Published Interviews with Arthur Lloyd

A Chat with Arthur Lloyd (The ERA 1893) - A Chat with Arthur Lloyd (The Newcastle Chronicle 1893)

A Chat With Arthur Lloyd

From The ERA Saturday, July 29th, 1893

Reminiscences of Mr Sims Reeves were, perhaps, the last thing that the writer hereof expected from Mr Arthur Lloyd, (shown right) but he got them - very interesting reminiscences, too. Here is the peg on which they hang. It is well worth printing in full; - "Aberdeen, Theatre Royal. - Mr Lloyd, of the Theatre Royal, Edinburgh, begs most respectfully to inform the gentry, and the public of Aberdeen and vicinity, that, having entered into an arrangement with the proprietors of the above theatre, he will have the honour of opening it for two nights only, on which occasion the following ladies and gentlemen will appear: - Mr John Reeves, of the Theatre Royal, Drury-Lane, and the nobilities' concerts, London, and Theatre Royal, Edinburgh, his first appearance here; Mr Sam Cowell, Mr Leigh, Mr Lloyd, Miss Clara Lee, and Mrs Leigh, all of the Theatre Royal, Edinburgh, and first appearance here. On Monday evening, Sept.: 25th, 1843, the performance will commence with The Two Gregories, Mr Gregory, with song of 'The Cork Leg,' Mr S. Cowell; Gregory, with song of Cock Robin,' Mr Lloyd; John Bull, with song of "The Thorn,' Mr J. Reeves; La France, Mr Leigh; Mrs Gregory, Miss C. Lee; Fanchette, Mrs Leigh; Concert: - Ballad, 'My Pretty Jane,' Mr .J. Reeves; comic song, 'The Country Fair,' Mr Lloyd; ballad, `Lovely Night,' Mrs Leigh; song, 'Jenny Jones,' Mr Leigh; comic song, 'Lord Lovel,' Mr S. Cowell; ballad, 'I wish that young fellow,' Mrs Leigh; nautical scena, 'The White Squall,' Mr Reeves; comic song, 'Billy Barlow,' Mr Cowell. To conclude with the farce of The Young Widow."

Here is liberal entertainment! Unfortunately, there was an irregularity about the dramatic licence, and so the party could only give a concert. Mr J. Reeves accompanied everybody on the piano; accompanied his own songs. In time he became Mr J. Sims Reeves; and then he shed the J. and became the greatest English tenor, but never greater than in those days, old Mr Lloyd was wont to say.

Left - Horatio Lloyd and his son Richard Delarue in 1889, the year Horatio died - Courtesy James Francis and Robert Cunningham. Click to enlarge.

Mr Leigh was the Leigh Murray of a later day. Sam Cowell was the greatest and best of music hall comedians. Mr Lloyd was Arthur Lloyd's father, a low comedian of rare talent, the idol of an Edinburgh pit, who acted during sixty years, resisted the most tempting offers to come to London, died quite recently in extreme old age, and never had a bigger salary than five pounds a-week. A father to be proud of; and Arthur Lloyd is proud of him.

Of course, Horatio Lloyd meant his children for other professions than the stage; and, equally of course, they took to the stage as ducks take to water. Arthur spent his novitiate with Mr Newcombe, at the Theatre Royal, Plymouth, and then, thanks to his father's influence, got employment as second low comedian in Scotland. While he held this post at the Queen's Theatre, Edinburgh, his rival at the Theatre Royal was none other than John L. Toole, who was then combining the functions of low comedian and singer between the pieces.

