Renton Nicholson
Encyclopedia
Renton Nicholson was an English impresario
, businessman, actor, and writer. He is best known for his Judge and Jury Society performances and for his ownership of the newspaper The Town
.
After being orphaned at a young age, Nicholson was raised by his sisters, and became an apprentice to a pawnbroker. He then opened a series of unsuccessful businesses that often catered to the lower classes of London, selling cigars, wine and jewels. These ventures were frequently unsuccessful, and he often faced insolvency.
After a stint in the gambling industry, he began serving as the editor of The Town newspaper. It typically covered scandals in London high society. A public feud later erupted between Nicholson and another editor, Barnard Gregory
, who published a competing paper. Nicholson also published other periodicals and several literary works, including an autobiography. After leaving the newspaper industry, Nicholson began operating a hotel. There Nicholson began his Judge and Jury Society performances, which lasted for two decades. These acts mocked and satirised members of London society and the preoccupations of the popular press. Though his acts were derided by some for their crudeness, they were attended by many aristocrats, politicians, and other prominent citizens. He hosted the performances at other venues in London and around England, producing the Judge and Jury Society for almost two decades.
Nicholson also staged poses plastiques performances at his establishments. These acts consisted of barely-clothed women posing in imitation of well-known works of art. Nicholson catered beverages to a number of racecourses outside of London. He was briefly the owner of Cremorne Gardens
. The changes that he made to the pleasure gardens there had a lasting influence on the park's reputation. Though he often encountered financial difficulties, by the time of his death he was known for his frequent acts of generosity to the poor.
and lived on Hackney Road
as a child. He was orphaned at a young age, and moved to Islington
to be raised by his two sisters, who ran a school there. They raised him as though he were a child of their own. The income from the school allowed them to live a comfortable lifestyle. He was taught by Henry Butter, a well-respected author who had written a much-read treatise on teaching spelling. As a child, Nicholson was fascinated by clowns, and often spent time watching them. Nicholson moved to Shadwell
as a young man, and began working as an apprentice to a pawnbroker.
After working in Shadwell for several years, Nicholson moved to Kensington
. There he continued working as a pawnbroker until 1830. This occupation exposed him to many lower-class residents of London. In the early 1830s he opened a jewellry store on Regent Street
near Leicester Square
. He targeted Demimonde
customers, whose penchant for conspicuous consumption
caused them to frequently patronise jewellers. His business soon failed and he went bankrupt
.
Nicholson soon incurred significant debts. As a result, he was sent to debtors' prison several times. He later claimed to know the city's debtors' prisons better than anyone else. He was sometimes homeless
after being released.
Nicholson then began spending much of his time gambling in London. He preferred roulette
and billiards
. He frequently gambled at suburban racecourses in the summer. In 1836 he married, and soon became a cigar merchant. The cigar shop featured a back room where patrons could drink liquor and gamble. He soon abandoned this venture to begin selling wine at a new location in Leicester Square
.
. It was often criticised, because it openly discussed subjects that its competitors considered obscene.
The Town was later targeted by Barnard Gregory
, the publisher of The Satirist
. Gregory was notorious for publishing reports of scandals or blackmailing people. He published several articles attacking The Town. Nicholson retaliated in The Town, with a series of scathing attacks on Gregory and his paper. Gregory responded by pressing libel charges against Nicholson. The case was not brought to trial due to Gregory's imprisonment on unrelated blackmail charges. Though the feud with Gregory increased the circulation of The Town, the paper's sales diminished after the case was dismissed. The paper soon encountered financial difficulties and closed.
In 1838 Nicholson and Last began publishing a more expensive paper known as The Crown. It took a very different focus from The Town, with a more serious tone, and support of Whig politics and the Church of England
. Its first issue carried an editorial written by Nicholson under the pseudonym
of "Censor", which attacked The Town for its immorality. This caused some to believe that the serious tone of The Crown was not entirely sincere. The Crown ceased publication in 1840.
