2

Les origines (1856-1896)

Fils de Joséphine Pochet, couturière française originaire de la région de Lyon, George, Francis Pochet est né en Grande-Bretagne. Il est recensé avec sa famille à Brompton (Londres) (1861, 1871). Dès 1876, il apparaît dans la presse londonienne comme marchand de vin à l'occasion du vol commis à son endroit d'une obligation de la ville de Paris par un prétendu comte français :

SINGULAR CHARGE AGAINST A FOREIGNER.-At the Westminster Police Court on Monday, Gabriel Ferriere de Sentout, styling himself a French Count, of Vargue's Hotel, Leicester Square, was charged with stealing an Obligation Bond of the Ville de Paris Emprunt, 1869, nº 47,212, the property of Mr. Francis Pochet, of 150, Brompton Road, wine merchant.

---

Kendal Mercury, samedi 8 janvier 1876, p. 7.

Quatre ans plus tard, il exerce toujours la même profession comme cela figure au recensement de 1881. Vers la fin des années 1880, l'actrice Miss Louie Loveday - que Pochet épousera en secondes noces - intervient dans un petit rôle (Mother Wood Pigeon) dans la pantomime Cinderella (1888) :

CRYSTAL PALACE PANTOMIME
The first performance of the Crystal Palace Pantomime for the ensuing season was given yesterday afternoon to a large audience. The subject, as has already been announced in these columns, is "Cinderella," and although the oft-told story is presente with some air of novelty, its salient features are so well preserved that they may be followed without difficulty, even by the spectators in the far-off recesses of the Handel orchestra. [...] Miss Louie Loveday, as the Mother Wood Pigeon.

---

Morning Post, Londres, mardi 25 décembre 1888, p. 3.

Au début des années 1890, George Francis est déjà directeur du Royal Standard Music Hall (126, Victoria Street, face à la gare Victoria) :

A visit to the Royal Standard is made all the more enjoyable by the courtesy of Mr. G. Francis, the capable acting manager.

---

London and Provincial Entr'acte, Londres, samedi 22 février 1890, p. 6.

Deux ans et demi plus tard, il prend la direction de l'Empire de Southampton :

DAN SULLIVAN is already a tremendous success in the provinces.-Les Fionis return to the halls, after a successful fourteen month's engagement with Joseph Poole, of myriorame fame. Mr. George Francis, late assistant manager of the Royal Standard Music Hall, has taken the management of Empire, Southampton.

---

The Era, Londres, samedi 19 novembre 1892, p. 17.

Les images animées (1896-1902)

Le Cinématographe Lumière (février-[mai] 1896)

George Francis Pochet - connu également sous les noms de George Francis ou Mr. Francis - fait partie de l'équipe qui fait tourner le Cinématographe Lumière de Felicien Trewey au Royal Polytechic Institute à partir du mois de février. Il fait office de bonimenteur comme l'indique le journal London and Provincial Entr'acte :

As a spectator of the entertainment Mons. Trewey is "bossing." I liked it so well that I thought it too short. The whole “show” only occupies seventeen minutes, several of which are taken up by the gentleman who acts as chorus to the play, and furnishes the necessary information anent the pictures and their special features. This role is well and ably performed by Mr. Francis, who some few years ago was a controlling power at the Royal Standard.
It will be interesting to note how these pictures will be received at the Empire. I am compelled to believe that they will achieve a big success. At the Marlborough Rooms they were given in all nakedness; not so much as a pianoforte accompanied their parade. At the Empire, with musical accessories, they should be much more attractive.

---

London and Provincial Entr'acte, Londres, samedi 7 mars 1896, p. 6.

W. Constable, Lumiere's Cinematographe, Marlborough Hall, Regent Street. 1896 Source: Fonds Will Day (Cinémathèque Française)

Il est probable qu'il ait continué ses activités de lecturer (bonimenteur) jusqu'à la fin des séances au Marlborough Hall, vers le mois de mai 1896.

Francis Pochet
Source: Collection Will Day. Cinémathèque française.

