| Collection | David Drummond Pantomime Collection |
| Admin history | "Albert Chevalier was born on 21st March 1861 at 21 St Ann's Villas, Royal Crescent, Notting Hill in London. He was the eldest son of Jean Onésime Chevalier, who was a language teacher, and Ellen Louisa Mathews. He had 5 siblings, although 2 died at an early age. His brother Auguste, better known by the name Charles Ingle, had a career within the same industry as Albert for he became a composer of music hall songs. Albert was educated at Clanricarde College in Bayswater, London, and St Mary's College in Richmond, Surrey.
After leaving school, Albert worked in a newspaper office and as a pupil teacher. He left the latter to pursue a career in the theatre industry, following an introduction to a theatrical agent through Dion Boucicault, the playwright. Albert had his breakthrough and his first appearance on the stage on 29th September 1877 at the Prince of Wales Theatre in London. This was the start of a long career featuring character and comic roles in popular drama, both in London and more widely across Britain, starring in roles within Arthur Pinero's The Magistrate in 1885 and The Schoolmistress in 1886. Following these performances, Albert became the principal comedian in burlesques at the Avenue Theatre in 1889. In addition to his role as a principal comedian, he was also writing shows and songs, writing the song 'Our armonic Club' for the burlesque Aladdin, or, The Wonderful Scamp circa 1888. It was also during this time that he wrote his famous coster songs, supporting his acts such as ‘My Old Dutch’, ‘Appy 'Ampstead’, and ‘Wot Cher! Knocked 'em in the Old Kent Road’.
Albert made his debut on the music hall stage on 5th February 1891, appearing at the New London Pavilion in Piccadilly Circus. Appearing in character as a costermonger, Albert sang 'The coster's serenade', 'The nasty way 'e sez it', and 'Funny without being vulgar'. This type of performance was influenced by Alfred Vance’s longstanding music hall tradition of stage cockney and Charles’ Dickens’ London characters, yet Albert made the role his own and was innovative how he recast his character and delivered the cockney-style speech. He certainly developed the coster-style performance and took advantage of the way that the music hall scene was developing during the very late 19th century. Whilst his decision may have stemmed from the limited success he experienced in the theatre industry, it was a reflection of how syndicate music halls, such as the Pavilion, were undergoing a transformation during this time.
He spent 7 years working in notable music halls in London, writing several coster songs with his brother Auguste, including those mentioned above. His most successful coster song was the work-house melodrama ‘My Old Dutch’. Albert thrived in the music hall business and was one of the most highly paid music hall entertainers of the late 19th century, earning the vast sum of £450 per week. His success, however, did not extend into the management of music halls and his time spent managing the Trocadero in 1893 was a failure, causing debts of £10,000.
As well as performing in Britain, Albert also toured in the United States and Canada between 1896 and 1897. During this time he did not perform in music hall so that he could spend time focusing on his engagement in these locations. He undertook these recitals as a way of branching out from the music hall scene, which he had begun to tire of, disliking the inattentiveness and the predictability of audiences. Albert also faced rivalry from other contemporary coster entertainers, predominantly Gus Elen, and so embarked upon his venture outside of Britain. His solo career proved to be a success and Albert embodied characters and sung songs such as those of a rural vicar in 'Our bazaar', a failed actor in 'A fallen star', and a west-country peasant in ''E can't take a roise out of oi'. His solo venture was such an achievement that by 1899, Albert’s annual season of twice-daily recitals at the Queen's Hall in London extended beyond 1000 performances.
Albert returned to performing in the theatre during the later years of his career, starring in 1906 in the play Pantaloon written by Sir James M Barrie. During this time, he wrote more songs and drama, writing the play My Old Dutch, based on his song of the same name. My Old Dutch was performed at the Lyceum in London in 1920. His last appearance on the stage in London was in 1922, in a revival of this same play.
Albert died on 10th July 1923 at Lake House, 38 Woodberry Down in the town of Stoke Newington in Greater London. He was buried on 13th July 1923 Abney Park Cemetery. He was outlived by his wife Florence Isabel, whom he married on 8th October 1894. They had no children. "
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| Related Person | Chevalier, Albert Onésime Britannicus Gwathveoyd Louis (1861–1923), music hall comedian and actor |