Minstrels

Moore & Burgess Minstrels

This was an important minstrel troupe, established at St. James' Hall, Piccadilly, right in the heart of the West End, and with a fashionable clientele, although their standard of entertainment was not considered any higher.

George Washington ''Pony'' Moore, looked after the entertainment side, whilst Burgess attended to the business end.

Arthur Roberts in his book "50 Years of Spoof" writes that they were not good friends and were almost diametrically opposite in their behaviors. Both gave receptions for their friends at the weekends.

Moore lived in St.John's Wood and his receptions were for what we today call the "Hooray Henrys" or "rich yobbos" as my gran used to say. There were sumtious repasts, buckets of champagne literally and the choicest of cigars. Moore would then give orations to his half inebriated gathering. They were prepared for it and took it as good stuff or considered it the price of their party.

Unfortunately he also wanted to do the same at a Gala night or a Benefit. Burgess was not amused. He was a quiet man. A business man who gave quiet dinner parties for his 'respectable' friends.

One day Moore came to him with the proposition of buying him out and dispensing with his services. Burgess informed Moore that he had bought the lease of their hall only a week before. End of speeches.

PM was the composer of Chirgwin's celebrated "'Blind Boy".

As in the case of the ''Mohawks'' and "The Manhattans", some of their best artists migrated to the Halls, the most distinguished being the American-born Eugene Stratton.

Francis and Hunter had for long held an ambition to be in the West End, and hearing that Moore and Burgess were waning in popularity, they made a bid in 1900 for the goodwill of the troupe and the lease of St.James' Hall.

The "Mohawks'' abandoned their old stamping ground at Islington, moved to Piccadilly and, with the pick from both troupes re-christened it "The Mohawk, Moore & Burgess Minstrels".

They continued to run in public favour, and soon began to discover a surprising amount of talent amongst its members. From this party came the genius of Little Thomas, George D'Albert, Johnny Danvers (uncle to Dan Leno), Johnny Schofield, one of the best comedy singers and female impersonators that ever trod the stage, and Tom Birchmore, the famous Stump Orator.

Eventually, as most entertainments of a particular time, Minstrelsy became 'old hat'. With the more varied and sparkling entertainment offered by the Music Halls, now grown a little more refined, and called Variety, the growth of suburban houses with a weekly change of programme, the more sedate offerings of the Minstrel show appeared at a disadvantage.

In the quickening urgency of the new times, the ponderous, slow humour of Mr. Interlocutor and Mr. Bones had become outmoded.

When a syndicate was formed to build the Piccadilly Hotel and made a tempting offer for the lease of St. James' Hall, the "Mohawk Moore & Burgess Minstrels" came to an honourable conclusion.

From The Illustrated Victorian Song Book,
The Memories Linger On
and John Abbot's story of Francis Day and Hunter.