Valentine Augustus Walker (15 February 1890 – 17 March 1969) (also known as Val A Walker and Val Enson) was an
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Culture, language and peoples
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
* ''English'', an Amish ter ...
magician,
escape artist
Escapology is the practice of escaping from physical restraint, restraints or other traps. Escapologists (also classified as escape artists) escape from handcuffs, straitjackets, Cage (enclosure), cages, coffins, steel boxes, barrels, bags, bu ...
and illusion designer. He was born in Moseley,
Birmingham
Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands, within the wider West Midlands (region), West Midlands region, in England. It is the Lis ...
to Joseph Walker, a landscape gardener, and his wife Emma. Val Walker worked as an electrical apparatus maker, later serving in the
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...
and was billed as the "Wizard of the Navy". Walker is credited as the designer of the ''
Radium Girl
The Radium Girl is a stage illusion of the classic type involving a female assistant in a large box and is probably best categorised as a penetration or restoration-type illusion. Its origins and history are much less well documented than tho ...
'' illusion. His most famous escape was "The Tank in the Thames" where he was bolted into a steel tank lowered into the river Thames from the Sea-Scout Training Ship, Northampton on 20 August 1920. He escaped in 20 seconds. He was married in 1913 to Ethel Dora Harris, the daughter of Thomas Daniel Harris and his wife Emma Ellson. He retired from the stage in 1924, returning briefly in 1939, under the name of 'Val Enson', with an illusion called "The Aquamarine Girl".
References
Further reading
*Tad Ware, "The Radium Girl", in ''Magicol'' Magazine, pub by Magic Collectors' Association, 2004
*Val Walker, written recollections published in ''Abracadabra'' magazine in 1968 (full details unavailable)
External links
A picturefrom the State Library of Victoria, Australia, showing Val Walker in naval uniform.
Discussions about Val Walkeron the ''Genii forum'' website
Val Walker sitededicated to his illusions and escapes.
Val Walker archiveon the Flickr site.
1890 births
1969 deaths
English magicians
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