While serving as the editor of the two papers, Nicholson published two books on boxing. Nicholson began publishing a magazine known as Illustrated London Life in 1843. It released 25 issues before it folded.
in the Covent Garden
district of London. The hotel eventually became a popular location frequented by many London residents, including city clerks and gamblers. It also attracted many tourists who visited London for its nightlife.
After purchasing the hotel, Nicholson hired Archibald Henning
to paint large portraits on the side of the building, hoping that they would lure curious pedestrians inside. These portraits depicted showed well-known people, such as The Duke of Wellington
and Alfred d'Orsay, attending events at the hotel.
The hotel was known for the Judge and Jury Society performances that it hosted. The performances featured Nicholson posing as "The Chief Lord Baron" and holding mock trials. These trials often focused on well-known scandals or controversial issues and were known for humorous repartee, crude jokes, and biting satire. Frequent subjects featured in the trials included divorces and seductions. Clement Scott
once described Nicholson's role in the event as a "plebian Falstaff
".
During the performances, Nicholson wore a judge's wig and robe and was referred to as "my lord" by the cast. He sat at a raised desk next to boxes for the prosecutor, witness, and jury. In many instances, men would play the roles of women. The audience sat directly in front of Nicholson's desk. Many of the trials satirised and exaggerated the details of well-known divorce cases, and the actors who portrayed the lawyers often mimicked famous lawyers. The testimonies that were delivered during the performances were generally filled with of innuendos and double entendres. The audiences often included well known citizens and occasionally members of Parliament. The Garrick’s Head and Town Hotel charged visitors a one shilling
fee for admittance. Once inside, each guest was given a glass of grog
and a cigar.
In 1844 the Judge and Jury Society moved to a new location at the Coal Hole Tavern in Strand
. At this location, Nicholson began to hold mock parliamentary debates. He also held events in towns outside of London. During the summers, Nicholson served beverages and set up dancing booths at racecourses.
In 1843 Nicholson purchased a 12 acre rural sporting arena in Chelsea, London
, on the banks of the River Thames
, that had opened eleven years earlier. It featured entrances from King's Road
and the River Thames. Originally an unremarkable location, Nicholson made drastic changes soon after his purchase, including a large pagoda
that was surrounded by a large dancing platform and housed a large orchestra. The facility was surrounded by gardens. Nicholson added refreshment booths and tables so guests could sit and eat at the gardens. While most of the contemporary pleasure gardens were exclusive venues, Nicholson envisioned Cremorne Gardens as a popular amusement park
for common people.
Nicholson's financial situation soon deteriorated, and he was forced to sell the gardens. By this time Nicholson was well-known for the licentiousness of The Town and the Judge and Jury Society performances. Because of this association, Cremorne Gardens also came to represent sexual immorality. Even after he sold Cremorne Gardens, it retained its reputation, and the name "Cremorne" later became a general term used in London to signify sexual excesses.
, at Garrick's Head and Town Hotel. The acts, which later became a common form of entertainment in London, featured models reenacting a work of art. Nicholson claimed to have been the first person in London to host such an event. The performances were typically scheduled for the early evening, and after performances in the local theatres concluded. At Nicholson's hotel, the models often stood on a revolving stage that overlooked the audience. The stage was illuminated by blue lights, and the room was covered in mirrors. Nicholson stood near the models as they posed and delivered a lecture on art to the audience, most of whom drank and smoked cigars during the performance. He advertised the events as "representing Pictures from the Manchester Art Galleries and scenes from all the Principal Tragedies, Dramas, Operas". The women were purported to be a musical group known as the "Female American Serenaders". Many of the titles of the acts suggested that nudity would be on display, such as "The Sultan's Favourite returning from the bath" or "Cupid and Psyche
". One of the few existing depictions of an event shows two women onstage, unclothed except for a loose skirt below the waist of one, and a sash wrapped between the legs and over the shoulder of the other.
