The Era was Britain’s main show-business weekly for a century, and it was widely read within the theatrical world. Page 10 of its issue of 7 March 1923 carried a piece based on a letter sent by the Variety Artists’ Federation to the authority responsible for entertainments in London – the Clerk of the London County Council. The Era‘s heading was “No Cabaret and No Negroes”.

“Dear Sir, – On behalf of the hundreds of competent British artists who are at present out of employment. we, the Variety Artists’ Federation, beg to strongly protest against the granting of a licence to Sir Alfred Butt or any other manager for the purpose of running a cabaret show in an annexe of the Empire Theatre, Leicester square, and particularly as said cabaret is to be comprised of imported negro artists”.

The London-born Alfred Butt (1878-1962) was a commanding figure in London’s theatrical world from the turn of the century, knighted in 1918 and a London MP in 1922. The Variety Artists’ Federation was formed in 1906, merging several showbusiness groups, and eventually became part of Equity, the actors’ trade union.