2 of 14

1850s

Music hall theatres become more popular, revolutionizing what was thought to be formal entertainment

1860s

Working class women begin to perform in music halls, hoping to achieve their own income and a sense of independence

1830s

Taverns and Coffee Houses provided entertainment in the form of musical clubs

1852

Canterbury Hall opens in Lamenth, the first purpose-built music hall

1870s

In 1875, there are now over 375 music halls in the Greater London area alone

1990s

Singing, comedy and dancing become popular acts among music halls in Victorian England

The Humble Beginnings of The Music Hall

3 of 14

The Victorian Music Hall and Society

Did the Victorian Music Hall Reflect on Victorian Social Class?

The music hall became a way for working class women to earn an income and be independent
The entertainment industry sought to appeal to the rapidly growing urban population
Music halls were popular among the lower working class as a means to see affordable entertainment
Some sectors of the middle and upper class saw the music hall as distasteful and raucous

4 of 14

Types of Performances?

Singing, Dancing and Everything Else !

Lion Comiques (A parody of the upper class)
Jugglers, Mimes and Magicians (Adagio was a cross between a dance act and a juggling act)
Mentalists and Illusionists (The mentalist would claim to read the assistant’s mind)
Aerial Acts (Circus type gymnastics that often involved trampolines)

5 of 14

Types of Performers?

Here are some famous performers of the Victorian Era:

Marie Lloyd (1870-1922) was a singer, dancer and comedian who was extremely popular for her exuberant personality
Dan Leno (1860-1904) was a comedian and actor deemed the “funniest man on earth” by Victorian audiences
Henry Champion (1865-1942) was a singer and songwriter known for his fast singing style and societal commentary

6 of 14

The Music of the Music Hall

What Kind of Music?

A combination of traditional folk music and theatre music
Lyrical matter was often humorous and meant to represent the working class
This was NOT classical or “art”music
This music was meant to entertain, NOT challenge

Follow this Link and Listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-Yoqwx4_zY

Famous Songs?

“Don’t Dilly Dally All the Way”, sung by Marie Loyd
“Ask a P’liceman,” sung by James Fawn
“Boiled Beef and Carrots,” sung by Harry Champion

7 of 14

The Photo Gallery

8 of 14

The Canterbury Music Hall

(Sherry,1842)

9 of 14

Victorian Entertainment Tavern

(Cruikshank, 1845)

10 of 14

Marie Lloyd

(Langfier, 1990)

11 of 14

Dan Leno

(Rotary Photographic Co., 1901)

12 of 14

Miss Hetty King

(Rotary Photographic Co., 1910)

13 of 14

Strongman Eugen Sandow

( Strobridge Lith Co., 1894)

14 of 14

Citations and Sources

Brain, Jessica. (2022, Oct. 17). The Great British Music Hall. Historic UK. https://www.historic-uk.com/CultureUK/Music-Hall/

Victoria and Albert Museum. (2022, Oct. 17). Music Hall and Variety Theatre. Victoria and Albert Museum. https://www.vam.ac.uk/articles/music-hall-and-variety-theatre#slideshow=15664669&slide=0

Kift, Dagmar. (1996). The Victorian Music Hall: Culture, Class and Conflict. Cambridge University Press.

Sherry, J. (1842). Eagle Tavern City Road. Music hall and variety theatre. https://www.vam.ac.uk/articles/music-hall-and-variety-theatre#slideshow=15664669&slide=0

Cruikshank, G. (1845). Drunken Scene in a Dancing Hall. History Today. https://www.historytoday.com/miscellanies/where-dance-victorian-britain

Langfier, L. (1990). Marie Lloyd. National Portrait Gallery. https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait/mw202625/Marie-Lloyd?LinkID=mp61604&search=sas&sText=Langfier&role=art&rNo=9

Rotary Photographic Co. (1901). Leno as Sister Ann. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Leno_as_Sister_Anne_1901.jpg

Rotary Photographic Co. (1910). 1910 Sheet music cover. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:King,_Hetty_-_1910_(male_impersonator).jpg

Strobridge Lith Co. (1894). The Sandow Trocadero Vaudevilles. Library of Congress. https://www.loc.gov/item/2014635569/