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Arthur Lloyd, whose recent death will be still in the minds of our readers, was one of the principal "stars" of the sixties and seventies. He was born in 1839 in Annandale Street, Edinburgh, and graduated in stock dramatic companies in the provinces. On his first appearance in London on the music-hall stage in 1862 he at once was hailed as a comedian of much talent, and rapidly grew in favour with metropolitan audiences. In the provinces also he was immensely popular for example, at one hall on his first visit he received £6 a week; but when some few years later he returned, his salary was no less than £60, a truly exceptional amount in those days.

Right - The Variety Theatre article published with a real photograph of Arthur Lloyd by W. H. Stephens of Newport, Mon. From The Variety Theatre May12th 1905 Kindly sent in by Jennifer Carnell.

Mr. Lloyd had several ventures as a proprietor of theatres, notably in Glasgow and Dublin; but, unfortunately, they were not successful, so he returned to comic singing again. He was an interesting conversationalist, with plenty of amusing anecdotes of the olden days of music-halldom when the meagre salary artistes received were partly paid in solid and liquid refreshment.

For years Arthur Lloyd travelled round the country with his entertainment Mirth and Mimicry, in which he was assisted by his family and his wife, Miss Kate King, a clever actress, who died several years before him. Possessed of a rich and powerful voice, which he well knew how to use with catchy songs that must be popular, it is little wonder that Arthur Lloyd soon forced his way up to the ranks of the favourites of the day, and contested for supremacy in public favour with Vance, Leybourne, Sam Cowell, Mackney, and others. His popularity may have waned a little towards the close of his career, but that he was a "lion comique," as the term was in those days, is certain. His stronghold was the old Pavilion, in Piccadilly, where he was engaged to perform whenever he was not in the country. Arthur Lloyd, with jolly, John Nash, was the first to appear before H.M. the King, then Prince of Wales.

In addition to being an actor and a vocalist he was also a gifted author, and wrote nearly all his own songs. Some of his ditties became the catchword of the day, such as "Not for Joe," while the elder generation will ever remember "Take it, Bob," One More Polka," "I vowed I never would leave her," "The Song of Songs," "The Street Musician," "The Organ Grinder," "Immensikoff," &c.