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Caricature
Cooke, George - Enlarge image
Caricature
- Date:
ca. 1904 (drawn)
- Artist/Maker:
Cooke, George (artist)
- Materials and Techniques:
Pen and ink and wash on paper
- Museum number:
S.392:46-2002
- Gallery location:
In Storage
This caricature is of the ‘descriptive and character vocalist’ George Leyton. He was top of the bill at the Grand Theatre of Varieties, Hanley, during the week of 6 February 1905, with his act which featured a chorus of 20 local boys. They performed ‘Britannia’s Babes’ in naval training uniform, singing and performing naval drill. This was a return visit to Hanley for Leyton, who had appeared there the previous April with a chorus of 30 Potteries boys 'and the local Crimean veteran’. It is one of the many superb caricatures of Edwardian music hall performers drawn by the artist George Cooke when he was based at the Grand Theatre.
Born Henry Hackett in 1864, in New Orleans, USA, of an English father, Leyton made his first stage appearance in London in 1889 at the Princess’s Theatre, where he sang the title song in the play True Heart. His first appearance in music hall in 1890 at the Royal Music Hall was followed by engagements at the Trocadero and the Oxford. By 1916 he had appeared at every leading London Variety Theatre. He was well known for songs including: ‘All Hands on Deck’, ‘Always Ready’ and ‘Boys of the Chelsea School’.
