George LAW - Actor/Comedian

[josal]

Has anyone ever heard of George LAW, who on the 1881 census described himself as an actor/ comedian ? I am presuming he was on the music halls but can't find any references to him at all.

He was born in Sheffield in 1825 and married my widowed great grandmother, Maria SHARPLEY in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent in 1879. On the 1881 census they are living in West Derby, Liverpool where I think he died sometime in the 1890s, as on the 1901 census she is a widow still living in West Derby.

Does anybody have any ideas where I can find information on Victorian music hall artists ?

Joan

[Ladkyis]

you could try the mander and mitcheson site at
http://www.mander-and-mitchenson.co.uk/
They have all kinds of stuff on theatricals. I have found that unless the performer was quite well known the information just didn't seem to get collected. A very kind person went to the British Library Newspaper Library at Colindale and searched through the copies of "The Era" for advertisements and announcements about my great grandparents. The Era was the theatrical newspaper throughout the 19th century.
Ann

[josal]

Thanks Ann - I'll give your suggestions a try. I don't think he can have been very well known or successful as an actor/comedian as in 1901 my g grandmother was taking in washing to make ends meet !

Joan

[Eiton]

Hi there,
I wondered whether your george Law ever worked in a portable theatre as my great great grandfather used to advertise regularly for cast members. His theatre was The Wells Pavilion Theatre; and travelled around the mislands from just before 1880 until abt 1895,6, ish

Eileen

[David Annis]

I'd give my right arm to have an ancestor with that description. All mine seem to be farm workers and labourers.
duh.
Cheers
Dave