Young Lloyd used to go across the road to hear the older and popular favourite. He thought Mr Toole - being it may be, a little prejudiced - a very poor vocalist, and in particular as compared with himself. Mr Lloyd's manager at this time was a queer fellow - a butter merchant who had invested his fortune in a theatre, being possessed by an ardour for dramatic reform. He came to utter grief, and very speedily; but in his penurious old age was rather fond of boasting that he had given the great "Arthur" Lloyd his start, at thirty shillings a-week. Thirty shillings a-week, and no regular engagement at that, was the trouble with young Lloyd, and began to discontent him with his chosen profession. Two pounds a-week was in those days the salary fixed by tradition and practice as the reward of a low comedian; and young Lloyd, although certain of occupation with his father's concert party during the off season, was not by any means so sure of an engagement as second low comedian when the theatres were at work again. He got many odd engagements to sing at concerts and such like for half-a guinea and even a guinea a time; and this at length led to the offer of an engagement at four pounds a week at the Whitebait Music Hall, Glasgow, which he determined to accept. When Horatio Lloyd heard the news he was horror-stricken. He had all the old-fashioned hatred of a music hall. "My lad," said he, "you'll die a drunkard." The fact was that in those days music hall singers were greatly tempted to drink. There was no charge for admission to the hall; but every kind of refreshment was sold at the then high rate of sixpence, while adjacent to the stage door was a room called the green - room, but actually a semi-private bar, through which the professionals had to pass, and wherein they usually spent the interval between their "turns," which were two or more in a night. A popular singer often had to oblige with a dozen songs in the evening. Arthur Lloyd remembered his father's unpleasant prophecy, and was never a patron of the green-room.

He was a remarkable success. One of his songs was a Scotch edition, by permission, of Sam Cowell's "Railway Porter." Four pounds was the salary paid to young Lloyd, then hardly out of his teens, by Mr Sherer, the proprietor of the Whitebait, and within ten years the same manager engaged the meantime popular comedian for six nights at ten pounds a night. Arthur Lloyd was fortunate in securing an invitation to London very soon after his provincial debut. He will never forget the journey. One of his travelling companions was W. G. Ross, the historic singer in the Coal Hole of "Sam Hall." Ross had a bottle of whisky with him, to which he devoted himself with so much assiduity that he must needs remove the wig he wore, to the especial horror of an old lady in the carriage. Ross, Mr Lloyd says, had a truly magnificent voice. He used to be a popular singer of the long descriptive songs of that day - songs that took well nigh hall-an hour to execute, and detailed the entire plot of a novel or a drama. Ross was so devoted to these lugubrious compositions that he persistently sang them long after the public taste had rejected them, and he declined in public esteem to the point of becoming a chorus singer. Mr Lloyd came to London in 1862 to fulfill engagements at the Sun, Knightsbridge, Marylebone Music Hall, and the Philharmonic, Islington, where Sam Adams subsequently lost a fortune, and which is now replaced by the Grand Theatre, Islington (shown above right). Lloyd was met at the station when he arrived by his friend Harry Clifton, who advised him to take lodgings at Islington, where his last turn was. So at Islington he sought lodgings, and found them, by the strangest of coincidences, with the old lady whom Ross's bald head had scandalised in the train.

Mr Lloyd recalls in connection with his engagement at the Philharmonic a story that George Leybourne often told him in later years. Leybourne was among the audience one night, and was so delighted with Lloyd's singing that he drew an old silver watch from his pocket and bumped it on the table in the ardour of his applause. He returned to his home in the north, and astonished his old father with the announcement, "Father, I'm going to be a comic singer." "Thou a comic singer," said the old man, "and pray where does thou get thy comicality? It does not coom from thy mother, and I'm dammed if it cooms from me!"

