George Washington Moore

George Washington Moore

George Washington "Pony" Moore (1820–1909) was a New York-born British music hall impresario.

Moore was born in New York, February 22, 1820,[1][2] according to his own account the son of a bass drummer who had served under George Washington,[3] for whom he was named. He allegedly acquired his nickname 'Pony' as a boy because of his small size; another source attributes it to his having been employed in several circuses as a driver, managing up to forty horses at one time[4] Having first run away to the circus at age 16 he debuted in blackface in 1841 with Welch and Delevan at the Broadway Circus in New York.[4] Moore eventually joined the Virginia Serenaders in 1844, appearing with them as a negro minstrel at the Halfway House theatre, Broadway, and later in the same capacity with other troupes. While struggling to establish himself fully in his stage career he worked as a cabinet maker[3] and also appeared in a knife-throwing act.[1]

On June 11, 1859 Moore sailed to England, where minstrelsy had become widely popular, and there joined the Christy Minstrels before in 1864 founding a Christy Minstrels company of his own.[1] He was a member of the St. James's Hall Minstrels and, in 1871, founded the Moore and Burgess Minstrels with his partner Frederick Burgess.

He died in London, England on October 1, 1909.[5][6]

References

  1. 1 2 3 BROWN, Col. T. Allston, Early Days of Negro Minstrelsy
  2. ↑ February 22, 1819 according to his obituary in The Times: The Times,Saturday, Oct 02, 1909; pg. 13; Issue 39080; col C
  3. 1 2 The Times, Saturday, Oct 02, 1909; pg. 13; Issue 39080; col C
  4. 1 2 RICE, Edward L.,Monarchs of Minstrelsy,1910
  5. ↑ The Times, Saturday, Oct 02, 1909; pg. 13; Issue 39080; col C :"Shortly after one o'clock yesterday morning Mr George Washington Moore, founder of the Moore and Burgess Minstrels, died at his residence, Finchley-road, in his 90th year."
  6. ↑ Register Office, (England and Wales): Deaths registered in October, November ,and December 1909: “MOORE, George Washington...89...Marylebone: 1a 355”

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