Richard Morgan.

 A career singer, his renditions of Kipling's work made him world famous.

Born in Portobello 1877, the second youngest of nine children.

The family had moved to Portobello circa 1875, a small town between the ever expanding Wolverhampton and Walsall.

The 1881 census show the family living at 12 Primrose Street. By the time of the 1891 census the family had moved to 35 Willenhall Road, a family of six living in two rooms.

Richard aged 14 is employed as a professional singer of music.
 
The performance dates mentioned in the timeline below are taken from The Stage, The Era and other newspapers, the dates are either a call to, show dates or revues.

They are not a full reflection of his career as I am sure a number of shows, venues and dates are still missing.

I still have orphan clippings indicating a Mr. C. Morgan in the cast, which cannot be verified as Clifford, so these have not been added to this career list.


The location of Primrose Street.
1894  
  31st May at St Georges Hall, Walsall for Messrs. Martland & Turner in My Sweetheart playing Harold Bartlett.

9th August an event called Old Gaiety re-opens at the Empire Music Hall, Wolverhampton.
1897    
  The New Theatre Royal was built on the site of a slaughterhouse in Bilston Street and opened as the Prince of Wales Theatre in 1865. Over the years it was known as The Star, the Hippodrome and the Clifton Cinema, or as it was known locally as 'The Blood Tub'.

Growing up close to Bilston this would have been one of Clifford's local venues. The Stage review of January 1897 notes Clifford as 'a native of the town', his role, Captain Pedlo in the play In Sunny Spain.

In December of '97 he starred in the Christmas pantomime at the Lyceum, Crewe, as Father Time in Cinderella for Mr. J. R. Horrox's company.

In December Clifford married the actress Nora Louise Moss, the daughter of Cheshire Moss, a Professor of Dance based in Oldham Lancs. At least two of Nora's siblings were also actresses. Nora was baptised the 13th April, 1875 at St. Wilfrid, Farnworth near Prescot, Lancashire. The marriage took place at Ormskirk.


The Prince of Wales Theatre.
1898  
  Cinderella went on tour for the early part of the year visiting:
13th January.
20th January.
1st February.		 The Grand, Chorley
Prince's
The Royal Muncaster, Bootle.
Clifford then joined Miss Cissie Moxton's No.1 company. He played Thady Clancy in A Trip To Rum Fum.
 
April 21st.
April 23rd.
April 25th to 30th. 
May 12th.
May 26th.
June.
June 22nd.
June 28th.		 The Victoria, Walthamstow
The Royal, Stratford, East London
Theatre Royal, Bath
Royal, Aldershot
Royal, Smethwick
At Oldham a son is born, Walter Clifford Morgan, also known as Jack.
New Royal, Aston, Birmingham
Royal, Huddersfield
   
At the end of July he joined Mr. Milton Bode's touring company. Clifford's relationship with Mr. Bode lasted for a number of years, whilst both working on other projects they would often work together. Bode was a native of Birmingham who began producing pantomime during the mid 1890's in Wolverhampton. Although seventeen years Clifford's senior it is possible that they knew each other from this earlier period.

The first production was The French Maid, a musical comedy in two acts by Basil Hood, with music by Walter Slaughter. Produced at Terry's Theatre, London 24th April, 1897 then transferred to the Vaudeville Theatre, 12th February, 1898. Closed on 6th August, 1898. Touring began directly afterwards.

Synopsis: Suzette has many admirers, including a jealous gendarme, Paul Lecuire and Charles Brown, a waiter at the hotel where she works. They are concerned by her impending choice of escorts to the forthcoming balmasqué. But things are further complicated by various visitors to the hotel who also call for the pretty maid's charms - an Indian Prince, his attaché and Jack Brown, and English soldier and twin brother to the waiter. In traditional French style Suzette strings them all along, causing havoc in the lives of all concerned, including the aristocratic Admiral and Lady Hawser, their niece Dorothy and her lover, Harry, who gets involved in a second act full of jealousy, disguises and misunderstandings until all is disentangled and a chastened Suzette goes back to her faithful gendarme.

