at the new York.
‘the management of the New York Theatre announces the last week of The Man in the Moon, Jr. In Gay Paree, with a new book by Edgar Smith, music by Ludwig Englander, and new costumes, will be put on Nov. 6 for two weeks. This move has been made by Mr. Lederer in order to open his new theatre, the Columbia, in Boston, with The Man in the Moon, Jr., which will be transferred there. The cast of In Gay Paree will include Joseph Ott, Ferris Hartman, Gilly Gregory, Billy Gould, William Cameron, Kitty Loftus, Helen Lord, Maude Young, and others. Fougere and a new travesty by George V. Hobart on Barbara Frietchie will be special features.’
(The New York Times, New York, Monday, 30 October 1899, p.7e)

Helen Lord as Violet Gray in The Belle of New York
(photo: unknown, USA, circa 1900)

‘Helen Lord, who made an excellent impression in Edna May’s part in The Belle of New York, has decided to go into vaudeville, presenting a singing act.’
(The Sunday Herald, Syracuse, New York, Sunday, 9 December 1900, p.18e)

‘Miss Helen Lord, who is now with Frank Daniels in Miss Simplicity will be starred in an opera company of her own next year.’
(The North Adams Transcript, North Adams, Massachusetts, Monday, November 1901, p.4d)

‘Helen Lord and Raymond Hubbell, composer of The Runaways, are to be married shortly.’
(The Fort Wayne News, Fort Wayne, Indiana, Saturday, 4 July 1903, p.3b)

‘Composer’s Wife Passes Away.
‘Hornell, N.Y., Jan. 8 [1911] – – Helen Lord Hubbell, wife of Raymond Hubbell, the composer is dead here. Mrs. Hubbell as Helen Lord had a brilliant stage career a few years ago when she succeeded Edna May in The Belle of New York.’
(The Evening Telegram, Elyria, Ohio, Tuesday, 3 January 1911, p.5e)

Harry Cambridge, English comic and topical vocalist

Harry Cambridge (d. 1892), English comic and topical vocalist (photo: George Aynsley, South Shields, England, circa 1885)

‘From the Sublime to the Ridiculous. MR. HARRY CAMBRIDGE, the Great Vocal Comedian, concludes To-night [10 March 1883], with terrific success, Grafton, Dublin. Monday next, ALHAMBRA, BOOTLE. Special Starring Engagement. Grand Varieties, Gateshead; People’s, Manchester, &c., to follow. The Lady Killer the rage. The funniest Make-up ever seen. More in preparation.’ (The Era, London, Saturday, 10 March 1883, p. 20b, advertisement)

The Sun music hall, Knightsbridge, London, week beginning Monday, 8 October 1883. ‘Cambridge suggests blueness, and Mr Harry of that ilk would do well to drop that song, of the hue of indigo, which deals with the risky subject of hypothetical parentage. In a topical song brought up to date there was some merit, and ”There he goes,” a ditty sung in character, elicited applause. The doings at midnight meetings of a certain army savour too much of Holywell street in its ”palmy” days. Coarse as the subject is, it might be treated in a manner less objectionable than Mr Harry Cambridge chose to adopt in his impression of a corporal of the Salvation Army. This gentleman possesses talent sufficient to win applause by legitimate means without resorting to questionable business.’ (The Era, London, Saturday, 13 October 1883, p. 4a)

‘DIED, Mr Harry Cambridge, vocal comedian, Dec. 28th, 1892. Gone, but not forgotten.’ (The Era, London, Saturday, 31 December 1892, p. 18c)

‘The news of the death of Mr Harry Cambridge, who succumbed on the 28th, was not altogether unexpected. The deceased comedian, who had been ill for some time, was better known in the provinces than in London. His widow, Miss Nellie Darrell, serio-comic and burlesque actress, is known to fame chiefly as one of the first ladies on the music hall stage to utilise the pretty effects of electricity in her costumes.’ (The Era, London, Saturday, 31 December 1892, p. 19a)