Although the poses plastiques were never considered a serious form of art, Nicholson's version has been described as the most low brow
form that it took. A writer visiting from France published a critical account of the show, characterising it as a pretentious form of entertainment. It was also criticised by English social reformers, who characterized the acts as a form of prostitution. After Nicholson moved his events to the Coal Hole tavern, the management officially stopped allowing women into the audience in order to fight this perception. However, some women were still able to gain entry to the events.
Nicholson remained at the Coal Hole tavern until 1858, when he moved to the Cider Cellar on Maiden Lane. At the Cider Cellar, he continued staging the Judge and Jury Society and poses plastiques. There he produced one of his most successful events, an 1858 production of a mock trial satirizing the public attention that was given to prostitution. This was a topic that many newspapers were devoting a significant amount of coverage to at that time, and the address given by Nicholson's primary lawyer was later printed and sold well in London. The trial was accompanied by a poses plastiques performance.
.
Late in his life he curtailed some of his activities because of ailments such as Dropsy
and heart disease
. Though he often struggled to stay solvent, Nicholson frequently gave charitably to many poor residents of London. Nicholson died in 1861 while staying at his daughters' house in London. He was buried in Brompton Cemetery
in South West London
.
Impresario
An impresario is a person who organizes and often finances concerts, plays or operas; analogous to a film producer in filmmaking, television production and an angel investor in business...
, businessman, actor, and writer. He is best known for his Judge and Jury Society performances and for his ownership of the newspaper The Town
The Town (newspaper)
The Town was a British newspaper that was published between 1837 and 1840. It generally covered the scandals and nightlife of London. Many of the topics written about in the paper were considered extremely vulgar at the time and it was often criticized for discussing these topics...
.
After being orphaned at a young age, Nicholson was raised by his sisters, and became an apprentice to a pawnbroker. He then opened a series of unsuccessful businesses that often catered to the lower classes of London, selling cigars, wine and jewels. These ventures were frequently unsuccessful, and he often faced insolvency.
After a stint in the gambling industry, he began serving as the editor of The Town newspaper. It typically covered scandals in London high society. A public feud later erupted between Nicholson and another editor, Barnard Gregory
Barnard Gregory
Barnard Gregory was a British journalist, publisher and actor. He published The Satirist from 1831 to 1849. He used this paper to publish the scandals of residents of London and often blackmailed his targets. Several articles that were published in the paper led to high profile libel suits. As a...
, who published a competing paper. Nicholson also published other periodicals and several literary works, including an autobiography. After leaving the newspaper industry, Nicholson began operating a hotel. There Nicholson began his Judge and Jury Society performances, which lasted for two decades. These acts mocked and satirised members of London society and the preoccupations of the popular press. Though his acts were derided by some for their crudeness, they were attended by many aristocrats, politicians, and other prominent citizens. He hosted the performances at other venues in London and around England, producing the Judge and Jury Society for almost two decades.
Nicholson also staged poses plastiques performances at his establishments. These acts consisted of barely-clothed women posing in imitation of well-known works of art. Nicholson catered beverages to a number of racecourses outside of London. He was briefly the owner of Cremorne Gardens
Cremorne Gardens, London
Cremorne Gardens were popular pleasure gardens by the side of the River Thames in Chelsea, London. They lay between Chelsea Harbour and the end of the King's Road and flourished between 1845 to 1877; today only a vestige survives, on the river at the southern end of Cheyne Walk.-History:Originally...
. The changes that he made to the pleasure gardens there had a lasting influence on the park's reputation. Though he often encountered financial difficulties, by the time of his death he was known for his frequent acts of generosity to the poor.
