Will Bint

William Richard Bint was baptised at Hertingfordbury, Hertfordshire on the 29th of September 1850. In the earlier years he followed his father's trade as a carpenter and this was recorded on the 1871 census return when he was still living at home.

By 1875 he was on the music hall circuit and his daughter Beatrice's 1875 birth certificate gave his occupation as a serio comic singer. (Serio is a combination of serious and humour).

An 1881 poster describes him as a comic and another from 1891 as author, vocalist and composer. The 1891 census shows him on tour in Aberdeen, Scotland where he is a vocalist. In 1901 he was staying with his sister Caroline in London, and in 1911, two years before his death, he was on tour at Sheffield with his wife Fanny Robina.

Judging by the amount of sheet-music published with his name as composer he must have had a steady income from royalties in those times when many homes had a piano.

He died at Epsom, Surrey in 1913.

Will (with the moustache) 1912



	So far this is the only photo of Will Bint (he's number 92) that we have. Its from the very first Royal Variety Command Performance at the Palace Theatre, Cambridge Circus in July 1912. Marie Lloyd was denied the opportunity of appearing as she refused to tone down her act. Will (Billy Bint) is standing behind a very popular star of the first half of the 20th century, Lupino Lane.

Now Jobson Brown was a worn-out clown
And a careful clown was he.
He'd saved enough to open a pub,
Somewhere in Kensal Green.
You never could forget the tricks
By which he earned his daily bread,
And now and then, when the fit came on,
He'd stand upon his head.

All the people shouted out, 'Oh, my'.
All the people they did stare.
For there was Brown, he was upside down,
With his legs sticking up in the air.

Now the nearest neighbour to old Brown,
Was a widow, Mrs Birch.
He proposed to her. She answered 'Yes',
So they toddled off to church.
'Will you love and obey this man?'
The worldly parson said.
She blushed and screamed, for there was Brown
A-standing on his head.

The parson gave a scream, and shouted out 'Oh, my'
And all the people they did stare;
For there was Brown, he was upside down,
With his legs sticking up in the air.

A-twelve month after a child was born,
To the great delight of Brown.
It was the image of himself
And a regular little clown.
Before the child was six weeks old
It scrambled out of bed,
And to the nurse's great surprise
Was standing on his head.
The nurse she gave a scream and shouted out 'Oh, my'
As she fainted away in the chair;
For there was young Brown, he was upside down,
With his legs sticking up in the air.

