Jack Waller

After my blog entry in September about H Leslie's Gay Lieutenants who appeared on Plymouth Pier in 1909, I heard from Susan Allgaier in Wixom, Michigan who wrote:
'I live in Michigan and work with people who have Alzheimer's. One of my patients is the nephew of Jack Waller. Reggie's wife brought in an old scrapbook today with newspaper clippings and pictures of Jack Waller. How interesting! I hope to hear from you. Susan -Wixom, MI.'
I was amazed to hear from anyone who knew of, or remembered, Jack Waller and his troope as he hardly gets any mention on the internet. It was lovely to correspond with Susan and to hear from Jack's great neice, Linda Margolin. Linda's memories of Jack certainly make interesting reading and give an insight to his personality, character and way of life.
I've reproduced Linda's email below:
'Dear Derek,
I am Reggie's daughter and remember Uncle Jack well. I used to visit him whenever I returned to England. It was always exciting as they were "different" than the rest of the family. Very posh.He was always dapper, with a cigar in his mouth and wearing beautiful clothes. Jack played the violin and used to soft-shoe dance down the corridor of the flat in Queen's Gate. He and his wife, my great-aunt Cecelia (my grandmother's sister) also had a fabulous "cottage" called Nanette (for obvious reasons) on the coast. I am having a senior moment trying to recall the exact town. They later moved to a huge gorgeous flat in St Johns Wood. After Jack died, Celia lived there with her sister Sylvia and the maid, Lizzie. Jack's portrait in oil, with cigar, always lived over the lounge fireplace with a special spot light on it. Celia and Jack called each other mummy and daddy, and so daily Celia would talk to Daddy and tell him the news. After Celia died, Sylvia continued to live in St Johns Wood. When she died, as my dad and I were two of the heirs, I went to London to help sort things out. I have many old pictures of the two of them. I will try to get my scanner working again so I can send some to you. There is also a funny cookery book with Favorite recipes of the Famous. Jack has one in there (Lizzie got NO credit!).We will be celebrating my Dad's 92nd birthday this Sunday at sunrise. I will tell him again of your interest in Jack. He will be pleased. Please keep in touch, I'd love to hear about your project. And perhaps there is more info I can give you. My husband and I hope to come to England next year, and we always go to Bournemouth as well to see my aunt and uncle. They also have great stories about Jack.Hope you are well. I am so glad Susan told me of her interest, and yours, in Jack.'