Childhood and early career
Nicholson was born in suburban East LondonNorth East (London sub region)
The North East is a sub-region of the London Plan corresponding to the London Boroughs of Tower Hamlets, Newham, Waltham Forest, Redbridge, Havering, Barking and Dagenham, and the City of London. The sub region was established in 2008 and replaced the larger East sub region that had been...
and lived on Hackney Road
Hackney Road
Hackney Road is a London arterial route running from Shoreditch Church to Cambridge Heath. It occupies a no mans land in between Bethnal Green and Haggerston...
as a child. He was orphaned at a young age, and moved to Islington
Islington
Islington is a neighbourhood in Greater London, England and forms the central district of the London Borough of Islington. It is a district of Inner London, spanning from Islington High Street to Highbury Fields, encompassing the area around the busy Upper Street...
to be raised by his two sisters, who ran a school there. They raised him as though he were a child of their own. The income from the school allowed them to live a comfortable lifestyle. He was taught by Henry Butter, a well-respected author who had written a much-read treatise on teaching spelling. As a child, Nicholson was fascinated by clowns, and often spent time watching them. Nicholson moved to Shadwell
Shadwell
Shadwell is an inner-city district situated within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets located on the north bank of the Thames between Wapping to the south and Ratcliff to the east...
as a young man, and began working as an apprentice to a pawnbroker.
After working in Shadwell for several years, Nicholson moved to Kensington
Kensington
Kensington is a district of west and central London, England within the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. An affluent and densely-populated area, its commercial heart is Kensington High Street, and it contains the well-known museum district of South Kensington.To the north, Kensington is...
. There he continued working as a pawnbroker until 1830. This occupation exposed him to many lower-class residents of London. In the early 1830s he opened a jewellry store on Regent Street
Regent Street
Regent Street is one of the major shopping streets in London's West End, well known to tourists and Londoners alike, and famous for its Christmas illuminations...
near Leicester Square
Leicester Square
Leicester Square is a pedestrianised square in the West End of London, England. The Square lies within an area bound by Lisle Street, to the north; Charing Cross Road, to the east; Orange Street, to the south; and Whitcomb Street, to the west...
. He targeted Demimonde
Demimonde
Demi-monde refers to a group of people who live hedonistic lifestyles, usually in a flagrant and conspicuous manner. The term was commonly used in Europe from the late 18th to the early 20th century, and modern use often refers to that period...
customers, whose penchant for conspicuous consumption
Conspicuous consumption
Conspicuous consumption is spending on goods and services acquired mainly for the purpose of displaying income or wealth. In the mind of a conspicuous consumer, such display serves as a means of attaining or maintaining social status....
caused them to frequently patronise jewellers. His business soon failed and he went bankrupt
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
.
Nicholson soon incurred significant debts. As a result, he was sent to debtors' prison several times. He later claimed to know the city's debtors' prisons better than anyone else. He was sometimes homeless
Homelessness
Homelessness describes the condition of people without a regular dwelling. People who are homeless are unable or unwilling to acquire and maintain regular, safe, and adequate housing, or lack "fixed, regular, and adequate night-time residence." The legal definition of "homeless" varies from country...
after being released.
Nicholson then began spending much of his time gambling in London. He preferred roulette
Roulette
Roulette is a casino game named after a French diminutive for little wheel. In the game, players may choose to place bets on either a single number or a range of numbers, the colors red or black, or whether the number is odd or even....
and billiards
Billiards
Cue sports , also known as billiard sports, are a wide variety of games of skill generally played with a cue stick which is used to strike billiard balls, moving them around a cloth-covered billiards table bounded by rubber .Historically, the umbrella term was billiards...
. He frequently gambled at suburban racecourses in the summer. In 1836 he married, and soon became a cigar merchant. The cigar shop featured a back room where patrons could drink liquor and gamble. He soon abandoned this venture to begin selling wine at a new location in Leicester Square
Leicester Square
Leicester Square is a pedestrianised square in the West End of London, England. The Square lies within an area bound by Lisle Street, to the north; Charing Cross Road, to the east; Orange Street, to the south; and Whitcomb Street, to the west...
.
Writing
In 1837 Nicholson began working as the editor of The Town, a new weekly paper in London. First published in June 1837, it featured sensationalism and semi-pornographic content. It frequently covered the scandals of members of London's high society, but also advocated universal suffrageUniversal suffrage
Universal suffrage consists of the extension of the right to vote to adult citizens as a whole, though it may also mean extending said right to minors and non-citizens...
