Commisioned by The Arch Company, produced by The Brixton Project.
Designed by Artist Alex Bowie in collaboration with students from Landsdowne school.
A zebra in Brixton? Of course there was a zebra living in Brixton! It belonged to showman Gustav Grais, who regularly rode his zebra and cart up Brixton Road. Gustav is just one of the many entertainers and performers who called Brixton their home at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century, the era of the music hall.
This mural was created in the summer of 2021 by ten incredibly talented students from Landsdowne School alongside artist Alex Bowie. It is a celebration of Brixton’s rich music hall history. The situation of the mural is not accidental. The opening of Brixton Railway station in 1862 made it an excellent place for performers to live as they could commute from the West End. At this time Brixton was home to performers from all over the world. There was even an animal sanctuary between Brixton and Stockwell which was home to monkeys, elephants and other exotic animals for circus acts.
The initial layout for the design is based on an aerial view of the railway line as it runs in and out of Brixton. The colours are selected as they represent the most common colours in the flags of the present day business owners in Brixton’s famous railway arches. The artwork was created using a variety of different techniques such as paper cutting, printmaking, drawing and collage.
Starting from left, we see Marie Lloyd, famous for her singing, musical theatre and comedy, curtseying delicately to introduce our music hall journey.
Above Gustav’s zebra is Cassie Walmer, an incredibly successful black singer, dancer and comedian who started performing when she was just three years old. Beside her is Victoria Monks, famous for singing songs such as ‘Take me Back to London Town’ and ‘Won’t You Come Home Bill Bailey’.
Underneath this duo is the Brixton Empress. Opened in 1898, it hosted concerts and shows for many years before being converted into the Granada Cinema in 1957, and later a bingo hall. In 1992 it was demolished to make way for flats.
Datas the Memory Man was famous for being able to answer any question whilst on stage, followed by his catch phrase ‘Am I right Sir?’ Quite the entrepreneur he sold his brain (upon death) to American scientists in 1904. On outliving the boffins it is rumoured he then sold his brain to King’s College Hospital for £1,000 down-payment, £90 a quarter, a coffin and a grave.
Beside Datas is heavyweight boxer Gunner Moir. Above him on her trapeze, Ella Zuila, highwire walker, who pushed her daughter Ella across the tightrope in her pram. Above Ella is the Brixton Astoria, which you may now know as the Brixton Academy. Built in 1929, it continues to host famous performers from around the world to this day.
Making our way down the keyboard, we celebrate the wonderful ‘multimillion disc selling piano impresario’ Winifred Atwell. Born in 1914 in Trinidad, Winifred became famous for her mix of upbeat and ragtime tunes. The first black person to have a number 1 in the UK singles chart, she’s still the only female to have an instrumental number one. In 1956 she opened the UK’s first black hair and beauty salon at 82A Railton Road.
Underneath Winifred is another famous entertainment venue, the Electric Pavilion which now houses the Ritzy Cinema. Next, the Brixton Theatre, unfortunately destroyed in the Second World War.
Looking up we come to possibly the most famous juggler of all time, Paul Cinquevalli. He would juggle whilst balancing a chair on his chin, on which sat a man reading a newspaper! He would juggle with billiard cues, catch a family washing tub on spiked helmets, and catch cannon balls in the back of his neck. Beneath him is Charlie Chaplin and his dog. Chaplin lived in Glenshaw Mansions on Brixton Road where there is a blue plaque
Then we have two animals: an elephant and a rat. The elephant is to celebrate Brixton’s many performing animals, the rat a nod to the Grand Order of Water Rats, a charity set up in 1889 by two Music Hall performers to ‘assist members of the theatrical profession, or their dependents who, due to illness or old age are in need’. In 1891 the performer Dan Leno was the head of the charity, otherwise known as ‘King Rat’. He is pictured three times at the end of the mural. Dan came from a family of travelling performers and was first recognised for clog dancing. He became a leading performer on the music hall stage and was known as the King’s jester after performing for Edward VII. He was probably most well-known for his pantomime dame performances.
Our final music hall stop is the Palladium, now known as the Electric Brixton and also in the past as The Fridge.
Created by the artists from Landsdowne School: Aziz, Alfie, David, Josué, Krishraj, Rupert, Saabir, Timard, Tyrell, Vishnu and their teachers Holly Line, Donna Robinson, Deanna Arthur and David McIver.
With thanks for invaluable support and wisdom from the Brixton Project and design support by Sarah Govia.
Inspired and informed by Brixton music hall project created by Chris Beddoe, Tracey Gregory, Charlie Holland, Sue McKenzie and Alison Young.
