San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-04-29
The Last Royal Jester.

Philadelphia Press.
w. F. Wallet, probably the last
person who will ever wear the title of
"Queen's Jester" whose death is
annOunc ed at his home in Becston,
Nottingham, England, resided In
Frankfort several years in the SOS.
He occupied his own house on Main
street, above Foulkrod, which is
named wine Cottage" name by
which it Is still known. His wife
and family lived there during his
reorganization of the world, and q
beloved little daughter rests in Cedar
Hill Cemetery, Wallett, after leav-
Ing this country, kept up a CORES
pondence with his friends, and the
first instimation of his death was
conveyed in letters to them.
Wallet, the Queens JESTER" as
he has always styled himself, had 8
world wide reputation, having been
In the ring over sixty years. His
last appearance was on May 2, 1890,
III ossfny,s circus at Nottingham,
when benefit performance Was
given in his behalf. He had travelled
in the United States and visited
Philadelphia with Gen. Welsh's
circus.
This city accorded him a remark.
able ovation. Dan Rice prOpably the
most renowned of American clowns.
was the Queens TESTERS" friend
and he publicly presented to him a
souvenir OF his apprecia ton of his
professional abilities.
He was born at Southcoates, near
Hull, October IL, 1908. He made bis
first appearance As super" On the
stage of the Theater Royal, Hull. He
then Joined Abbeps Travelling Com.
pany and was with it for four years.
firing of this he secured a position
at permaD en- salary with Smedley's
Lincolnshire Company, a sort of dra-
matte school for the then great
York circuit. He succeeded the late
William Compton as leading come di-
an. H.f.f-.
In the course of his travels he came
across William Cole, q famouo post
urer and clown of that period, and a
brother. in-law of the noted circus
proprietor, Thomas Cook He. first
donned the motley at Scott's Corona
ton Pavilion, Gaines borough. He
was with the company when William
w. ascendet the throne. Afterward
he joined Van Amburg at Sheffield.
He went with him on tour through
the Middlands and South of England
and finally reached Windsor and
while there performed before the
Queen and her family. at f#a
From that time on he assumed the
title of the royal arms. He was en-
ero cd in, nj of n hn
hemispheres and travelled In Ameri
ca. Canada, Mexico, Europe and the
West Indies. He appeared at Drury
Lane. Among his friends were: Mark
Lemon, Charles Dickens, Thackeray,
Wilkie Collins Charles Mathews and
Walter Montgomery. Coming to
America, he appeared in New York,
Boston, Philadelphia and Baltimore.
Besides visiting California, he took
an extended tour of Canada. joining
Ballard & Bailey's circus at KIngstor.
The floating circus of Spalding d
Rogers next claimed his services. He
then went to England, and after
brief stay returned to fulfill a short
engagement at the National Circus III
Philadelphia. Returning to England
he settled at RecstOn, near Noting
ham, England, where he spent the
last twenty years OF his life. He was
an enthusiastic gardener and an
amateur photographer. He was also
man OF considerable scientific
attachments, being the inventor OF
the self-charging process of filling
mineral water bottles, and was one
of the first to use daRuerreotype out.
side of France. WalleIt was no vul-
gar clown. His puns we're OF the
Chakespearean order. His name was
the magic sesame that opened to him
the doors of Buckingham Palace. the
palaces of the nobility of England,
and in this country his visits were no
less welcome.
Lord Chancellor Campbell ouce re-
marked to Alfred Bum, manager OF
Drury Lane Theater, London,
"Wallett, nv his erudition, wit and
delicacy has elevated the circus arena
| to the dignity of the lecture hall ~