Bert Levy

Bert Levy – Australia's first global Vaudeville star

Bert Levy Bio Note # 5

In the Lone Hand Magazine article of 1912 again, Bert continues his description of his early career missteps. His second job as a pawn broker (probably around the age of 16 -17 ?) was a little more colourful than an eyelet machine, however it ended pretty much the same way. Joshua Langley had married Bert’s older sister Matilda and the Pawn shop was in Bourke Street.

Matilda (Tilly) was 7 years older (b. 1864) than Bert and had been born in White Chapel, London just as Bert’s father Simon embarked for Port Phillip. The Argus below published Matilda’s and Joshua’s wedding notification in 1883. (Trove) They had two children that survived to adulthood, Mena (Minnie) & Emma (Elsie) and they lived at 179 Elizabeth Street in the 1880s. Joshua’s real name was Ottolangui and he was 16 years older than Matilda. He died in 1909, Matilda 26 years later in 1935.

We read in the Melbourne Herald on Sept 6, 1888 (after Bert’s departure from pawn broking) that his artistic ticket writing may have still have been causing Joshua trouble some years later. (see price of Waltham watch in Bert’s piece above)