Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-26
TOY 7HEATER SHOP
JAZZ AGE VICTIM
J, PoIIock'S Place in London
D Once Was Patronized by
Celebrities.
BY JOAN LITTLEFIELD.

6peetal Dispatch to The Star
IDNDON, November &c (N.A.N.A0.-
r. you take penny bus eastward from
the Mansion House, you will come by
way of Liverpool street and busy Bish-
ouSsate to Shoreditch Church, and
tlaehce it is but stones throw to Hox-
ton street, a narrow thoroughfare which
lncks much the same today as 1t did
when Dickens wrote.
ut is a street which appears as I'M
profitable to the searcher after romance
as any place well could. 1t is dingy
and gray, and to every cheap sweet
shop there are two dusty, dark empo-
RUINS labeled "woodcarverS," in which
are displayed curly banister rails, table
legs, pieces Of fretwork and other f1ot-
sam of the furniture trade.
Dirty children play about the street,
unmolested by traffic for only an in
frequent numbering cart disturbs the
dust that seems to be the chief char
acteriStic of the neighborhood), and an
occasional pedestrian hurries by toward
the clatter and clang OF trans that
mark the whereabouts OF Old street.
Haunted by Celebrities.
Yet this same Hoxton street, though
It looks forgotten and uncared for, has
been haunted for the last 80 years by
many of the literary and theatrical
celebrities of the time. Their objective
Is No 70. low-fronted, diamond-paned
shop, where B. Pollock still carries on
the ancient and fascinating trade of
Juvenile theatrical print publisher"
MFR. Pollock is 70, and for So years
(ever since he fell in love with and
married the first proprietor'S daughter)
he has engaged in the printing of fig
ures and scenes and in the building OF
stages for toy theaters. MIR. Pollock
still has the original copper-p plate blocks
from which the prints were first made
when the business was founded, more
than 90 years ago, and he still colors
by hand the Hariequins and Cinde-
rellas and Prince Charmings who used
to delight our grandfathers. but who
unfortunately do not appeal quite so
greatly to the sophisticated modern
child.
Business is not what it was" said
Mr.. Pollock sadly when visited him
recently. And, indeed realized that
before entered his shop, for in the
window, alongside the stage set with
wonderful transformation scene, that
must surely be a facsimile of one of
those that thrilled the patrons Of Drury
Lane so years ago, were packets OF
hairpins, safety pins and other requi-
sites of lady's toilet Though did not
IOLICe any upSINhls
Noel Coward Not Represented.
Inside the shop are stacks and stacks
OF sheets Ga penny plain and tuppence
colored') on which are printed the
characters and scenes for 81 plays and
pantomimeS, and on the counter is
model theater, all ready for the tmn1e-
date performance Of any play one
wishes to see; that is, If ones taste Is
not too ultra modern. You cannot see
q play by Noel Coward, for instance.
and even Pinero is considered a little
advanced. But if you want good full
blooded melodrama, like THE Corsican
Brothers" or "Oliver Twist" or pam
tomime done in the gorgeous, realistic,
old-fashioned way, Hoxton street should
be your mecca.
A complete play costs anything from
q shilling for a plain one-actor' to Z
and 8 pence for "colored" and truly
magnificent Sleeping Beauty" and you
can act as your own producer and give
your own reading of the play from
the acting version supplied with the
"props,"
Mr.. Pollock is character straight
out of Dickens. He is smallish and
little bent with the years, but his pale
blue eyes are alert behind his spectacles
and his white hair shows no sign Of
thinning. He Is something Of celeb
rity, too, and is we'll aware that his
fame has spread far beyond the borders
of Hoxton. Only the other day young
artist spent more than two hours draw
ing his portrait, while girl novelist is
at present writing book round" the