Hi Roy, Not quite what you're after, however, have you tried the on-line archive of The Stage magazine? It's a subscription search Here's the URL https://archive.thestage.co.uk/ Cheers Mike -- Mike Yegwart Branch Chairman Bromsgrove BMSGH The Family History Site for North Worcestershire http://www.bromsgrovebmsgh.co.uk/ The Birmingham and Midland Society for Genealogy and Heraldry http://www.bmsgh.org/ On 24/05/2010 19:51, Roy Stockdill wrote: > As an incorrigible seeker of unusual and interesting characters who appear in the > censuses (I confess this is not entirely unrelated to research for my bi-monthly column > called Roy's Ramblings in Practical Family History magazine), I have become rather > interested in a character called JOHN WATKINS HOLDEN, who appears in the 1911 > census as a lodger at Bournemouth, aged 68, born at Worcester. > > John clearly had an advanced sense of humour, since in 1911 he describes himself > as "Very much married" and he gives his occupation as "Wizard of Ye United World, > Public Entertainer". I first came across this man in the census of 1881 at St Pancras, > where he appears as "The Queen's Magician and Wizard of the Wicked World". His > then wife Jennie is down as "Balard vocalist and good cook" and they have a daughter > Grace, aged 7, whose occupation is "Auti Spiritualist known as uzita". > > Really got you hooked now, haven't I? > > In 1891 John is living alone at St Pancras, though still married, as a lodger and > described as a "conjuror". Not really quite in the same league as "The Queen's > Magician and Wizard of the Wicked World", is it? I couldn't find his wife or Grace, the > daughter. > > In 1901 John is in Clerkenwell, apparently has a different (and much younger) wife > called Bertha and appears to have started another family. Whatever happened to > Jennie or Jenny? John is now described as a "Society entertainer", while Bertha > comes from some place in Northamptonshire called Rothwell. > > Obviously, this man was one hell of a character and led a very colourful life! Does > anyone recognise or claim him? > > -- > Roy Stockdill > Genealogical researcher, writer& lecturer > Newbies' Guide to Genealogy& Family History: www.genuki.org.uk/gs/Newbie.html > > "There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, > and that is not being talked about." > OSCAR WILDE > Scanned with AntiVir MailGuard v10.0.1.27 AVE 8.2.1.242 VDF 7.10.7.163