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Champagne Charlie
Born in 1842 the Music Hall artist George Leybourne better known as Champagne Charlie who was the first "Lion Comique" first started life as a mechanic, having a magnificent voice and a manner of delivering his songs that caught the imagination of the Music Hall audience with his imitation of a "West End swell.
" His success began when he met Alfred Lee a composer. Without a penny between them they trudged to a little office of a music publisher in Holborn, Lee sat at the piano with his new composition Champagne Charlie in front of him. Starting off in the Music Halls of the East End becoming so popular that he was soon
engaged in the West End Champagne Charlie became all the rage and George soon found himself the Idol of the day, with his long Newmarket coat and his immaculate evening dress suite and white gloves. George Leybourne eclipsed every singer of his time, not with just the one song but with many.
From a few pounds a week George could command almost any sum he pleased, and in his hay day he was earning one thousand pound a week a vast fortune in the 1860's. He lived at 136 Englefield Road Islington when in 1884 aged just 42 he died and was buried along with his
Daughter Florence and son-in-law the comedian/singer Albert Chevalier who wrote and recorded The Future Mrs. 'Awkins" "Knocked 'Em in the Old Kent Road" "Coster's Serenade" "Funny Without Being Vulgar" "The Hasty Way 'E Sez It. They are residing in The Abney Park Cemetery Stoke Newington, cared for by The Music Hall Guild of Great Britain and America.
The Abney Park grave of Champagne Charlie.
Nelly Power
On Thursday morning the 20th of January 1887 Miss Nelly Power the delight of the Music Hall died at the age of thirty-three. She was once part of the attractions at the Vaudeville theatre in the Strand,
with a voice and style of singing that was far above the burlesque acts. Becoming a favourite of the Music Halls like the Canterbury and was engaged at the time of her death at the Trocadero.
Although she has been long since forgotten she was a top class star of the Victorian Music Hall and lies in a well hidden grave alongside Champagne Charlie at Abney Park.
Nelly Power the Music Hall singer with a voice.
Please note: The grave of Miss Nelly Power and that of George Leybourne are cared for by The Music Hall Guild of Great Britain and America.
Joseph Grimaldi
Although not a music hall star in the true sense of the word, nonetheless, the King of Clowns.
Joseph Grimaldi was born in Clerkenwell in 1778, the son of the Italian Dance Master Giuseppi Grimaldi.
Joey, the name which is still used for a clown today, made his stage debut at Sadler’s Wells at the age of three. It was here where he spent the next 45 years as both performer and part owner.
He became part owner through marring Maria the owner’s daughter, who died just 18 months later during childbirth.
Sometime afterwards he married Mary, they had a son named Joseph who followed in dads footsteps as a clown; only to die aged thirty an alcoholic.
As the now famous 'Joey' a sad clown with his young sons death, the story was circulated where Grimaldi went to see a Doctor unanimously for some help with his unhappiness.
The Doctor told him to do something happy like seeing Grimaldi, the patient said; “Ah, but Doctor, I am Grimaldi”.
He invented the making up with a white face with lots of bright coloured make-up around the eyes, lips and cheeks, wearing bright baggy clothes and long pointed hats.
He suffered ill health in middle age through his jumping and falling about when young, growing older could barely walk.
It is said he was a physical wreck through years of extreme physical exertion. The Land Lord of his local pub the Cornwallis Tavern in Pentonville, would carry Joey home.
Without being able to work Joey became broke and the Drury Lane Theatre help him with a £100 per annum pension.
He died on May 31st 1837 at number 33 Southampton Street present day Calshot Street Clerkenwell, and is buried in what was St. James's Chapel Pentonville Road. The church after bomb damage was later demolished and then turned into a park named Grimaldi Park after this king of clowns.
There is an annual church service on the first Sunday in February, where clowns from across the UK gather in Dalston’s Holy Trinity Church.
The congregation of clowns can dress up in their costumes complete with face paint in remembrance of ‘Joey’ Grimaldi.
About Grimaldi remembrance service
King of Clowns, Joseph Grimaldi's grave in Grimaldi Park Pentonville Road.
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