Father of modern ventriloquism!

Day 52 - cycled to Putney which is easier now with less traffic and also there is now a cycle path all the way from Kingston to Tibbets corner and then down Putney Hill. Kingston main shopping street deserted at 9am. Lots of traffic on the A3 and so many cyclists dashing along the Upper Richmond Road on my return. I went to find the blue plaque for Fred Russell(1862-1957) and found 2 more ‘unofficial’ ones on the same building. Kenilworth Court consists of 8 blocks of flats in grand Edwardian style built in 1904-5. Fred Russell is the father of modern ventriloquism! He began his life as a journalist and ventriloquism was a hobby. He was offered a slot at a Muisc Hall which was a success so he then took it up full time. Earlier ventriloquists had used puppets and dolls in their acts but he was the first who had the idea of making his doll into a real character, with a particular personality and style of speech. ‘ Coster Joe’ was a cheeky boy dressed in variations of costume asssociated with London’s costermongers. (See extras)The other blue plaques were for Lord Hugh Jenkins(1908-2004) Putney M.P 1964-1979 and Gavin Ewart (1916-1995) a poet.