The Trocadero was the last enterprise of poor
Sam Adams, who, after a varied and eventful
career, expired of pneumonia at his residence in
St John's Road, Brixton, at ten o'clock on the
morning of June ist, 1893. This popular gentle-
man, who had played so prominent a part in the
making of music-hall history, was born at Hertford
in October 1835. His father was a member of the



THE MODERN VAMIETY STAGE 197

firm of Adams & Company, the well-known bankers
of Ware and Hertford, and was in addition one of
the largest malsters in the country. It was in the
latter line that Mr Sam Adams began his career,
and gained the knowledge of business which stood
him in such good stead in after years. As pre-
viously detailed, it was at the Philharmonic that he
first blossomed into music-hall proprietorship, and
after disposing of this house in 1870 to Mr Charles
Head, he came further west, and joined Mr J. S.