Le Triograph et le Royal Triograph Lumière (juillet 1897-juin 1902)

Lorsque le cinématographe Lumière reprend du service en 1897 il est baptisé "Triograph". À cela, on peut y voir deux raisons : les traces laissées par le désastre du Bazar de la Charité qui invite à moins parler de "cinématographe" et l'adaptation aux perforations Edison du matériel des Lumière. Un première présentation a lieu en juillet 1897 au Washington Theatre of Varieties, propriété de R. Rhodes et dirigé par Aspinall Thiodon (résidence: Londres en 1901)  :

THE WASHINGTON.
To procure crowded houses at a suburban hall just now is a task of extreme difficulty, and it can only be achieved by providing some extra powerful attraction. This is just what Mr R. Rhodes, the proprietor of the Washington, has done, and the name of the magnet that has drawn such large audiences to the York-road establishment this week is the Triograph (Lumiere's). With the numerous variations of the Cinematographe that are now on the market, and the improvements that are constantly being made, there will soon be no need for the lover of spectacle to brave the squeezing and the jostling, the dust and the noise that at present have to be faced. He will simply wait a day or two, then repair to one or other of the halls, and from a comfortable seat witness at his ease what used to cost hours of trouble and inconvenience to see. The Triograph is a wonderful machine, and the series of pictures it presents will bear favourable comparison with any set that we have seen. The whole opening of the proscenium is occupied with the screen, and the entire surface thus offered is filled. The advantage thus gained is enormous, for with increased size comes increased clearness of out- line, and lookers on are enabled to see distinctly what in many other cases is blurred and uncertain. Then again the pictures are strikingly steady, the flicker having been reduced to a minimum. Some of the views are especially good, and we may select for particular notice a Panorama of La Rochelle Harbour, with a sailing vessel running up to anchor : Cornish Coast and Sea, a fine photograph of an ironbound shore, with the waves throwing themselves in all their fury against the frowning rocks; Cavalry Regiment Jumping Hurdle, the horsemen coming round with a graceful sweep and clearing the obstruction in fine form; a view taken from the rear of a train, in which the illusion is perfect, the station platform and its occupants gradually receding and finally vanishing; a Fire Call, a splendid reproduction of the headquarters of the Brigade, showing how quickly the men and horses can be sent out (encored); and four installments of the Jubilee Procession. There are various other fine pictures; in fact, the difficulty is to say which are the best, and Mr G. Francis, under whose direction the series is presented, well deserves the enthusiastic call that brings him to the front to bow his acknowledgments. With such favour has the Triograph been received that Mr Rhodes has decided to retain it in the bill for the holidays.

---

The Era, Londres, samedi 31 juillet 1897, p. 16.

Au cours de l'été, George Francis Pochet va épouser Louisa, Mary Loveday.

The Era, Londres, samedi 7 août 1897, p. 14.

Une autre annonce précise que le seul représentant du Triograph est Aspinall Thiodon.

The Era, Londres, samedi 14 août 1897, p. 27.

Lors d'une soirée, sans doute déterminante, en septembre 1897, on retrouve non seulement George Francis Pochet, A. Thiodon, Rodes, mais également Alexandre Promio dont la présence est liée directement au Triograph pour lequel il va tourner de nombreuses vues en Grande-Bretagne et en Irlande dans les semaines qui suivent cette réunion :

A most pleasant little function was enacted yesterday, when a select party sat down to lunch at the Hotel and Restaurant de Nice, Rupert Street, at the invitation of Mr. George Francis, of animated photography fame. The proceedings were entirely of a private and social character, and those who partook of Mr. Francis's hospitality were Messrs. Torn Maltby, A. Thiodon, Chris. Davis, Fred Law, Rhodes, sen., Alexander Promio, and our Enthusiast. After the luncheon M. Promio sat down to the piano, and first as a siffleur, and afterwards as an imitator of various instruments, proved himself a most charming and capable performer.

---

Music Hall and Theatre Review, Londres, vendredi 17 septembre 1897, p. 10.

