The Sun.
London, England, 1870-05-10 00:00:00

THE MEN IN WOMEN'S CLOTHES.

Some further particulars have come to light respecting
the two young men who are now in custody on a charge
of prowling about in womens's clothes. Great interest
has been shown by the members of the theatrical and
musical professions in this case, for it appears that actors
have been too long exposed to the annoyance of a Budder.
interruption, or complete suspension of the performances,
by the rows in front, caused by the discovery of such
yowl., men sitting in a private box, or taking their places
in the stalls—sometimes in ladies' evening dress and
sometimes in the costume of gentlemen, with hair and
face arranged so much in the style of young ladies of the
period, as to lead to the suspicion that they were really
women in male costume. When it was known, too, that
such persons were in a theatre, much annoyance
was caused by the curiosity of persons to find
them out. Every visitor of effeminate appearance
was subjected to searching inspection. The young men
in question have acuired a provincial celebrity, and in
some places have exhibited their talent for personating
women under distinguished patronage. During the months
of May and June, 1869, the prisoner Ernest Boulton, in
company with a gentleman named Pavitt, gave a series
of drawing-room entertainments in Colchester, Southend,
Dunmow, Bishop Stortford, Rochford, and various other
places, amongst them Romford, where they played under
the distinguised patronage of Sir Thomas Barrett Len-
nard, Bart., and Lady Lennard, Rev. W. J. Skilton,
Octavius E. Coope, Esq., E. J. Ind, Esq., and E.
Vipand Ind, Esq. The entertainment usually
comprised a short opera, a humorous dialogue,
and a laughable sketch. In all these the ladies'
characters were represented by Ernest Boulton. At the
Theatre Royal, Stockbridge, January 27, 1869, "Her
Majesty Servants" played (by special request) Mr. H. J.
Byron's comedy of One Hundred Thousand Pounds," the
characters Alice and .Mrs. Barlow being played respec-
tively by Boulton and Park, who are designated in the
programme, Miss Ernestine Edwards and Miss Mabel
Foster. An original farce followed, the ladies' characters
being, as before, represented by Boulton and Park.
The Essex Herald, Feb. 2, in noticing this performance,
observed :—" During the piece Miss Edwards sang
" Fading away " with a care and taste that brought
down the house, and, on being encored, she gave 'My
Pretty Jane.' " This shews -an instance where
Boulton's sex was not detected. Speaking of the draw-
ing-room entertainment at Bishop Stortford, the press
says :—" We may add that Mr. Boulton very
cleverly personates female characters, and that it is
difficult for a spectator to realise the fact that he is a
`make-up 'for the occasion. His song, `Fading away,'
is exceedingly feminine." The following is a ludicrous
and somewhat appropriate extract from one of the news-
papers :—" A Lusus Naturfe.—Certainly if some one of
Nature's journeymen had not been at work, ' Mister'
Boulton—we hesitate, almost, to write this prefix—would
have incontestably been a woman. Let it by no means
be understood that there is anything of the `social
monster' business cennected with him. Quite the con-
trary, for looking at him with one's eyes both wide open,
listening to his extraordinary voice, and criticising, how-
ever narrowly, his wonderfully feminine appearance and
manner, it is really difficult for a moment to believe that
he is not a really charming girl." At a performance in
Essex a local paper says, " The Alice of Mr. Boulton
took the audience by surprise ; in ' make up,' action,
gesture, and conception it was a finished pic-
ture He drew down thundering plaudits

I by his talented acting, and especially by his singing,
in an imitation mezzo-soprano voice, ' Fading away,
which was three times re-demanded." In October, 1868,
Ernest Boulton assisted Lord Arthur Pelham Clinton,
M.P., in a drawing-room entertainment at the Spa
Saloon, Scarborough. On this occasion " A Morning
Call," was performed, his lordship playing Sir Edward
Ardent, and Boulton Mrs. Chillington. The Scarborough
Gazette, describes the latter's appearance as something
wonderful. This entertainment was postponed for a
short time on account of Boulton's indisposition, and a
copy of the telegram sent to Lord Arthnr Clinton, con-
taming this information, was printed and circulated in
Scarborough. The psisoner Park does not appear to have
taken such a prominent part in enterprises of this kind ;
only one notice of his performance in a lady's role has
been found—namely, that of Mrs. Barlow, to which re-
ference has been made. Boulton's assumption of ladies'
characters has extended over many years, for in one pro-
gramme he is announeed to play Maria in "The Brigand"
—he then being only 14 years of age.