. It was often criticised, because it openly discussed subjects that its competitors considered obscene.
The Town was later targeted by Barnard Gregory
Barnard Gregory
Barnard Gregory was a British journalist, publisher and actor. He published The Satirist from 1831 to 1849. He used this paper to publish the scandals of residents of London and often blackmailed his targets. Several articles that were published in the paper led to high profile libel suits. As a...
, the publisher of The Satirist
The Satirist
The Satirist, or the Censor of the Times was a controversial 19th century British newspaper which featured reports of scandals involving well known residents of London. It was published by Barnard Gregory, who faced multiple libel charges and was later imprisoned due to its articles...
. Gregory was notorious for publishing reports of scandals or blackmailing people. He published several articles attacking The Town. Nicholson retaliated in The Town, with a series of scathing attacks on Gregory and his paper. Gregory responded by pressing libel charges against Nicholson. The case was not brought to trial due to Gregory's imprisonment on unrelated blackmail charges. Though the feud with Gregory increased the circulation of The Town, the paper's sales diminished after the case was dismissed. The paper soon encountered financial difficulties and closed.
In 1838 Nicholson and Last began publishing a more expensive paper known as The Crown. It took a very different focus from The Town, with a more serious tone, and support of Whig politics and the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
. Its first issue carried an editorial written by Nicholson under the pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
of "Censor", which attacked The Town for its immorality. This caused some to believe that the serious tone of The Crown was not entirely sincere. The Crown ceased publication in 1840.
While serving as the editor of the two papers, Nicholson published two books on boxing. Nicholson began publishing a magazine known as Illustrated London Life in 1843. It released 25 issues before it folded.
Garrick's Head and Town Hotel
In 1842 Nicholson opened the Garrick’s Head and Town Hotel on Bow StreetBow Street
Bow Street is a thoroughfare in Covent Garden, Westminster, London. It features as one of the streets on the standard London Monopoly board....
in the Covent Garden
Covent Garden
Covent Garden is a district in London on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St. Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit and vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist site, and the Royal Opera House, which is also known as...
district of London. The hotel eventually became a popular location frequented by many London residents, including city clerks and gamblers. It also attracted many tourists who visited London for its nightlife.
After purchasing the hotel, Nicholson hired Archibald Henning
Archibald Henning
Archibald Henning was a British illustrator best known for the illustrations that he drew for Punch. Before working for Punch, he first contributed drawings to The Town. This was a paper known for reporting on scandals that was owned by Renton Nicholson and was published from 1837 to 1840...
to paint large portraits on the side of the building, hoping that they would lure curious pedestrians inside. These portraits depicted showed well-known people, such as The Duke of Wellington
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS , was an Irish-born British soldier and statesman, and one of the leading military and political figures of the 19th century...
and Alfred d'Orsay, attending events at the hotel.
The hotel was known for the Judge and Jury Society performances that it hosted. The performances featured Nicholson posing as "The Chief Lord Baron" and holding mock trials. These trials often focused on well-known scandals or controversial issues and were known for humorous repartee, crude jokes, and biting satire. Frequent subjects featured in the trials included divorces and seductions. Clement Scott
Clement Scott
Clement Scott was an influential English theatre critic for the Daily Telegraph, and a playwright and travel writer, in the final decades of the 19th century...
once described Nicholson's role in the event as a "plebian Falstaff
Falstaff
Sir John Falstaff is a fictional character who appears in three plays by William Shakespeare. In the two Henry IV plays, he is a companion to Prince Hal, the future King Henry V. A fat, vain, boastful, and cowardly knight, Falstaff leads the apparently wayward Prince Hal into trouble, and is...
".
