Plaque

Chaplin - Lambeth Walk

Inscription

Charlie Chaplin described the character he was famed for as "a tramp, a gentleman, a poet, a dreamer, a lonely fellow always hopeful of romance and adventure." He was born in East Street, Walworth in April 1889. There are records of him moving to Kennington Road in 1898. His uncle was the landlord of The Queen's Head in Black Prince Road. His parents, who were both entertainers, separated soon after he was born. His mother was desperately poor. Charlie grew up experiencing hunger and ill health. At the age of 5 he first stood in for his mother in a Music Hall performance. By 11, he got the role of the comic cat in a pantomime of Cinderella at the London Hippodrome. In 1912 at the age of 23, he went to America. By 1917 he became the first Hollywood actor to get a $1 million deal.
"A day without laughter is a day wasted." Charlie Chaplin 1889 - 1977.

The BFI date the Hippodrome performance to Christmas 1900. The quote about a day without laughter may have been said by Chaplin but he was not the first.

Site: Chaplin mosaics (5 memorials)

SE1, Lambeth Walk, Chandler Hall

We've numbered the mosaics left to right. The text plaque is to the right of the curved wall, just out of sight of our camera. Chaplin certainly lived his early life in the Lambeth area but we can find nothing to associate him with Lambeth Walk. Until 2024, when David Smith wrote to say: "On page 37 of the Penguin edition of Charlie's autobiography he recalls walking in Lambeth Walk."  Thanks David.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the subjects commemorated on the memorial on this page:
Chaplin - Lambeth Walk

Subjects commemorated i

London Hippodrome

From Hippodrome Casino: "Originally opened in 1900 by the renowned theatre ar...

Read More

Charlie Chaplin

Born Charles Spencer Chaplin in East Street, Walworth (possibly, see Londonis...

Read More

This section lists the other memorials at the same location as the memorial on this page:
Chaplin - Lambeth Walk

Also at this site i

Chaplin mosaics 1

Chaplin mosaics 1

Southbank Mosaics

Read More

Chaplin mosaics 2

Chaplin mosaics 2

This image is from the 1918 'A Dog's Life'.

Read More

Chaplin mosaics 4

Chaplin mosaics 4

This image is from the 1921 'The Kid'.

Read More

Nearby Memorials

John Templeton

John Templeton

TW12, High Street, Templeton Lodge, 114

John Templeton, 1802 - 1886, opera singer, lived here. Refurbishment by Berkshire Securities Limited.

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Vernon Hall Restoration

Vernon Hall Restoration

E3, Gladstone Place, 1

Vernon Hall restoration completed 1989. Bow Heritage Trail

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
London Wall road

London Wall road

EC2, London Wall

Should we collect this type of memorial? Too dull? Duller than this one: North South route in Haringey? In a world where The Boring Talks...

1 subject commemorated, 5 creators
George Romney

George Romney

NW3, Holly Bush Hill, 5

The house, designed by Samuel Bunce, was built for Romney in 1796, from the outbuildings of a house on The Mount, as a palace of art. He ...

1 subject commemorated
Sir N. E. Waterhouse

Sir N. E. Waterhouse

EC2, Frederick's Place, 1

This stone was laid by Sir Nicholas Edwin Waterhouse, KBE, 21st January 1955.

1 subject commemorated

Previously viewed

Handel - lost

Handel - lost

W1, Brook Street, 25

Seeing a plaque in this 1970s photo of Brook Street at Spitalfields LIfe we investigated and identified the buildings in the photo as num...

1 subject commemorated