Solo Women

Vesta Victoria 1864-1952

As Baby Victoria and Little Victoria, Vesta Victoria was the child wonder of the halls so many years ago that "Daddy Wouldn’t Buy Me a Bow-wow" was sung to many of us in our cradles. That song links her with Eugene Stratton, who had a great affection for her. One Saturday morning they were using the London Pavilion to "try over " new numbers. She arrived when he was dancing on the dimly-lit stage. Joseph Tabrar, one of the most famous of music hall songwriters, was there. "This is just the thing for you,’ he said, as he handed her a manuscript. She had just been given a kitten. The idea of carrying this on the stage, hidden in a basket of flowers, so appealed to her that she sang "Daddy Wouldn’t Buy Me a Bow-wow" at the South London Palace on the following Monday night. Audiences at the "Sarf" like those at the Elephant and Castle near by, were not easy to please. But this time they were pleased- " Not ‘arf," as they would have said.

Compare this artless little ditty with the artfulness of "Our Lodgers Such a Nice Young Man," sung by Vesta Victoria in a prim white dress and black shoes and stockings, and you have an idea of the range of her style. Nowadays she lives on a houseboat near Hampton Court in between her re-appearances on the halls.                                                                                     Romance of the Music Hall  by M. Wilson Disher

Books:  Vesta Tilly by Sara Maitland.   As well as an account of VT's life there is a lot of discussion of gender, cross dressing and feminist issues.