What a comic singer George Leybourne became we all know. But it seems incredible that his sun should have risen and set while Arthur Lloyd is still hale, vigorous, and popular. "You see, I was such a boy when I began," he says in the way of apology. After about two months at the three London halls above mentioned, Mr Lloyd gave up the Sun and the Marylebone engagements, appearing only at the Philharmonic and the Canterbury, then the property and under the management of Mr Charles Morton. Miss Russell, Miss Emily Soldene (then known as Miss Fitzhenry), Mr E. St. Aubyn, Mr R. Green, and Mr E. Jongmanns were then notable members of Mr Morton's company - for those were the days when the operatic selections at the Canterbury used to last forty-five minutes. Eventually Mr Morton established the Oxford, and Mr Lloyd recalls that the company was transported from one hall to the other in capacious omnibuses. Unsworth, the stump orator, was a great popular favourite at this time. Among the music halls at which Mr Lloyd appeared in his early days in London were Weston's, the Cambridge, the Regent at Westminster, and the Strand, now the Gaiety Theatre. But his reminiscences of the London Pavilion (shown left) are especially interesting, "It was," he tells you, "originally a public-house with a large stable yard. Messrs Loibl and Sounhammer, two foreigners, acquired the property, roofed the yard over, erected a gallery at the back, but at one side only - for the other was occupied by Dr. Kahn's delectable museum of anatomy - and opened the place as a music hall. "Here I was an enormous favourite; and I am sure Mr Loibl would be the first to acknowledge that my popularity contributed very largely to the prosperity of the place, though I got nothing like the salary that a star of equal magnitude can command to-day. Then the best seats in the place could be had for sixpence. I constantly tried to Persuade Loibl to increase the price, and he did so tentatively, till at length the whole floor, with the exception of a promenade, consisted of half-crown seats. The climax was reached when, at a great outlay, Mr Loibi bought Kahn's museum, and was able to utilise its site for the structural improvement of the Pavilion, From the time the Board of Works acquired the hall there is no need to trace its history.

Meantime Mr Arthur Lloyd had found it convenient to write his own songs, having a happy knack that way. During the past thirty years he has written many more than a thousand songs. Almost his earliest effort was a medley called "'The Song of Songs," that started from the base of " I dreamt that I dwelt in marble halls." It had an extraordinary career of popularity, but did not bring its author and composer the large fortune that one sometimes hears of as the guerdon of a comic song, for he sold the rights of publication for a mere trifle. Among the more popular successors of "The Song of Songs" were "Not for Joseph," " Constantinople," "Cruel Mary Holder," "The Roman Fall,' "Take it, Bob," "Going to the Derby " now inseparable from "Over Rowley" - "One More Polka," and "I Couldn't." Probably of this selection the most successful of all was "Not for Joseph," (shown right) which has a curious history. Mr Lloyd sat in a bus, and "Not for Joseph" was the driver's humorous way of declining suggestions from the conductor. "What a title for a comic song !" thought the alert passenger; and a comic song was the speedy result. Mr Lloyd declares, and, indeed, most of his confraternity agree, that in this way songs are mostly evolved. You cannot command the comic muse; she pops up here and there and everywhere, and is most successful when she is most promiscuous.

But Mr Lloyd is anxious to impress upon you that, loyal as he is to the music halls, they have not been the only sphere of his activity. For a few years, being compelled to rest his voice, he took the Queen's Theatre, Dublin, and, again, having written an Irish drama entitled Ballyvogan, he played with much success the part of a seated land agent in that piece. Then Mr Lloyd has for years made an annual excursion to the provinces, with a concert party, and in particular appeared at the Glasgow Abstainers concerts, in the City Hall, every year for twenty-five successive years. Recently his son and daughter, Mr Harry King Lloyd and Miss Katie King Lloyd (Actually Arthur's wife M.L.) - named after their maternal grandfather, the veteran tragedian T. C. King - have assisted him in this kind of entertainment, and will accompany him to America next week. Mr Lloyd is engaged to appear, during forty weeks, in the leading theatres of the United States, in his piece entitled Our Party. This is entirely after the popular American model, a slender dramatic frame-work, with liberal introductions of music, song, and mimicry. It has been played by Mr Lloyd upwards of 600 times in the English provinces.

Mr Lloyd may fitly be allowed to terminate his story with a most amusing reminiscence of his single appearance at Evans's.

Left - A sketch which gives some idea of what Evans's was like, the person on stage - apparently number 22 on the bill - is struggling to hold the attention of an audience heavily engaged in eating, drinking and talking. From 'Lost Empires: the phenomenon of theatres past, present and future' by Nigel Fountain.

Paddy Green had invited him to sing there for a fee of five guineas on the night of the boat-race, when Evans's, according to tradition, was turned into Pandemonium for the nonce by the young bloods. Mr Lloyd declined the engagement for many reasons; but allowed Paddy Green to think the fee was too small, which made the old man rather sarcastic at the expense of popular singers. When night came curiosity drew Mr Lloyd to Evans's, which he found was packed with undergraduates, even the stage, where a temporary chairman was established. With an eagle eye this gentleman descried the new corner. "Arthur Lloyd - hand him up," he said, peremptorily, and the poor comedian was "handed up" accordingly by a dozen strong arms. "Mr Arthur Lloyd will oblige with a song," said the chairman; and, vainly protesting, the singer had to give the pianist a hint to "vamp" an accompaniment for a song, which was noisily applauded. "Mr Arthur Lloyd will oblige again," said the chairman; and, yet a third time, " r Arthur Lloyd will sing one more song," said he. Then he made an appeal, "Now, gentlemen, Mr Lloyd does not sing for nothing, you know," and round he went with a hat. It was filled with coins, which were poured into the pockets of the singer until he was borne down. "How much I spent I do not know," he says ; "but I do know that when I got home I counted out over twelve pounds."

The above article was first published in The ERA, Saturday, July 29th, 1893.

A VETERAN OF THE MUSIC HALLS

A CHAT WITH MR. ARTHUR LLOYD

From the Newcastle Chronicle - Saturday 10 June 1893

By our Special Correspondent

Albert Chevalier at the Town Hall, Arthur Lloyd at the Empire. Has anyone remarked the coincidence? The "doyen" of comic singers, and the shining "fin de siecle" light of the Music Hall stage, both performing in Newcastle during the course of the same week. It is not often that two masters of an old school, and of a new school, can thus be professionally contrasted by a provincial audience.

Right - Advertisements for Newcastle entertainments including Albert Chevalier at the Town Hall and Arthur Lloyd at the Empire - From the Newcastle Journal, Saturday the 3rd of June 1893.

Mr. Arthur Lloyd has been a favourite of the Music Halls for some thirty-five years or so; Mr. Albert Chevalier's popularity is of very much more recent manufacture. Both are eminent in their different lines of "business." The interest associated with the career of Mr. Arthur Lloyd is, however, peculiar. He has seen the rise of the Music Hall from its humble condition of a primitive "Free and Easy" held in the sanded parlour of a tavern, to such palatial interiors as those of the Empire and Alhambra in London, and the still more spacious and luxurious edifice in Shaftesbury Avenue. The cry is a far one from "Constantinople" and "Not for Joe," to "My Old Dutch" and "Mrs. Enery 'Awkins." When Mr. Lloyd first started in his profession, the Music Hall was little more than a "Cave of Harmony," such as that described by Thackeray, and the prototypes of which were the Cider Cellars and Evans's. A chairman, armed with a small hammer, regulated the proceedings, and invited the "gents" to "harmony." Such convivial resorts were thought very terrible places, and were frequented almost by stealth. Nowadays nearly everybody goes openly to a Music Hall. In popularity the "variety" entertainment has well nigh eclipsed that of the play-house. It is notorious that while theatres are languishing, Music Halls are flourishing and multiplying in the land. To this development, Mr. Arthur Lloyd has been an active contributor; and the story of his career has therefore its interest. Here is the narrative pretty much as it proceeded from Mr. Lloyd's own lips.

MR. HORATIO FREDERICK LLOYD.

Mr. Arthur Lloyd's father was the well known actor and entertainer, Horatio Frederick Lloyd. A few details respecting this gentleman may be acceptable, and are indeed necessary as a preface to the record of the doings of the son. H. F. Lloyd's parent was a hatter whose business premises were opposite the Adelphi theatre in London, and who supplied the principal playhouses with fancy hats for the stage.

