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large sums of money he was earning and which he inherited led him to begin spending extravagantly – a habit he found hard to break when he was no longer earning any money. But it was drinking which was to ruin Barnes' career. He missed performances, went on stage incapable of singing or dancing and generally put less and less care into his performances. This led to his being moved to a less and less desirable position on the bill until he was finally back at first turn.
312:. By this time any work consisted of playing the piano in pubs while Senior collected tips. Barnes's rent was paid for by Charles Ashmead Watson, while also funding lighting and clothing costs, as well as giving them a weekly allowance of 30 shillings. Barnes made a number of attempts to return to the stage, most of which were unsuccessful; a final job in the summer of 1938, playing his songs in the Cricketers Inn,
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in 1914, he stated that he had no vacant dates for the next three years and held contracts for the next ten. This was when his personal problems, namely spending and drinking too much, began. He attributed these to dealing with both the death of his father and his newfound success and popularity. The
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in 1907. It was a huge success and was to remain Barnes' most popular song. As Barnes said in his account of his life ('How success ruined me'), his name was 'made in a single night'. With this impressive start to his career he spent the next few years establishing himself. By 1911, he was top of the
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of 30 August commented, 'Fred Barnes has this week proved the hollowness of the old saying that an artiste is never appreciated in his own town. He has gone a long way towards packing the house at every performance at the
Hippodrome'. Following his father's death, Fred's career continued to improve,
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Barnes was free with facts in interviews and in his own account of his life; his numerous publicity stunts which included announcements of his 'near-death' in a fire and a fake marriage. On occasion, he was known to walk around London at the height of his success with a
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while drunk and in a dangerous manner and without a licence. Following the arrest, he was deemed a "menace to His
Majesty's fighting forces" (because of the topless sailor who had been travelling with him at the time of the accident), and was banned from attending the
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singer known for his signature song, "The Black Sheep of the Family", which he first performed in 1907. Although popular on stage, Barnes became infamous for his erratic private life and was often named in frequent controversies reported by the press. Openly
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grew wary of him and soon his outstanding contracts were paid off and he was without work altogether. He experienced extremes of success and failure, and escaped to London from his father and his father's lifestyle as a young gay man.
228:, to travel with them. Upon his arrival, Barnes played the hated first slot on the bills. However, this was to change when he decided to try out a new song which he had written, "The Black Sheep of the Family", at the
316:, restored some of his confidence in his own ability. By the winter of that year, he was told that he had three months to live causing the comedian to commit suicide soon after.
323:, on 23 October 1938. An inquest found that the cause of death was from the effects of coal gas poisoning, though the gas tap had been turned off, and suicide was ruled out.
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By the mid 1930s, Barnes was suffering from tuberculosis. His failing health led him and his lover and manager John Senior to move to
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shared the view, and opined that Watson "had one of the kindest hearts in the world and was a fine artist and no mean dancer". The
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When the jury at the inquest into Barnes's death commented that Watson had been "wonderful", he replied "He was a great man".
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commented on Barnes's "singularly pleasing popularity". His funeral on 2 November 1938, was attended by hundreds of people at
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It was following
Cinderella's fourteen-week run that Barnes first performed in London, persuaded by fellow cast members,
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and he toured widely, including visits to
Australia and South Africa. His other successful songs included "
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Three queer lives : an alternative biography of Fred Barnes, Naomi Jacob and Arthur
Marshall
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perched on his shoulder (later, playing the pubs in
Southend, he made do with a chicken).
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In 1913, his father committed suicide. Two weeks later, Barnes performed at the
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bill on all of the major circuits and principal boy in a number of pantomimes.
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and attracted the attention of another
Birmingham-born music hall artist,
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300:. Despite this, he returned each year and successfully evaded discovery.
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503:"'Bravery and courage': Fred Barnes plaque unveiled in Maida Vale"
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The wavy-haired, blue-eyed adonis : Fred Barnes (1885-1938)
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In 1924, Barnes was sentenced to a month in jail for driving in
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and performed in seaside pubs, notably The
Cricketers Hotel,
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in 1895. Encouraged by the popular pantomime performer
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487:"Tragedy of Fred Barnes: Death expected hourly",
145:(31 May 1885 – 23 October 1938) was an English
319:Barnes died at his lodgings in St Ann's Road,
353:commemorating Fred Barnes was erected by the
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187:Barnes was born at 219 Great Lister Street,
338:with nearby streets crowded with mourners.
16:For the English music hall songwriter, see
409:British Music Hall: an illustrated history
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361:, at Barnes' former home in Maida Vale.
457:Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
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453:"Barnes, Frederick Jester (1885–1938)"
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357:and unveiled by their then President
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501:Fevre, Juliette (22 October 2021).
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558:20th-century British male singers
578:19th-century English LGBT people
573:20th-century English LGBT people
471:"Fred Barnes Sent To Prison",
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211:Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham
553:20th-century English singers
336:St Saviour's Church, Saltley
174:poisoning at the age of 53.
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355:British Music Hall Society
253:On Mother Kelly's Doorstep
162:. Suffering from terminal
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475:, 11 November 1924, p. 7.
411:, Pen & Sword, 2014,
283:Scandal and controversies
226:The Eight Lancashire Lads
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491:, 26 October 1938, p. 5.
461:(subscription required)
407:Richard Anthony Baker,
349:On 18th October 2021 a
267:. In an interview with
143:Frederick Jester Barnes
60:Frederick Jester Barnes
50:Background information
568:English gay musicians
543:Music hall performers
489:The Daily Independent
249:Give Me the Moonlight
238:Birmingham Hippodrome
538:English male singers
304:Later life and death
154:, Barnes retired to
548:Suicides in England
383:Music Hall magazine
170:, Barnes died from
263:Barnes was openly
243:Birmingham Gazette
417:978-1-78383-118-0
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183:Life and career
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365:Bibliography
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259:Private life
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201:Dorothy Ward
197:Vesta Tilley
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164:tuberculosis
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129:Years active
94:(1938-10-23)
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533:1938 deaths
523:1885 births
351:blue plaque
328:Naomi Jacob
75:31 May 1885
32:Fred Barnes
517:Categories
390:References
206:Cinderella
193:Birmingham
168:alcoholism
147:music hall
120:Occupation
114:Music hall
82:Birmingham
71:1885-05-31
56:Birth name
289:Hyde Park
178:Biography
133:1906–1938
105:, England
84:, England
344:marmoset
276:Managers
172:coal gas
270:The Era
209:at the
189:Saltley
78:Saltley
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374:. In:
123:Singer
110:Genres
215:agent
103:Essex
413:ISBN
166:and
89:Died
65:Born
332:Era
265:gay
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152:gay
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