Caricature
09/1906 (drawn)
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This caricature is of Tom Leamore (1866-1939) when he was performing at the Grand Theatre of Varieties, Hanley, during the week of 17 September 1906. It is one of the many superb caricatures of Edwardian music hall performers that were drawn by the artist George Cooke when he was based at the Grand. He compiled them in a series of albums. Leamore’s act at the Grand consisted of patter and two songs - one about marrying Liza, and the second about the tribulations of a park-keeper. Other performers on the bill that week with Leamore included The Egbert Brothers, who were also drawn by Cooke.
Leamore’s first professional appearance was as an eccentric comedian and clog dancer at the Old Rodney Music Hall in 1880. He then appeared at the Star, Bermondsey, in 1882, at the Middlesex Music Hall, and in the West End of London at the Trocadero. He became one of the most successful character comedians of the 1890s and a regular performer at all the leading London halls as well as the provincial circuit. His most famous songs included ‘Hi! Hi! Hi! I Thought She Was So Shy’ and ‘Percy from Pimlico’. Leamore was one of the first music hall performers to make commercial recordings.
Leamore’s first professional appearance was as an eccentric comedian and clog dancer at the Old Rodney Music Hall in 1880. He then appeared at the Star, Bermondsey, in 1882, at the Middlesex Music Hall, and in the West End of London at the Trocadero. He became one of the most successful character comedians of the 1890s and a regular performer at all the leading London halls as well as the provincial circuit. His most famous songs included ‘Hi! Hi! Hi! I Thought She Was So Shy’ and ‘Percy from Pimlico’. Leamore was one of the first music hall performers to make commercial recordings.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Pen and ink and wash on paper |
| Brief description | Caricature of the music hall performer the comedian and singer Tom Leamore (born 1865), from an album of caricatures drawn by George Cooke. September 1906. |
| Physical description | Pen, ink and wash caricature on pink paper of Tom Leamore, full-length, standing cross-legged, wearing a light brown hat, a black frock-coat, a high collar with a white bow tie, brown checked trousers and a rose button-hole. He is leaning on a cane, has a bushy handlebar moustache and is smoking a cigar. |
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| Object history | This caricature is of the music hall performer, singer and comedian Tom Leamore (1866-1939). Leamore made his first professional appearance in 1880 at the Old Rodney Music Hall. After appearing at the Star, Bermondsey in 1882, he appeared at the Middlesex music hall and subsequently in London's West End at the Trocadero and most of the leading halls. An advertisement in 'The Era' for September 1903 shows him appearing at three London halls in one night. Some of the songs with which he was associated include 'Serving 'em all Alike'; 'My Intended'. 'The Shipwrecked Captain', and 'Percy from Pimlico'. He was one of the first music hall performers to make commercial recordings. The caricature comes from the second album of caricatures in a collection of albums owned by the Theatre Museum compiled by the graphic artist George Cooke. It is labelled by the artist 'Geo Cooke HYS BOOKE' and features music hall performers working in the early 20th century. |
| Summary | This caricature is of Tom Leamore (1866-1939) when he was performing at the Grand Theatre of Varieties, Hanley, during the week of 17 September 1906. It is one of the many superb caricatures of Edwardian music hall performers that were drawn by the artist George Cooke when he was based at the Grand. He compiled them in a series of albums. Leamore’s act at the Grand consisted of patter and two songs - one about marrying Liza, and the second about the tribulations of a park-keeper. Other performers on the bill that week with Leamore included The Egbert Brothers, who were also drawn by Cooke. Leamore’s first professional appearance was as an eccentric comedian and clog dancer at the Old Rodney Music Hall in 1880. He then appeared at the Star, Bermondsey, in 1882, at the Middlesex Music Hall, and in the West End of London at the Trocadero. He became one of the most successful character comedians of the 1890s and a regular performer at all the leading London halls as well as the provincial circuit. His most famous songs included ‘Hi! Hi! Hi! I Thought She Was So Shy’ and ‘Percy from Pimlico’. Leamore was one of the first music hall performers to make commercial recordings. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | S.393:32-2002 |
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| Record created | November 5, 2003 |
| Record URL |
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