Dates

• Existence: 1806 - 1892

Biography

William Frederick Wallett was a famous Victorian clown, actor and equestrian known as ‘The Queen’s Jester’.

There is uncertainty about William's date of birth, he is believed to have been born between 1806 and 1813 in Hull and had seven siblings, all of whom worked in entertainment. In his early career William combined performance with stage production including painting scenery and helping with general jobs. By the time William was in his mid-twenties, he had achieved fame with his jester act, theatrical productions and feats of equestrianism.

At the height of his fame he performed for Queen Victoria at Windsor Castle by Royal command as part of the Van Amburgh company. From this moment, he started to call himself ‘The Queen's Jester’, a pseudonym he used for the rest of his career.

In 1839 he married his first wife Mary Orme with whom he had two children, both of which died in childhood. Less than a year after Mary’s death at age 40, William married Sarah Tutin Farmer, the daughter of a Nottingham business man and sister of Henry Farmer who dominated the music business in the area. They had two children Florence, and Russell who followed his father’s footsteps into acting.

Over the length of his long career, William achieved international fame and was specially acclaimed in America and the UK. He died of pneumonia, at his home in Beeston on 13th March 1892.

Found in 1 Collection or Record: