# Fred Albert

George Richard Howell (6 November 1843 – 12 October 1886), who performed as fred albert, was an English music hall entertainer who became popular in the 1870s for his self-penned satirical songs, becoming "music hall's first overtly 'topical' singer." == Biography == Born in Hoxton, he worked in a merchants' office in the City of London before making his earliest appearances on stage at Hoxton Hall in the 1860s. He was known as an "infallible mirth-maker", and had a reputation for correctly reflecting public opinion. His manner was formal – he had a waxed moustache and wore white tie and tails, and his apparent stiffness gave rise to a false rumour that he had a wooden leg.All of his material was self-penned; much was improvised, and dealt with current news.