Failure is an orphan…. so the quote goes.

Australian press had largely ignored or not known about Bert’s success in the United States in the years 1905-1908. As we know, international news for domestic consumption came predominantly via cable almost exclusively out of London.

When news was received that Bert was to entertain the Royals in London this all changed. It seemed newspapers were now very happy to claim association with the smart young Jew who left Australia’s shores in May 1904. Here are just a few – 

even that he was a student of the National Gallery, that’s the Melbourne one not Paris