Anglo-French Concert, February 1919

Further on the topic of the YMCA concert:

The Acorns were so called from the divisional badge of the 40th Division. Of the French performers we have been able to discover nothing other than that Chambard may have been semi-professional, having performed at Les Ambassadeurs, which later became one of the most renowned cabaret venues in Paris. We do however have photographs of five of the British performers:

Leslie Wakeling

Ramsay Moir

Jock Creelman

J G Bamborough (Banborough in the programme)

F W Walker (performing as Russell Stewart)

There is also in the same collection a photo of a female impersonator, signed ‘Frank’ ,and with the name ‘Lizzie’, which is probably the name of the character. The female impersonator in the programme named as L (and A) Welman, may be the performer shown in this photograph.

The collection also includes photographs of E C Douglas, Arthur, Phil and Gunga Jack; all of them appear in pierrot costume against the same studio background, and may have been chorus-members of The Acorns. There is also a Charlie Chaplin impersonator, who signs as ‘Charlie’. Here they are:

Of the persons shown, J G Bamborough gave an address to F W Walker, namely c/o Caretaker, Park Road Presb Church, W Hartlepool, Co Durham. Fred Walker was living during the war at Torrens Square, Stratford, London, and was the grandfather of Julian Walker. 

Any information on the French performers would be very welcome: Siffert, Herson Macarel (a familiar name in later French performance history), Delrieu, Brisson and Chambard. Also any in formation on other joint French/British concert parties.