KING OF WIG-MAKERS AND HAIRDRESSERS

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 291, 9 December 1936, Page 16

KING OF WIG-MAKERS AND HAIRDRESSERS

Willy Clarkson’s Career

rvNE OCTOBEE day in 1934 London read the news of the mysterious death of Willy Clarkson, the famous hair dresser and wig-maker, one of the best known personalities in the capital. Bou of a wig-making father who refused. to descend to working for the theatre, reserving his skill for the exclusive use of parliamentarians, magistrates and advocates, Willy added greatly to the lustre of his family name during the 40 years of his professional life, one morning he was found dead in a cluur in his' bedroom, his right temple shattered by a revolver shot, and his jewels gone. The criminal was ne<er di-co' i^ed. As a friend of Queen Victoria, he was always on good terms with members of the royal family as well as the high personages of the court. But, more condescending than his father, he also gave his attentions to the most celubratoJ actors and actresses. His father, recognising the superiority of his colleagues across the Channel, sput. young Willy at the age of 13 to Calais to loaru i’rencn, good manners, aud üb()' e all, the rclinemeuts of irouch hair dressing. \x non liiv.mr Clarkson tiled ol apop )oui' o \> ul} went buck lo Louuon to taut in or a..; talker's business, n that tunc women did not want nine) hair-cuts —liiuy wanted as large a crop of hair as possible. Tney pauded out titcir uateiu. endowments with a certain amount of taiso mur. Aud bald men, ashamed of thoir shining tops, swathed inemselvea about witu many perruques. A ieai gentleman had his winter perruques, utade specially warm to give a gentle protection to the cranium, and his extra-light summer mod els. xin fbi.olutely perfect gentleman had 10 to 15 wigs, carefully matched for colour and design, but each ono plight!y longer than the last to repru sent one day's growth of hair. The perruques would bo changed Iroiu daj to day until the 15th day, after running through the whole series aud lindino himself in need of a haircut, the gentleman would change back to Number One with the shortest hair, and begin the whole series again.

But the art of hair-dressing did noi stop there. Much more complicated and discreet work was often demanded, such as making masks for jealous husbands or wives. A perfectly fitting change ol lace and hair made it '"possible for a, woman to follow and spy on hoc husband if sho suspected the purpose of any late executive meeting. Often too a member of parliament who wanted

to explore his electoral district incognito would make use of a mask worked out by Clarkson. It often Happened that Clarkson would be involved; more or less aagiusi his will, in criminal affairs. One day he was called to one of the most elegant hotels in the West End, where ho was taken up to a luxurious apartment occupied by two Americans. Both were clean-shaven menj one wanted a pair of handsome blonde moustaches and the other, a. man with ono black and ono blue eye, wanted a wig with hair long enough so that one tuft would fall over his discoloured right eye. Clarkson acquitted himself nobly and a few days later found that he had helped in the escape of Harry Thaw, the famous American millionaire, who killed the architect Stanford White, Mrs Thaw’s lover.

Clarkson was the “author" of Queen Victoria’s wigs, and also had the responsibility of “composing" he r coiffure. Many of the queen’s children were interested in the theatre, and amateui theatricals were held in the couri, Clarkson was always given the work of making up the princes and princoss-

At one of these performances Clarksot was introduced to William 11. of Germany, in England visiting his grandmother Queen Victoria. The Emperoi talked to Clarkson for a good 30 minutes. The conversation came around to the theatre and His Majesty heatedly declared that although Shakespeare might have been born in England more or less by chance, he was clearly a German author for only German dramatic artists could really interpret his work.

Among the queens of the theatre, Adeline Patti and Sarah Bernhardt were the most faithful clients of the hair-dresser, and he professed the deepest admiration for them. He made almost all her wigs for Sarah Bernhardt from 1860 until the time of her death, and it was she who called him “the hair-dresser of kings and the king of hair-dressers. 1 *

Some years ago the Canadian Government made a ruling that no settler who triShed to live on a small Island would he allowed a homestead claim. The reason given was that no man who wished to live alone can, in the last analysis, be a good citizen.—Ernest Thompson Seton.