1881 Poster

1889

	Wake 'em up! by Will Bint; John S Baker; H G Banks Publisher: London : Francis, Day & Hunter, [1890] Song for voice and piano. First line: What's amiss with things in general. First line of chorus: So I think its nearly time to wake him up! Written by Walter Hastings ; composed and sung by Will Bint.		I tell them my father's a marquis by Will Bint Publisher: London : Hopwood & Crew, [1884] Song for voice and piano. First line: I belong to that great city London. First line of chorus: I tell them my father's a marquis. Alternative title .. I belong to that great city London. Written composed & sung by Will Bint
	So was mine by Will Bint; H G Banks Publisher: London : Francis Bros. & Day, [1889] Song for voice and piano. First line: With Jones the other night I went upon the good old spree. First line of chorus: So was mine! Written by Walter Hastings ; composed and sung by Will Bint		There's another jolly row downstairs by Will Bint; W H Phillips, songwriter.; William Spalding Publisher: London : Francis Bros. & Day, [1885] Song for voice and piano. "Encored nightly in Mr. Robert Reece's burlesque drama 'Forty thieves'" First line: I'm one of those fellows who like quiet life. First line of chorus: There's the couple up above. Burlesque version beginning "It's all very well to set up for a swell" used in 'The Forty Thieves' . Written by William Spalding. Sung by Will Bint
	Don't they love us by Fred Gilbert; Will Bint Publisher: London : Francis, Day & Hunter, [1891] Song for voice and piano. First line: Whate'er their grade is, I love the ladies. First line of chorus: Don't they love us! Written & composed by Fred Gilbert. Sung by Will Bint.		Not there, not there my child : burlesque ballad by John Cooke, junior & Will Bint Publisher: London : Hopwood & Crew, [1887] Song for voice and piano. First line: I want to ask you some questions, Mother. The House of Commons, you mentioned, Mother, I know where it is though I've never been, There once sat there a great man, Mother, Respected alike by his country and Queen, Lord Beaconsfield is the one I mean, In the House are there any like him to be seen? Not there! Not there! Not there, my child, There are none like him there! not there my child.
	Where are those boys? by Walter Hastings; Will Bint; H Masseder; H G Banks Publisher: London : Francis Bros. & Day, [1889] First line: When I went to school a small lad about ten. First line of chorus: Where are those boys. Written and composed by Walter Hastings. Sung by Will Bint		You are my fairy! by Walter Hastings & Will Bint Publisher: London : Francis, Day & Hunter, ©1894. Song; melody and words only, staff and tonic sol-fa notation. First line: In a sleep old village my sweet Mary dwells. First line of chorus: You are my fairy. Written and composed by Walter Hastings. Sung by Will Bint
	I will if you will by Will Bint Publisher: London : Hopwood & Crew, [1887] Song for voice and piano. First line: Some beautiful girls I've seen in my time. First line of chorus: I will if you will. Written, composed and sung by W. Bint.		Where are those girls? by Will Bint Publisher: London : Francis, Day & Hunter, ©1900. Song for voice and piano. First line: I think of those days, those old happy days. First line of chorus: Where are those girls I used to mash? Written, composed and sung by Billie Bint.
	I'll tell your mother what you've done by Will Bint; James Fawn; Stannard & Son. Publisher: London : Howard & Co., [1881] Song for voice and piano. First line: When I was but a boy. First line of chorus: I'll tell your mother what you've done. "Sung in the Drury Lane, Covent Garden pantomimes, and in the new burlesque of Aladdin at Gaiety Theatre." Written and composed by W. Bint and sung by James Fawn.		My father was never a Marquis : parody on the popular song "I tell them my father's a Marquis" by Will Bint; Walter Hastings Publisher: London : Hopwood & Crew, [1887] Song for voice and piano. First line: I told you my dad was a Marquis. First line of chorus: My father was never a Marquis. Written by Walter Hastings ; composed and sung by W. Bint.
	The whistling song by Will Bint; Nellie Farren; Edward Terry; F C Burnand, Stannard & Son. Publisher: London : Hopwood & Crew, [1887] Song for voice and piano. First line: This song was written by a school-board teacher. Written, composed and sung by W. Bint ; sung also by Miss Nellie Farren and Mr Edward Terry in F.C. Burnand's popular extravaganza "Camaralzaman."		Where's the cat? by Will Bint; Fred Coyne; William Spalding; Edmund Forman Publisher: London : Francis Bros. & Day, [ca. 1880?] Song for voice and piano. First line: I'll sing to you of a servant. First line of the chorus: She did not love the butcher. Written and composed by W. Bint ; sung by Fred Coyne ; arranged by Edmund Forman.
	He hasn't a feather to fly with or, He's another bad fellow gone worse by T Haynes, composer Will Bint Publisher: London : Hopwood & Crew, [1887] Song for voice and piano. First line: Some say I'm an artful dodger. First line of chorus: He hasn't a feather to fly with. Written and composed by T. Haynes. Sung by W. Bint.		Not there, but there my child : Burlesque ballad by John Cooke, Junior & Will Bint Publisher: London : Hopwood & Crew, [1887] Song for voice and piano. First line: I want to ask you some questions, mother. First line of chorus: Not there! not there! not there, my child. Written and composed by John Cooke Junr. Sung by W. Bint.

I bought her a sealskin jacket, and a diamond ring

by Will Bint; Fred Coyne; Edmund Forman.

Publisher: London : Francis Bros. & Day, [ca. 1882]

Song for voice and piano. First line: I'll sing to you of a pretty girl. First line of the chorus: I'd bought her a sealskin jacket.

Interior view of a ladies outfitters; the salesman or proprietor is displaying a sealskin coat to an elegant couple; she is pleading, he (the suitor) is taken aback; counter, chandeliers.

Performer Fred Coyne

Written and composed by Will Bint ; sung by Fred Coyne.

One Victorian publication was the illustrated broadside, The Music Hall Songster, advertised as containing the lyrics to 17 songs, printed by WS Fortey, Monmouth Court, London. The two songs on the reverse of the sheet are 'The Tricks of the Trade' and 'There's another Jolly Row Downstairs', both published by Francis Bros & Day, 351 Oxford Street, London, sung by Herbert Cambell and W Bint respectively.

