Frank Lay alias Ernest Voltaire
Known as Voltaire the Ventriloquist, he arrived on 11/11/1877 on the Rob Roy from Albany to Fremantle (reference). He was a famous ventriloquist and entertainer who visited the country districts of the colony in Western Australia, as well as the Eastern Colonies (reference; reference).
Voltaire visited Bunbury in March 1878 (reference). He was said to have attracted a great crowd when he visited (reference). A month before he arrived in Bunbury a ticket of leave man named William Thompson robbed him of a vest, gold albert chain and watch and a purse containing £2 (reference). For this, William was sentenced to seven years penal servitude (reference).
Voltaire fell very ill in 1880 when he was in New South Wales (reference).