Right - The shop to the right of this 1883 photograph by Bedford Lemere and Company shows the former premises of Robert Lloyd's 1822 'Lloyd & Co Hatters' at number 71 Strand, London - Photograph reproduced by permission of Historic England Archive whose own caption for the image reads: "Exterior view of the premises of George Attenborough, pawn broker, silversmith and jeweller, at 71-72 Strand. The architects are listed in the Bedford Lemere daybook as Archer and Green. The building has since been demolished."

As assistant to his father, H. F. Lloyd had to take hats to the stage doors of various theatres; and this was his first introduction to theatrical life. He acquired a taste for the boards and forsaking the paternal trade, won his spurs by fulfilling two engagements as an actor in a subordinate capacity. He then took the coach to Edinburgh, reaching the "Modern Athens" after four days' travel. Mr. Murray, the lessee of the Theatres Royal and Adelphi was at the time the chief theatrical celebrity of Edinburgh; and Mr. H. F. Lloyd was fortunate enough to secure that gentleman's protection and friendship. While acting as one of Mr. Murray's stock company, Mr. H. F. Lloyd met and married Miss Horncastle, an actress from London, and a member of the Edinburgh company. All his children, Arthur Lloyd included, were born in that city. In 1851, Mr. Murray retired from the management of the Theatre Royal, and was succeeded by H. F. Lloyd who controlled its fortunes for about a year. His period of direction was artistically brilliant, but too costly to prove profitable. He launched into ventures which the more cautious Murray had avoided.

Among the company engaged be H. F. Lloyd are to be found names highly distinguished in the history of the theatre. Marie Wilton, now Mrs. Bancroft, was engaged as soubrette and burlesque boy. Eleanor Bufton, afterwards known as Mrs. Swansborough, and who died quite recently, played small parts. Mr. R. E. Villiers, the impresario of the Canterbury and Pavilion Music Halls was employed as walking gentlemen; Mr. H. T. Craven the dramatist and actor; Mr. J. W. Gordon, now of the Southampton Theatre; Mr. Eliot Galer of Leicester: Henry Haigh the tenor and the American "stars," Hackett and E. L. Davenport, were also of H. F. Lloyd's company.

Left - Horatio Lloyd and his son Richard Delarue in 1889, the year Horatio died - Courtesy James Francis and Robert Cunningham. Click to enlarge.

It is interesting to note that on H. F. Lloyd's retirement, the Theatre Royal passed into the hands of Mr. Wyndham, the father of Mr. F. W. Wyndham, the present resident lessee of the Theatre Royal, Newcastle. Mr. Wyndham senior's management was signalized by a windfall. The Theatre Royal, Edinburgh was required by the authorities for the enlargement of the Post Office, and its lessee received the sum of £30,000 for his rights. Although invited to go to London by Charles Kean, Charles Dillon, and others, H. F. Lloyd remained in Scotland and acted between Edinburgh and Glasgow until 1890 when he died in the latter town at the age of eighty-two.

MR. ARTHUR LLOYD.

H. F. Lloyd did not intend that his children should take up the theatrical calling, and educated them for other pursuits. They nevertheless by degrees embraced the stage as a profession. Of Mr. Arthur Lloyd's three brothers and a sister, the one who achieved the highest distinction was Mr. Fred Lloyd, a highly promising comedian, who unhappily died young.

Right - A very rare and early 1860s Carte de visite (CDV) card of Arthur Lloyd. The hat on the table might very well be one of his Grandfather Robert Lloyd's own designs.

Arthur Lloyd himself gained his first theatrical experience with Mr. J. R. Newcombe, at the Theatre Royal, Plymouth, of which resort he was manager for 40 years. It was naturally in a humble capacity, that the youthful actor began, he played small "utility' parts; but in very good company.

Charlotte Cushman and all the travelling "stars" of the day came to the theatre at Plymouth. In "Othello," Arthur Lloyd appeared on same stage with the coloured tragedian, Ira Aldridge, who required no "make up" as the Moor of Venice, and whose truculent violence as the jealous husband of Desdemonia was greatly relished by occupants of the gallery, who dearly love displays of ferocious energy.

Left - The Theatre Royal, Plymouth from an undated postcard.

