WILKIE BARD & THE MUSICAL NIGHT WATCHMAN

Report by Don Hale

The poor old Night Watchmen in the late 1800's often came in for some stick from a variety of sources. And in particular, he was also the butt of many jokes and songs in the ever-popular music hall.

The famous Victorian entertainer Wilkie Bard, who originally hailed from Manchester, was noted for singing a popular monologue about the unfortunate Manchester Watchman, and for using their exploits as part of his famous music hall act.

Heralded as probably one of the great all-time music hall stage performers of his day, Wilkie Bard, was born in Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester in 1874. He was actually christened William August Smith - the August being a popular German name at that time. He was a popular Lancashire singer and comedian who told and sang the stories of the day in an amusing style.

On stage, he was noted for his unusually high forehead and spotted eyebrows. From the age of twenty-one he began a career clowning and singing in a free and easy style at various Inns and bars around the Manchester area.

In 1893, he secured a rare professional contract to appear as an extra turn at Ted Garcia’s Grand Theatre in Peter Street for just £4 per week. At his stage debut, he performed as ‘Will Gibbard,’ the surname being his mother’s maiden name. A few years later, he travelled to London to appear in music hall at Islington Green. His first performance down South though, was heavily criticised, with the press describing it as a ‘rather dismal, professional appearance.’

He persevered and gradually his northern humour shone through and he began to appear quite regularly in pantomime, particularly at Drury Lane. Later, he performed with the great Harry Randall and met Frank Leo, a famous songwriter of humorous lyrics.

Wilkie Bard returned to Manchester in a blaze of glory in 1906 to appear as Widow Twankey in Aladdin at the Gaiety Theatre, organised by local impresario J. Pitt Hardacre. He later performed to great acclaim back at Drury Lane in London in the key role of ‘Idle Jack.’

His comic timing and rich fruity voice had audiences enthralled and in 1912, he appeared in the first Royal Command Performance, where it was said he brilliantly performed one of his favourite old time songs about the Night Watchmen.

The 1912 report in British Music Hall by Mander & Mitcheninson confirmed: ‘Wilkie Bard was put down for “I want to sing in Opera,” but for this show he substituted “The Night Watchmen,” who minds the drainpipes and other people’s business in the funniest way possible.

His song continued: ‘In the silent watches of the small hours, he thinks out social problems, and his occupation fosters a natural bent for philosophic reflection.’