Local Folk

Lillian Kate Wiseman: Burlesque Artiste & Actress

By Jill

My great grandmother was Lillian Kate Wiseman who lived in Brighton until the early 1900s. Daughter of Richard Henry (carver and guilder) and Amelia (nee Hammond) Wiseman, Amelia was a theatrical costumier.

An actress in 1891
Lillian's profession, at the age of twenty, is given as actress on the 1891 census. Her grandmother was Ann Sayers (a niece of the infamous prize fighter,and boxer, Tom Sayers). On some of the photographs I have of her, she has written her stage name of Lillian Kate Cavanagh, Burlesque Artist.

Travelled extensively
I was told by her daughter, my late aunt, that she travelled quite extensively in her performing capacity even performing overseas. I understand that she met her future husband John Kingsbury Dunlop (also a singer, at that time) in Great Yarmouth.

I should dearly love to find some evidence of her theatrical life but to this date, have failed in my quest. Can anyone help?