Albert Chevalier (often listed as Albert Onésime Britannicus Gwathveoyd Louis Chevalier); (21 March 1861 – 10 July 1923), was an English music hall comedian, singer and musical theatre actor. He specialised in cockney related humour based on life as a costermonger in London during the Victorian era. Owing to this and his ability to write songs, he became known to his audiences as the "costers' laureate".
Born in London to a French father and Welsh mother, his name at birth was registered simply as "Albert Chevalier",[1] but he gained the unusual middle names "Onésime Britannicus Gwathveoyd Louis" during his career. He showed an interest in entertainment from an early age through his private performances to family and friends. He made his debut on the amateur stage when he was eight, performing in Julius Caesar, at the local Cornwall Hall. Soon after, he joined a local amateur dramatics group before changing his stage name to "Albert Knight".
Chevalier joined the music hall circuit in the 1880s and over the decade became very successful. His success meant that from the early 1890s he was able to choose which theatres to perform in and often performed at three or four halls each night. Together with his brother Charles Ingle he wrote a number of highly successful coster songs to support his act including "Wot Cher! Knocked 'em in the Old Kent Road", "The Future Mrs. 'Awkins", "Appy 'Ampstead", and the melodrama "My Old Dutch". As well as in London, Chevalier became popular with audiences in the English provinces which he toured over the length of his career.
Albert Chevalier singing "My Old Dutch", 1912
During the 1910s Chevalier moved from comedy into music composition for straight plays. With a deteriorating health his final appearance was in My Old Dutch at the Lyceum Theatre in 1920. The play was based on Chevalier's own song of the same name and had some success. The play ran for over a year and Chevalier completed his last performance in November 1922. He died aged 62 and was buried in Abney Park cemetery in the same plot as his son and father-in-law George Leybourne.
AlbertChevalier (often listed as Albert Onésime Britannicus Gwathveoyd Louis Chevalier); (21 March 1861 – 10 July 1923), was an English music hall comedian...
Maurice Auguste Chevalier (French: [mɔʁis ʃəvalje]; 12 September 1888 – 1 January 1972) was a French singer, actor, and entertainer. He is perhaps best...
raised in Kennington Lorraine Chase, actress and model, from Deptford AlbertChevalier, Victorian music hall singer, born in Royal Crescent Rylan Clark, television...
Orchestra on Berliner Gramophone "The Future Mrs 'Awkins" (w.m. AlbertChevalier) – AlbertChevalier on Berliner Gramophone "God Save The Queen" – Frank C. Stanley...
Point Chevalier (/ˌʃɛvəˈlɪər/; commonly known as Point Chev and an original colonial name of Point Bunbury after Thomas Bunbury) is a residential suburb...
most well-known. He was awarded the Chevalier de l’Ordre de Leopold by King Albert I of Belgium in 1933. Albert Gustavus de Belleroche was born on 22...
also portrayed in Victorian music halls by vocal comedians such as AlbertChevalier, Bessie Bellwood, Charles Seel, Paul Mill and Gus Elen. Elen was a...
Gilbert) sung by Charles Coborn. "My Old Dutch" (AlbertChevalier; Charles Ingle) sung by AlbertChevalier. "Nellie Dean" (Henry W. Armstrong) sung by Gertie...
Paris" by Marie Lloyd (Hackney Road etc.) "The Coster's Serenade" by AlbertChevalier and John Crook ("Down at the Welsh 'Arp, which is 'Endon way") "Cosy...
The Einstein family is the family of physicist Albert Einstein (1879–1955). Einstein's great-great-great-great-grandfather, Jakob Weil, was his oldest...
sales show that he was less successful than his friend, the singer AlbertChevalier, and so he returned to the UK. He then made several appearances as...
the brother and manager of performer AlbertChevalier. Ingle was one of six children. He had two brothers, Albert and Bertram; and a sister, Adéle. The...
The Story of the Chevalier des Grieux and Manon Lescaut (French: Histoire du Chevalier des Grieux, et de Manon Lescaut [istwaʁ dy ʃ(ə)valje de ɡʁijø e...
Recalling of John Grey (1915); Mary Ashford in The Bottle (1915) opposite AlbertChevalier as her husband; Sarah in Trelawney of the Wells (1916); Jane Peach...
daughter Florence Leybourne, her husband, the music hall performer AlbertChevalier and grandson Frederick. His headstone, with the epitaph "God's finger...
theatre and pantomime artistes, including Nelly Power, George Leybourne, AlbertChevalier, Herbert Campbell, Edmund Payne, Kay Kendall, Marie Lloyd, Lupino Lane...
"My Old Dutch" (song), an 1892 song by AlbertChevalier My Old Dutch (1915 film), a film starring AlbertChevalier and Florence Turner My Old Dutch (1926...
(1865–1942) Charles Chaplin Sr. (1863–1901) Hannah Chaplin (1865–1928) AlbertChevalier (1861–1923) G. H. Chirgwin (1854–1922) Tom Clare (1876–1946) Harry...
French: Roi-Chevalier) or Soldier King (Dutch: Koning-Soldaat, French: Roi-Soldat) in Belgium in reference to his role during World War I. Albert Léopold...
of the century, with performers such as Marie Lloyd, Gus Elen and AlbertChevalier establishing the image of the humorous East End Cockney and highlighting...
"Flanagan" w.m. C. W. Murphy & William Letters "Future Mrs. 'Awkins" by AlbertChevalier "The Holy City" w. Frederick Edward Weatherly m. Stephen Adams...
the theatre". He saw Sarah Bernhardt act, Adeline Genée dance and AlbertChevalier, Vesta Tilley and Marie Lloyd perform in the music halls. The school...
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