Un mois plus tard, Alexandre Promio est de retour et présente, au Gatti's, son répertoire de vues britanniques et irlandaises : 

The possibilities of animated photographs would seem to be endless, and this fact was impressed upon us by a private exhibition given by M. Promio, of the celebrated firm of Lumière, at Gatti's (Road), on Thursday, when a number of views of English and Irish subjects were shown for the first time. These photographs, we were given to understand by Mr George Francis, who acted as cicerone, were taken for Messrs Moss and Thornton, the eminent firm of music hall proprietors, and will be shown on their circuit in England, Scotland, and Ireland. Many of the scenes were panoramic, being taken from a moving object. In this way we were shown some capital views of the Mersey and Liverpool Docks, photographed from the Overhead Railway. Some good scenes in Dublin included the O’Connell Bridge and Sackville-street, and pictures full of fine animation and real activity were supplied by the Dublin Fire Brigade getting to work and a company of cavalry exercising over hurdles. The Audience was also shown the scenery of Blackrock, the country round Drogheda, a street in Belfast, and other places of interest. A selection only of the numerous pictures will be given, and the exhibition should certainly be an attraction, as the vibration which has hitherto been the bête noire of animated photographs is conspicuous by its absence in the Triograph.

---

The Era, Londres, samedi 23 octobre 1897, p. 19.

Dans les mois qui suivent, le Triograph est présenté dans plusieurs théâtres ou music-hall londoniens et il se retrouve également à Bristol, Belfast, Dublin...

The Era, Londres, samedi 18 décembre 1897, p. 17.

À partir du mois de janvier, l'appareil Lumière est désormais exploité sous deux noms différents : "Triograph ou "Royal Triograph" :

WASHINGTON THEATRE OF VARIETIES, CLAPHAM JUNCTION.
Proprietor... .. ... .. Mr. R. RHODES.
(Ten minutes by rail from Waterloo or Victoria Stations, book to Clapham Junction).
MONDAY, January 10, 1898, and Every Evening. —The Lumiere Royal Triograph (appeared by command before H.R.H. the Prince of Wales and distinguished guests at Sandringham, December 30, 1897); the Royal will be repeated each evening this week on a 27ft. by 24 ft., all New Views; Rose Hamilton, the tour Musical Palmers, Charles Raymond, Lily Marney, Jesse Burton, Capt. Slingsby, A. P. Boswell, Onda and Artelle, Tom Brantford, Flo Hayes; Wal Pink and Company, in the screaming sketch, AN APRIL FOOL.
Manager...............................................MR. A, THIODON.

---

London and Provincial Entr'acte, Londres, samedi 8 janvier 1898, p. 8.

The Entr'acte, Londres, samedi 21 mai 1898, p. 5.

Au cours de l'année 1898, George Francis Pochet continue à exploiter le Triograph :

Mr. George Francis, with his Royal Triograph, was specially engaged to appear at Aldershot at the instance of the officers of the 12th Lancers who, on Thursday, entertained the Duke of Connaught and several other notables.

---

London and Provincial Entr'acte, Londres, samedi 23 juillet 1898, p. 10.

En octobre, alors qu'il est à Chatam, il organise une projection spéciale pour la Royal Marine Light Infantry :

Mr. George Francis, by permission of Mr. S. Barnard, gave a special exhibit of the Royal Triograph at the Royal Marine Light Infantry Barracks at Chatham. Mr. Francis has several new and interesting views in his collection.

---

London and Provincial Entr'acte, Londres, samedi 15 octobre 1898, p. 10.

Dans la presse, il se présente souvent comme "professor Francis" :

BARNARD'S ROYAL CIRCUS (Proprietor, Mr. George Barnard; Manager, Mr. Alfed Norton).
[...]
Professor Francis heads the bill with his Triograph, which is proving a big attraction.

---

The Stage, jeudi 10 novembre 1898, p. 7.

George Francis Pochet continue d'exploiter le Triograph au cours de l'année 1899 comme cela est le cas à Southend-on-Sea où il est fonctionne en août. Quelques semaines plus tard, une petite annonce, sans doute publiée par Pochet, signale aux directeurs de salles que le Triograph est disponible pour son exploitation en octobre.

The Era, Londres, samedi 7 octobre 1899, p. 26.

En 1900, George Francis Pochet figure sur les listes électorales (27 Beauchamp Place. Londres). À cette même adresse, se trouve Antoinette Pochet, la tante de George Francis. Deux ans plus tard, il fait équipe avec son épouse Louie Loveday au Colston Hall de Bristol.

Western Daily Press, Bristol, samedi 31 mai 1902, p. 4.

Et après... (>1902)

Le couple semble avoir mis un terme à ses activités artistiques en Grande-Bretagne. En 1905, le couple donne naissance, à Londres, à Marie, Louise, Joséphine Pochet. On perd leur trace par la suite.

3

4