Vesta Tilley

Vesta Tilley was born as Matilda Alice Powles in Worcester in 1864. Her father Harry Powles was a theatre manager and she made her first stage appearance at the age of three in Nottingham where he was manager of St George's music hall. She appeared as the Great Little Tilley and soon added Vesta to the name. Vesta was a popular brand of matches and so she became known as 'The goddess of fire'. Her father suggested that she should try a male impersonation in her act and she made her first appearance as a male impersonator at Day's Concert Hall in Birmingham in 1872. This was a great success and her father helped her extend he range of male impersonations. She was a successful star by the time she was nine.

In 1888 Vesta met Walter de Frece, the son of a theatre proprietor and they married on 16th August, 1890. During the First World War Walter started to write recruiting songs for Vesta, who became involved in the recruiting drive. She was known as England's greatest recruiting sergeant and sang such songs as 'The Army of Today's All Right' and 'Jolly Good Luck to the Girl Who Loves a Soldier'.

Vesta did a successful tour of America and appeared in Fred Karno's famous sketch 'The Mumming Birds' with Stan Laurel and Charlie Chaplin. She made several records and appeared in silent films. She was never happier than when performing on the stage and greatly enjoyed her many tours of the variety theatres.

Walter became a Conservative M.P. and they lived for a while in Monte Carlo. Vesta died on 16th September, 1952  in London, aged 88.