VOLTAIRE, Ernest

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).

Voltaire’s performance at the Apollo Hall in Melbourne 1876

The Age Fri 9 Jun 1876 Page 4

Photo courtesy of the National Library of Australia

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