Clifford played the part of Lt. Harry Fife R.N

September 15th. 

October 20th.

 
October 27th.

 
November 3rd.

November 24th.

 
December 29th.

 Royal

The Grand, Leeds

Prince of Wales, Great Grimsby

Regent, Salford

Royal County, Reading

December 29th. 

 

 Cast of characters:

Admiral Sir Hercules Hawser
General Sir Drummond Fife
Lt. Harry Fife
Maharajah of Punkapore
Paul Lecuire
Monsieur Camembert
Charles Brown
Jack Brown
Alphonse
Dorothy Travers
Lady Hawser
Madame Camembert
Suzette
Musical Numbers:

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2.  
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Opening Chorus
Song - "Pretty Suzette" (Paul)
Entrance of Sir Drummond and Maharajah
Duet - "The Maharajah" (Sir Drummond and Prince)
Song - "That is a curious way" (Charles)
Song - "The Femme de Chambre" (Suzette)
Song - "With my pencil and paper" (Dolly)
Duet - "Charity's useful disguise" (Dolly and Harry)
Song - "Love that is true" (Harry)
Entrance of Sailors
Song and Chorus - "The Jolly British Tar" (Jack)
Duet - "The Twin Duet" (Charles and Jack)
Chorus of Sailors
Song and Chorus - "I'm an Admiral" (Admiral)
Finale Act I
Opening and chorus Act II (Sailors and Masqueraders)
Song and Chorus - "Britannia's Sons" (Harry)
Chorus - "It's gone eight bells" (Girls and Sailors)
Duet - "I'll lead you such a dance" (Jack and Suzette)
Trio - "It is their nature" (Charles, Jack and Paul)
Song and Chorus - "Do not jump to your conclusions" (Charles and Chorus)
Song and Chorus - "Brave Gendarmes" (Paul and Gendarmes)
Duet - "You can read it in my eyes" (Dolly and Harry)
Song - "It's ever my endeavour" (Admiral)
Song - "I've her portrait nex' my 'eart" (Jack)
Finale Act II
1899  
 
January 5th.
January 12th.
February 1st.
February 2nd.
February 9th.
February 10th.
February 16th.
February 23rd.
March 2nd.
March 9th.
March 16th.
March 23th.
April 13th.
April 20th.
April 27th.		 Royal, Leamington Spa
Royal, Cardiff
Opera House, Cheltenham
New Oxford
Grand & Opera House, Derby
Royal, Cardiff (return visit)
Opera House, Cheltenham
Royal, Plymouth
The Grand, Croydon
Prince of Wales
The Metropole
Opera house, Northampton
Grand, Luton
The Dalston, London
The Borough, Stratford
Continuing with Milton Bode's Co. for the remainder of 1899 starring in Orlando Dando as Captain Hamilton.
August 31st.
September 21st.
October 5th.
November 16th.
November 23rd.		 Lyric, Liverpool
Royal, Bradford
Prince of Wales, Great Grimsby
Royal, Plymouth
The Brixton
   
Christmas saw a return to Pantomime, again as Father Time
in Cinderella. His wife Louisa Moss played the 2nd girl.
  
December 7th.
December 28th.		  
Royal, Stockport
1900  
  Louise played the role of The Princess for the next dates.
   
March 8th.
March 15th.
May 10th.		 Royal Osborne, Manchester
Rotunda, Liverpool
Clifford played no character and therefore probably sung as himself at the J Horrox Benefit held at the Royal, Darwen.


A variety show followed June 28 at the Queen's, Manchester where he certainly sang in his own name. A further tour with Mr Bode's The French Maid where he again played Lt. Harry Fife until the last two dates where he switched roles to Jack Brown.

August 9th.
September 6th.
October 4th.
October 11th.
October 18th.
October 25th
November 1st.
November 8th.
November 15th.		 Prince's, Bristol
The Borough, Stratford
Royal Hanley
The Royalty,
The Royal, Edinburgh
Comedy, Manchester
Grand, Birmingham
Opera House, Coventry
Royal County, Reading
 
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