In 1903 Billy Bint married widowed music hall star Fanny Robina (1862-1927) at Edmonton, Middlesex. Fanny, who was born Fanny Cooper at Chatham, Kent the daughter of artiste John George Cooper, had been a performer from childhood. She and her sister Florrie had started as the Robina Sisters. The following extracts are from 'The Era' published in October 1899 and are mainly about her sister Florrie. Miss Florrie Robina's parents were famous in their day, and aptitude for the stage seems to be hereditary in some families. Her mother, Miss Mortimer, was one of the earliest exponents of high-class ballad music on the variety stage. At the early age of five Miss Florrie Robina was committed to the care of Miss Anderson, who used to travel with a troupe of girls; and her début took place at Hobson's, Leeds, being speedily followed by an appearance at Day's, Birmingham. Miss Robina sang the pathetic ballas popular at the time, but she identified herself particularly with "Teddy O'Neil" and "Esmeralda." Miss Anderson's troupe used to accept engagements to sing and dance at Cardiff and Swansea theatres, and the manager, the late Mr Andrew Melville, regarding Miss Florrie was a promising child, pressed her into service with Willie Carlyle in a performance of East Lynne, the Lady Isabel being Miss Robertha Erskine. Some of Miss Robina's early triumphs were achieved at the Middlesex. She was taught dancing, notably the clog dance, but friends intervened, and assured Miss Robina's mistress that if her young charge were encouraged to dance in clogs at two or three halls nightly she would soon injure her voice, so that clog dancing was not persisted in. Miss Fannie Robina joined the Anderson forces, which eventually became the Sisters Robina, and one or two coadjutors who assumed the name for the nonce. The Robinas were engaged in the pantomime of Robinson Crusoe at Drury-lane, in the season of 1882-3, and were re-engaged for the next season. Small parts were allotted to the girls, but Sir Augustus, then plain Mr. Harris, thought well of them, and was disposed to advance them, offering a re-engagement for a term of years. But there came a yet more gratifying overture, and Mr. John Hollingshead attached the sisters (Florrie and Fannie) to the Gaiety company. They remained therewith a year and a half, spending part of the time at Manchester. Fanny's first marriage was to a widower, musical director Frederick Stanislaus. He was born at Kidderminster, Worcestershire in 1844. In 1875 he conducted Opera-bouffe at New York's Wallack's Theatre and was musical director to Mr D'Oyly Carte's touring company from 1880-81 and musical director of the Empire Theatre in 1886. He was also musical director for a number of London productions, including the 1881 revival of W. S. Gilbert & Frederic Clay's Princess Toto at the Opera Comique. As a composer, Stanislaus's works included the light opera The Lancashire Witches (1879) and a share of the musical extravaganza The Palace of Pearl (1886). His last engagement was in London in the operatic comedy Miss Decima. The work opened at the Criterion on July 23, 1891, and was still running at the time of his death that November. In 1892 Fanny remarried at Lambeth. He was James Hart Glen (1856-95), known as Jimmy Pierce. Part of a music hall double-act, Pierce & Monaghan, Jimmy died at Walcot Square, Kennington Road in January 1895 after less than three years of marriage. Her marriage to Will (Billy) Bint was at Edmonton in 1903. They often appeared at the same theatres in the following years but usually as separate acts. Billy died at Epsom, Surrey in 1913. Fanny was now in her fifties and no longer a regular performer. In 1916 the gossip column of 'The Stage' reported - Fannie Robina, the widow of Billy Bint, is in charge of the refreshment bar in the upper circle at the Palladium. She died at Nottingham in February 1927 at the age of 65.




	Fanny spent two years in Australia. This poster was for 'Dick' a Comic Opera performed at Her Majesty's Opera House Melbourne in 1887.		An 1890s song sheet. She was at that time both a male impersonator and a burlesque actress who divided her time between the music halls and the Gaiety musicals.

Melbourne Australia 1887

'The Stage' - Thursday, April 04, 1907		Jan 1st 1886


	1924

	Fanny's sister, Florrie Robina (Cooper) born at Liverpool in 1863, was also a successful performer. At Lambeth in 1886 she married American artiste Theodore Adolphus Reed who was born at Providence, Rhode Island in 1857. His family had adopted the stage name of Pinaud. The marriage certificate shows his father as actor Josiah Reed (1817) and hers as actor John George Cooper. 'Married, Sunday, March 7 1886, by the Rev. W. Bevis, at the church of St. Thomas, Westminster Bridge Road, Lambeth, Mr. T. Reed Pinaud, of the celebrated Pinauds, and Miss Florrie Robina. Both are well-known artists. Many friends assembled at the wedding. Among these were Miss Fanny Robina [Mrs Frederick Stanislaus], sister of the bride, Mr. and Mrs. Jillson Pinaud, Mr. E.J. Lamey, Mr. F. Stanislaus, and Mr. Charles Phoite Pinaud. After the ceremony, the party returned to the house of the bride and bridegroom, where they made merry; Mr. F. Stanislaus, musical director of the Empire Theatre, played "The Wedding March" and other selections. Mrs. Reed will retire from the stage for the present.' (The Entr'acte, London, 13 March 1886) The Brixton 1901 census records the couple with four children. The eldest son George Reed was born in Berlin, Germany in 1887, Selina Reed (1889) in the USA and the two youngest, Millie (1893) and Ada (1896) at Brixton. Ten years later the 1911 census for 15 Borrett Road, Walworth, London shows the family with two more children, William (1901) and Fannie (1906). The parents and their three eldest are recorded as theatrical artistes.



			21st June 1906


	1886 Poster		'The Stage' Feb 22, 1894