Sirfessor Malfew Seklew was a man of many names. One of them, a name perhaps in proximity to the one he was assigned at birth, was F. W. Wilkes. Seen here is an advertisement for the good Sirfessor’s services as a stevedore.

This advertisement appears in the 7 November 1904 program guide for the Prince of Wales Theatre. This is Document ID ET-D313 of the Ellen Terry and Edith Craig Database, a guide to the papers from Smallhythe Place. This is a remarkable resource for repertory research in late 1800s / early 1900s England.

This is the period of time when Sirfessor Seklew said he served in the D’Oyly Theater. His exposure to the stage shows in the many references to the work of Gilbert and Sullivan in his Gospel According to Malfew Seklew. In particular, Malfew mentions The Mikado. Programs for this work are also found in the Ellen Terry and Edith Craig Database, once for 23 July 1917 and once for 21 July 1924. Each of these performances was carried out by D’Oyly.

Would it be too much to hope that photographs or film of Malfew Seklew from his time on the stage may yet emerge?