At Plymouth, Arthur Lloyd remained two seasons. He then returned to Glasgow, and joined his father in a tour with an entertainment called "Facts and Fancies." The sketch was of two hours duration, and depended entirely on the efforts of father and son. They only had a pianist to assist them as accompanist.

Right - A Poster for Horatio Lloyd, and his son Arthur Lloyd, in 'Facts & Fancies' at the Theatre Royal, Trades Hall, Arbroath in 1858 - Click to Enlarge.

In the course of this tour (about 1859 or 1860) the two Lloyds visited Newcastle, and performed in the Victoria Hall at the top of Grey Street, now a billiard saloon. Its lessee and manager was at the time Mr. Hugh Smith, a very well known man. Mr. Smith "travelled" the two Lloyds to Durham, Shields, and round the district generally; and the entertainment proved very successful.

Shortly afterwards, Arthur Lloyd came out as a comic singer. His debut was made at the Whitebait, in Glasgow, kept by one Sheerer, who also had the Coliseum at Belfast. Having jumped at once into the position of a favourite with the public, Arthur Lloyd remained three months at Glasgow, and then went for three months to Belfast. Holders's in Birmirgham, now the Gaiety, was his next hall; and from Holders's he was engaged for the Dog Inn, Dean's Gate, Manchester.

The very name of these places suggest what music halls were in those days. They were merely rooms attached to public houses, in which people smoked and drank while listening to the performance of a few of the "talent. " The halls had mostly sanded or sawdusted floors; they were encumbered with tables; and the landlord or his representative generally officiated as chairman, and encouraged trade by drinking with anybody who had a mind to offer a glass. The Dog Inn, Manchester, has disappeared. On its site has been erected a large building for diorama shows.

From Manchester, Arthur Lloyd went to the Grainger Concert Hall now the Grainger Hotel. Its proprietor was at the time the popular Adam Donald, who also officiated as Chairman. Lloyd appeared twice each night, at nine o'clock and ten. His success was conspicuous. Newcastle at the period boasted one other music hall. It was Balmbra's, now the Oxford. A little later, however, Mr. Stanley took what was then the circus near the Central Station, and converted it into a variety hall called the Tyne. Arthur Lloyd also sang there, and became a great favourite. In subsequent days when Mr. Eliot had the Tyne Hall in Nelson Street, afterwards changed into the Gaiety Theatre under Mr. Moss, Arthur Lloyd was periodically engaged by both managements; and he has continued his connection with Newcastle to this day, by appearing at intervals at the New Empire.

CAREER IN LONDON

It was in 1862 that the popular comic singer first sang in London. He took "turns" at three halls in one night. The first was the Sun Music Hall at Knightsbridge, the proprietor of which was Mr. Williams, where he appeared at nine o'clock. At ten he was due at the Marylebone Music Hall, then conducted by Messrs. Botting and son; three quarters of an hour later he made his bow at the Philharmonic, Islington, then owned by Mears. Sanders and Lacy, but was rebuilt as the Grand Theatre.

Right - An undated Balcony Entrance Token for the Philharmonic Hall, made of zinc and 30mm across - Courtesy Alan Judd.

During Arthur Lloyd's engagement the Philharmonic, passed into the hands of the late well-known Sam Adams, whose death was recorded a few days ago. From that period to this Arthur Lloyd has become one of the "lion comiques" of the Metropolis almost without intermission, and a recognized favourite.

His longest absence was in 1874, when suffering from an affection of the throat necessitating an operation performed by the late Sir Morell Mackenzie. Being compelled to rest his voice, Arthur Lloyd took the Queen's Theatre, Dublin, on a three years' lease; produced three successful pantomimes, and engaged the best travelling companies available. Amongst these was that of Mr. Joseph Eldred, with Mr. E. S. Willard, as an obscure and meagrely-paid member. Mr. Willard has since become "somebody."

Left - An Advertisement for Arthur Lloyd's Queen's Theatre of Varieties, Dublin from the Irish Times of 1875.