During the performances, Nicholson wore a judge's wig and robe and was referred to as "my lord" by the cast. He sat at a raised desk next to boxes for the prosecutor, witness, and jury. In many instances, men would play the roles of women. The audience sat directly in front of Nicholson's desk. Many of the trials satirised and exaggerated the details of well-known divorce cases, and the actors who portrayed the lawyers often mimicked famous lawyers. The testimonies that were delivered during the performances were generally filled with of innuendos and double entendres. The audiences often included well known citizens and occasionally members of Parliament. The Garrick’s Head and Town Hotel charged visitors a one shilling
Shilling
The shilling is a unit of currency used in some current and former British Commonwealth countries. The word shilling comes from scilling, an accounting term that dates back to Anglo-Saxon times where it was deemed to be the value of a cow in Kent or a sheep elsewhere. The word is thought to derive...
fee for admittance. Once inside, each guest was given a glass of grog
Grog
The word grog refers to a variety of alcoholic beverages. The word originally referred to a drink made with water or "small beer" and rum, which British Vice Admiral Edward Vernon introduced into the Royal Navy on 21 August 1740. Vernon wore a coat of grogram cloth and was nicknamed Old Grogram or...
and a cigar.
In 1844 the Judge and Jury Society moved to a new location at the Coal Hole Tavern in Strand
Strand, London
Strand is a street in the City of Westminster, London, England. The street is just over three-quarters of a mile long. It currently starts at Trafalgar Square and runs east to join Fleet Street at Temple Bar, which marks the boundary of the City of London at this point, though its historical length...
. At this location, Nicholson began to hold mock parliamentary debates. He also held events in towns outside of London. During the summers, Nicholson served beverages and set up dancing booths at racecourses.
Cremorne Gardens
Chelsea, London
Chelsea is an area of West London, England, bounded to the south by the River Thames, where its frontage runs from Chelsea Bridge along the Chelsea Embankment, Cheyne Walk, Lots Road and Chelsea Harbour. Its eastern boundary was once defined by the River Westbourne, which is now in a pipe above...
, on the banks of the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
, that had opened eleven years earlier. It featured entrances from King's Road
King's Road
King's Road is a street in Chelsea, London, England.King's Road or Kings Road may also refer to:* King's Road * King's Road * King's Road * King's Road...
and the River Thames. Originally an unremarkable location, Nicholson made drastic changes soon after his purchase, including a large pagoda
Pagoda
A pagoda is the general term in the English language for a tiered tower with multiple eaves common in Nepal, India, China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam and other parts of Asia. Some pagodas are used as Taoist houses of worship. Most pagodas were built to have a religious function, most commonly Buddhist,...
that was surrounded by a large dancing platform and housed a large orchestra. The facility was surrounded by gardens. Nicholson added refreshment booths and tables so guests could sit and eat at the gardens. While most of the contemporary pleasure gardens were exclusive venues, Nicholson envisioned Cremorne Gardens as a popular amusement park
Amusement park
thumb|Cinderella Castle in [[Magic Kingdom]], [[Disney World]]Amusement and theme parks are terms for a group of entertainment attractions and rides and other events in a location for the enjoyment of large numbers of people...
for common people.
Nicholson's financial situation soon deteriorated, and he was forced to sell the gardens. By this time Nicholson was well-known for the licentiousness of The Town and the Judge and Jury Society performances. Because of this association, Cremorne Gardens also came to represent sexual immorality. Even after he sold Cremorne Gardens, it retained its reputation, and the name "Cremorne" later became a general term used in London to signify sexual excesses.
Poses plastiques
In 1846 Nicholson began showing poses plastiques, a form of tableau vivantTableau vivant
Tableau vivant is French for "living picture." The term describes a striking group of suitably costumed actors or artist's models, carefully posed and often theatrically lit. Throughout the duration of the display, the people shown do not speak or move...
