Thomas William Barrett (1851 – 19 April 1935) was an English

music hall Music hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment that was most popular from the early Victorian era, beginning around 1850, through the World War I, Great War. It faded away after 1918 as the halls rebranded their entertainment as Varie ...

comedian and singer, most popular at the end of the nineteenth century. He was born in

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 ...

, the son of a shoemaker, but at the age of ten was apprenticed as an

acrobat Acrobatics () is the performance of human feats of balance, agility, and motor coordination. Acrobatic skills are used in performing arts, sporting events, and martial arts. Extensive use of acrobatic skills are most often performed in acro d ...

. He ran away, and joined a concert party organised by Harry Clifford. "Comedian dead: Birmingham man's fame in many lands", ''Birmingham Gazette'', 22 April 1935, p.1
Retrieved 22 December 2022 On tour, he gradually developed a reputation as a comic entertainer, and made his first appearance in London at Harwood's Varieties in

Hoxton Hoxton is an area in the London Borough of Hackney, England. It was Historic counties of England, historically in the county of Middlesex until 1889. Hoxton lies north-east of the City of London, is considered to be a part of London's East End ...

in 1878, performing songs that he composed, notably "What a Fool I Must Have Been to Marry Jane". Lyrics, "What a fool I must have been to marry Jane", ''Monologues.co.uk''
Retrieved 22 December 2022 His other songs included "I've Got 'Em On", "The Marquis of Camberwell Green", "I've Been and Got Married Today", "I Don't Like London", and "Jolly as a Sand Boy". He is credited with being the first comic entertainer to perform in a

deadpan Deadpan, dry humour, or dry-wit humour is the deliberate display of emotional neutrality or no emotion, commonly as a form of Comedy, comedic delivery to contrast with the ridiculousness or absurdity of the subject matter. The delivery is meant t ...

manner, standing completely still and without a smile. Despite his modest upbringing, he was billed as "A Nobleman's Son", the title of another of his songs. He was a favourite of the artist

Walter Sickert Walter Richard Sickert (31 May 1860 – 22 January 1942) was a German-born British painter and printmaker who was a member of the Camden Town Group of Post-Impressionist artists in early 20th-century London. He was an important influence on d ...

, who sketched him with the inscription: "For countless hours between 1885 and 1922 e had beencheered and sweetened by arrett’sgentle and reticent wit ndhis exquisite and lovable personality.”Richard Anthony Baker, ''British Music Hall: an illustrated history'', Pen & Sword, 2014, , p.183 Barrett's style became less fashionable in the early years of the twentieth century, and he performed less often, but in the early 1930s featured as a member of one of

Albert de Courville Albert Pierre de Courville (26 March 1887 – 15 March 1960) (born in Croydon, England) was a writer and director of theatrical revues, many of which featured the actress and singer Shirley Kellogg, whom he married in June 1913. Career In abo ...

's ''Veterans of Variety'' shows, presenting stars of the 1890s. For the last thirty years of his life, Barrett lived in

Liverpool Liverpool is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the River Mersey, Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population ...

, where he died in 1935 at the age of 83. He was buried at Anfield Cemetery.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Barrett, T. W. 1851 births 1935 deaths British music hall performers English male singers English male comedians Comedians from Birmingham, West Midlands