James Fawn
English Actor and Music Hall Artist from 1877. Remembered for the song "Ask a P'liceman" which he sang in 1890.
James Fawn is also mentioned again in:
James Fawn
English Actor and Music Hall Artist from 1877. Remembered for the song "Ask a P'liceman" which he sang in 1890.
James Fawn is also mentioned again in:
THE GREAT BABY SHOW
Part 3 of Howard Bloch's history of North Woolwich Pleasure Gardens
One of the last events which was organised by Charles Morton at North Woolwich was a mammoth two day fete for his own benefit. For this he invited a large number of artistes and decorated the garden with flags. On the first day the programme included The Great Vance, Miss FitzHenry as Captain MacHeath in The Beggars Opera, Farini & Son performing on the high wire and The Storming of the Magdala and a balloon ascent by Henry Youens. Most of these performances were repeated on the second day, although Vance's place was taken by George Leybourne who says 'Up in a balloon' and 'Sparkling wine and music'.
He was succeeded in 1869 by William Holland. Holland styled himself 'the People Caterer' and was one of the most versatile and flamboyant of music hall managers. Broad shouldered, rotund, frock-coated and with a long, waxed moustache which stuck out several inches and gave him the appearance of Emperor Napoleon III.
In order to meet the competition from other pleasure gardens, Holland engaged many leading music hall artists and variety acts and organised an ever growing range of entertainments. Among the stars were George Leybourne, and his rival the Great Vance, Herbert Campbell, Arthur Lloyd, Nelly Power,
James Fawn, J.H.Milburn, G.H.Macdermott and the spiral ascensionist, Leonati.Not content just to provide 'one thousand and one amusements' for 6d., he constantly sought 'novel, curious and attractive events' with which he hoped to attract an even larger number of visitors.
In August 1875 Holland exhibited Admiral Tom Trump (Jean Hannema) who he claimed was the smallest man in the world having a height of 26 inches, a weight of 26 pounds and able to speak fluently in five languages.
James Fawn is also depicted on this "South London Music Hall" Theatre card singing "Oh, Can This Be Love" in 1890 drawn by Sam Sibbitt and first published in 1898.
(ã Copyright Robin Noscoe and one of a series published by The Badger Press, Westbury, Wiltshire, U.K.)
Images courtesy of http://www.vaudeville-postcards.com/ Theatre Cards by Nicholas Charlesworth.
James Fawn also appeared in the following stage productions as:
Hickster(64) in Goose with the Golden Eggs (9 Oct 1875 - 22 Dec 1875); Wapshot (2) in Life of an Actress (10 Apr 1876 - 11 Apr 1876); Nicodemus Nobbs (38) in Turn Him Out (9 Oct 1875 - 10 Apr 1876)