, at Garrick's Head and Town Hotel. The acts, which later became a common form of entertainment in London, featured models reenacting a work of art. Nicholson claimed to have been the first person in London to host such an event. The performances were typically scheduled for the early evening, and after performances in the local theatres concluded. At Nicholson's hotel, the models often stood on a revolving stage that overlooked the audience. The stage was illuminated by blue lights, and the room was covered in mirrors. Nicholson stood near the models as they posed and delivered a lecture on art to the audience, most of whom drank and smoked cigars during the performance. He advertised the events as "representing Pictures from the Manchester Art Galleries and scenes from all the Principal Tragedies, Dramas, Operas". The women were purported to be a musical group known as the "Female American Serenaders". Many of the titles of the acts suggested that nudity would be on display, such as "The Sultan's Favourite returning from the bath" or "Cupid and Psyche
Cupid and Psyche
Cupid and Psyche , is a legend that first appeared as a digressionary story told by an old woman in Lucius Apuleius' novel, The Golden Ass, written in the 2nd century CE. Apuleius likely used an earlier tale as the basis for his story, modifying it to suit the thematic needs of his novel.It has...
". One of the few existing depictions of an event shows two women onstage, unclothed except for a loose skirt below the waist of one, and a sash wrapped between the legs and over the shoulder of the other.
Although the poses plastiques were never considered a serious form of art, Nicholson's version has been described as the most low brow
Low culture
Low culture is a term for some forms of popular culture. Its opposite is high culture. It has been said by culture theorists that both high culture and low culture are subcultures....
form that it took. A writer visiting from France published a critical account of the show, characterising it as a pretentious form of entertainment. It was also criticised by English social reformers, who characterized the acts as a form of prostitution. After Nicholson moved his events to the Coal Hole tavern, the management officially stopped allowing women into the audience in order to fight this perception. However, some women were still able to gain entry to the events.
Later performances
Nicholson continued to hold events at Garrick’s Head and Town Hotel until 1851. That year, he became engaged in a dispute with the management, and moved back to the Coal Hole tavern. He soon encountered financial difficulties, which prompted him to begin performing and receiving a regular salary rather than owning and managing a venue. He often gave three performances per night at the Coal Hole tavern.Nicholson remained at the Coal Hole tavern until 1858, when he moved to the Cider Cellar on Maiden Lane. At the Cider Cellar, he continued staging the Judge and Jury Society and poses plastiques. There he produced one of his most successful events, an 1858 production of a mock trial satirizing the public attention that was given to prostitution. This was a topic that many newspapers were devoting a significant amount of coverage to at that time, and the address given by Nicholson's primary lawyer was later printed and sold well in London. The trial was accompanied by a poses plastiques performance.
Later life and family
In 1860 Nicholson wrote an autobiography titled Rogue's Progress: The Autobiography of 'Lord Chief Baron' Nicholson. The book covered a variety of events in his life, describing debtors' prisons as well as the Judge and Jury Society. It initially garnered positive reviews from some critics, and was republished in 1965 by Houghton MifflinHoughton Mifflin
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt is an educational and trade publisher in the United States. Headquartered in Boston's Back Bay, it publishes textbooks, instructional technology materials, assessments, reference works, and fiction and non-fiction for both young readers and adults.-History:The company was...
.
Late in his life he curtailed some of his activities because of ailments such as Dropsy
Edema
Edema or oedema ; both words from the Greek , oídēma "swelling"), formerly known as dropsy or hydropsy, is an abnormal accumulation of fluid beneath the skin or in one or more cavities of the body that produces swelling...
and heart disease
Heart disease
Heart disease, cardiac disease or cardiopathy is an umbrella term for a variety of diseases affecting the heart. , it is the leading cause of death in the United States, England, Canada and Wales, accounting for 25.4% of the total deaths in the United States.-Types:-Coronary heart disease:Coronary...
. Though he often struggled to stay solvent, Nicholson frequently gave charitably to many poor residents of London. Nicholson died in 1861 while staying at his daughters' house in London. He was buried in Brompton Cemetery
Brompton Cemetery
Brompton Cemetery is located near Earl's Court in South West London, England . It is managed by The Royal Parks and is one of the Magnificent Seven...
in South West London
South West (London sub region)
The South West is a sub-region of the London Plan corresponding to the London Boroughs of London Borough of , Kingston upon Thames, Lambeth, Merton, Richmond upon Thames, Sutton and Wandsworth. The sub region was established in 2008. The south west has a population of 1,600,000 and is the location...
.