# Talk:Vesta Tilley

WikiProject Biography Assessment
Could use more info, but a very basic B.
The article may be improved by following the WikiProject Biography 11 easy steps to producing at least a B article. -- Yamara 17:44, 21 June 2007 (UTC)

Maybe her records are already in Public Domain; if it's so, would be great to imbed them in the article. --CopperKettle 10:41, 11 October 2009 (UTC)

Was Vesta Tilley LGBT? See the early years, wartime and retirement sections of the article. — Robert Greer (talk) 00:56, 8 July 2011 (UTC)

For whatever reason drag artists are always included in this project (see for instance Sammy Duddy). I suppose the basis is that drag can just about be shoehorned into the T part of LGBT. Vesta Tilley's inclusion does not assume she was lesbian or bisexual and really if it gets more people editing the articles then so be it, even if it is a tad misleading. Keresaspa (talk) 00:46, 23 July 2011 (UTC)
Tilley was a cross-dresser, literally crossing gender in appearance. This her history is part of the LGBT community, specifically the T. Sportfan5000 (talk) 01:59, 15 September 2013 (UTC)

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Her birthplace in Worcester is given as "Commandery Street". Looking on Google maps reveals no such street, only "Commandery Road". One must assume therefore, either that at the time of her birth it was called "Commandery Street" and was later changed to "Commandery Road", OR there has never been a "Commandery Street" and it should be changed to "Commandery Road".  — Preceding unsigned comment added by 146.90.108.8 (talk) 20:47, 2 August 2017 (UTC) 

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A true professional, she would spend months preparing the new character types she wanted to represent on stage. These roles had a slightly mocking edge, furthering her popularity among the working class men in her audience. She was wildly popular among women as well, who viewed her as a symbol of independence. Newspaper reports of her performances emphasised how popular she was throughout the country, drawing capacity crowds in England, Scotland, Ireland, the Isle of Man and Wales. Often, people were turned away from the theatre as all space, including standing room, had been allocated. In some cases, theatre proprietors were able to ('obliged to' in their parlance) raise ticket prices for her week-run in their theatre. As at the time ticket prices were set regardless of the performers arriving that week, Tilley's ability to sell out even when prices were raised indicates her immense popularity.
As a celebrated vaudeville star, she laid the foundation stone of the Camberwell Empire and  Sunderland Empire Theatre in 1906. The Sunderland Empire survives and has a bar named in her honour across the road from the venue.
Her career reached the US as well, and in 1912 she performed at the first Royal Variety Performance as 'The Piccadilly Johnny with the Little Glass Eye': "The most perfectly dressed young man in the house". 

- Mujinga (talk) 17:38, 12 June 2020 (UTC)
There were a number of other stars at the time who were women cross-dressed as men, including Bessie Bellwood, Ella Shields, Hetty King, Millie Hylton and Fanny Robina. Once she became a household name, Tilley made an effort to underline her femininity off stage, to protect herself against criticism and allow her to continue to push boundaries in her career. She wore the latest fashions off stage, glamorously clad in fur and jewellery, as befitted her role. Another way she reinforced her feminine image was through her ongoing involvement with children's charities in the towns and cities where she performed (she had no children of her own).

Mujinga (talk) 17:40, 12 June 2020 (UTC)