Charles Allen Du Val

Touring In England And Ireland 1881-1885

In 1881 Charles Henry Du Val returned from his South African adventures and publishing News of the Camp and his other experiences as The Great Entertainer in South Africa.

Sadly his little son Rupert caught gastritis and died on 1 February 1882. The parents were devastated. Charley wrote a moving poem for Minnie. He threw himself into work. He toured with Odds and Ends. He lectured on his South African experiences. He wrote With a Show through Southern Africa, which was published in May 1882. It proved to be a best-seller, and a second edition appeared in 1884.

By February 1882 Charles Henry Du Val had produced a new version of his show, as well as a burlesque opera, and was already into his fifth week in Dublin when the following notice appeared (1):
“ORIGINAL CIRCASSIAN GLINKA FAMILY,
Solo Instrumentalists, KATRINA, OSCAR, and MEDIA, are now creating a great sensation in Mr Charles Duval’s Entertainment “Odds and Ends”, ROTUNDA, DUBLIN, Fifth Week. “A novelty with great musical talent, such combinations are rare,” – Vide Irish Press. Permanent address, 8, Howard-street, Strand.

Bristol Mercury and Daily Post Saturday 15 April 1882

Birmingham Daily Post Saturday 23 December 1882

Charley was thus by now adding other performers to his show, so beginning to become an impresario for other performers.

In April he was in Bristol, at the Athenaeum Hall.


At the end of the year he was in Birmingham, at the Bijou Theatre (also called the Bijou Operetta House) with rave reviews from out-of-town newspapers Liverpool Daily Post, the Daily Mail and Avis's Gazette:

Birmingham Daily Post Tuesday 26 December 1882

Birmingham Daily Post Saturday 30 December 1882

Charley and his characters

He continued writing the music and lyrics of songs, and published some in book form. Of these songs, some (Carissima and Thou Art So Near) were popular ballads, but others were composed by Charley Du Val himself – both words and music ! To make them topical he changed the words of the song The Agony Column to suit the each venue. His own song Bright Sparkling Wine was immensely popular wherever he travelled. (That was its full title, but Charley had shortened it so as to look well in the typography of the advertisement in the Bristol Mercury and Daily Post 15 April 1882 – yet another of his skills!)

Victorian songs in sheet form are now hard to find. Many must have been destroyed, and some of the survivors are treasured by collectors.

None of Charley’s songs is now in print. Although the music of his song The Red Cross of England, the Flag of the Brave appears to have been lost, the words verses by Eliza Cook 1818-1889 have survived (2).

During 1883 he gave his show continuously for 431 nights, and it was seen by half a million people.

And then in May of that year Charles Henry Du Val at last achieved his ambition of bringing his show to London.

(1) The Era London Saturday 11 February 1882.

(2) For the words by Eliza Cook 1818-1889 see the Songs of Charles Henry Du Val.

For a collection of the press reports on Charles Henry Du Val see Charles Henry Du Val Press Cuttings.