Oct19 Gallery

George Walker and Ada Overton Walker in In Dahomey

Miss Ada Overton Walker and Mr George Walker, performing "The Tsar of Dixie" a song in the play In Dahomey at the Shaftesbury Theatre in 1903. The Tatler reports that the play was "produced with great success at Boston last September, is written and played by coloured people'. Aida Overton Walker (February 14, 1880 October 11, 1914), also billed as Ada Overton Walker and as "The Queen of the Cakewalk", was an African-American vaudeville performer, actress, singer, dancer, choreographer, and wife of vaudevillian George Walker. The mentions how Ada/Aida had made the cakewalk popular among the Four Hundred - the top rungs of New York society. Date: 1903

© Illustrated London News Ltd/Mary Evans

Mike Parker, equerry to Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh

Lieutenant-Commander John Michael Avison Parker, CVO, AM (23 June 1920 29 December 2001), Australian who served as an officer of the Royal Navy (RN), and as Private Secretary to Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, between 1947 and 1957.
Michael Parker
CVO AM
Private Secretary to The Duke of Edinburgh
In office
19471957
Succeeded by
James Orr
Personal details
Born
23 June 1920
Melbourne, Australia
Died
29 December 2001 (aged 81)
Nationality
Australian
Spouse(s)
Eileen Allan
(m. 1943; div. 1958)
Carol Thompson (m. 1962; div.)
Jean Ramsay (m. 1976)
Children
Four
Education
Xavier College
Military service
Allegiance
United Kingdom
Branch/service
Royal Australian Navy
Royal Navy
Years of service
19381947
Rank
Lieutenant-Commander
Unit
HMS Lauderdale
HMS Wessex
HMS Wallace
Battles/wars
Second World War
Lieutenant-Commander John Michael Avison Parker, CVO, AM (23 June 1920 29 December 2001) Australian who served as an officer of the Royal Navy (RN), and as Private Secretary to Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, between 1947 and 1957.
Michael Parker
CVO AM
Private Secretary to The Duke of Edinburgh
In office
19471957
Succeeded by
James Orr
Personal details
Born
23 June 1920
Melbourne, Australia
Died
29 December 2001 (aged 81)
Nationality
Australian
Spouse(s)
Eileen Allan
(m. 1943; div. 1958)
Carol Thompson (m. 1962; div.)
Jean Ramsay (m. 1976)
Children
Four
Education
Xavier College
Military service
Allegiance
United Kingdom
Branch/service
Royal Australian Navy
Royal Navy
Years of service
19381947
Rank
Lieutenant-Commander
Unit
HMS Lauderdale
HMS Wessex
HMS Wallace
Battles/wars
Second World War
Lieutenant-Commander John Michael Avison Parker (1920 2001), Australian who served as an officer of the Royal Navy (RN), and as Private Secretary to Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, between 1947 and 1957. Accompanied the Duke and the future Queen on their royal tour in 1952 and broke the news of the King's death to them in Kenya. Accompanied the Duke on 1956 tour and resigned after divorce from his first wife.
Michael Parker
CVO AM
Private Secretary to The Duke of Edinburgh
In office
19471957
Succeeded by
James Orr
Personal details
Born
23 June 1920
Melbourne, Australia
Died
29 December 2001 (aged 81)
Nationality
Australian
Spouse(s)
Eileen Allan
(m. 1943; div. 1958)
Carol Thompson (m. 1962; div.)
Jean Ramsay (m. 1976)
Children
Four
Education
Xavier College
Military service
Allegiance
United Kingdom
Branch/service
Royal Australian Navy
Royal Navy
Years of service
19381947
Rank
Lieutenant-Commander
Unit
HMS Lauderdale
HMS Wessex
HMS Wallace
Battles/wars
Second World War
Lieutenant-Commander John Michael Avison Parker, CVO, AM (23 June 1920 29 December 2001) was an Australian who served as an officer of the Royal Navy (RN), and as Private Secretary to Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, between 1947 and 1957.
1948

© Illustrated London News Ltd/Mary Evans

John A Grooms Crippleage, Clacton-on-Sea, Essex

The Chippleage Wheelers at John A. Groom's Crippleage and Orphanage, Clacton-on-Sea, Essex. Groom, a London engraver and evangelical preacher, was concerned for poor and often disabled flower-sellers and in 1866 set up the Watercress and Flower Girls? Christian Mission, later based at Hendon and Clacton. Date: circa 1908

© Mary Evans / Grenville Collins Postcard Collection