In 1871. Arthur Lloyd married Miss Katie King, daughter of T. C. King, the tragedian. He had the misfortune to lose his wife - an accomplished actress and singer - in 1891. Arthur Lloyd and Albert Chevalier are exceptional in the respect of being the writers and composers of many of the songs sung by them. Lloyd's list is a long one. The most popular have been perhaps "The Song of Songs," "Not for Joseph," "Constantinople," "Cruel Mary Holder, " "The Roman Fall," "Take it Bob." "Going to the Derby" (popularised by Mr. Rowley), "One More Polka," and "I Couldn't". It would take more space than is given, however, to enumerate the many ditties which Arthur Lloyd has cast on the ocean of popularity.

He is also the author of an Irish drama in four sets "Ballyvogan" produced by him in 1887 at the Tyne Theatre, Newcastle, during the temporary management of Mr. H. Monkhouse. On that occasion Arthur Lloyd personated a Scotch land agent with considerable success. Two farcical musical comedies "Major Baggs" and "Our Party," and a sheaf of comediettas and sketches have also proceeded from his prolific pen.

Right - A Poster for Arthur Lloyd's 'Ballyvogan' at the Opera House, Londonderry in 1887 - Click to Enlarge.

The entertainment "Two Hours Genuine Fun" which he has taken round the country so often, has proved one of his happiest hits. Arthur Lloyd is still in the vigour of manhood. He started in the profession very early in life; and consequently, the surmisers respecting his age are usually very erroneous.

Left - A Poster advertising 'Two Hours Genuine Fun' at the Theatre Royal, Eastbourne in 1886.

The truth is that he is between fifty-three end fifty-four years of age, and in the fortunate enjoyment of very robust health. He is at present assisted in his performance by his talented daughter, Miss Annie King-Lloyd, and his equally promising son, Mr. Harry King-Lloyd, and has arranged to visit America shortly, in order to tap in that vast country resources in the shape of audiences to whom he is familiar only by reputation. His numerous friends and admirers will wish him the best of success.

Above - A full page Advertisement for Arthur Lloyd carried in the ERA Almanack Advertiser of 1874, which mentions his performance for the then Prince of Wales, and a review of a performance at the City Hall, Glasgow in 1873.

Arthur Lloyd is not what may be called an anecdotical man. He is, however, proud of recalling that about twenty years ago he was engaged to go to Lord Carrington's house at Whitehall, to sing with "Jolly Nash" before the Prince of Wales and a select party, comprising the Marquis of Blandford, the Duke of Sutherland, and other intimates of H.R.H. Jolly Nash feeling very nervous, it devolved upon Lloyd to sing the first song, which he did to the Prince's very apparent satisfaction.

Right - A Programme copy of one of Arthur Lloyd's Royal Engagements - Courtesy Marion Lloyd.

Six months later H.R.H. expressed a wish to hear Lloyd again. The late Charles Vance was on that occasion Lloyd's companion.

How Paddy Green of Evans's was "dished" is another of Lloyd's experiences. Paddy had offered the popular comic singer an engagement to sing at Evans's on a certain Derby night Lloyd refused, as the terms proposed were not sufficiently high, and also because the Derby festivity at Evans's was too riotously kept to tempt him.

Left - Evans's Music Hall - From 'Fifty years of a Londoner's Life' by H. G. Hibbert, Published in 1916 - Courtesy Alfred Mason.

He, however, was induced out of curiosity to pop into the supper rooms as one of the crowd on the night in question; but he had not been long there before he was recognised by some of the noisy young undergraduates, who, seeing him, forced him on to the platform, and compelled him to sing three songs. At their conclusion, somebody suggested that the singer; the hat went round, and realised about £12, or more than double the price which Paddy Green was prepared to give.

Albert Chevalier is of the new school; Arthur Lloyd is of the old. The old school, as represented by the latter, is nevertheless still eminently popular. Talleyrand's remark of "Vieille ecolo, bonne ecole" applies appropriately to it.

The above article was first published in the Newcastle Chronicle, Saturday the 10th of June 1893.