Minstrels
The Manhattan Minstrels
The story of the Manhattan Minstrels, the Mohawk Minstrels and the Burgess & Moore troupe are interwoven and excerpts from the stories of all three will be found repeated again in their web pages. I make no apology for this as each story must be told separately. Frederick Denny
The Manhattan Minstrels had been appearing at local suburban halls and occasionally at a London Music Hall prior to the formation of the Mohawks.
Harry Hunter was their leader who apart from performing wrote very good songs, gags and sketches. One of the banes of his professional life was that the talent of his troupe was always being 'raided' by the Music Halls and later by the popular Mohawk Minstrels.
In the end, on March 9th, 1874 Harry Hunter joined the Mohawks in the "bones" corner, becoming an overnight success with a specially written song "Johnny will you come home now".
From The Illustrated Victorian Song Book,
The Memories Linger On
and John Abbot's story of Francis Day and Hunter.