H.J. Hamlin

(b. Bermondsey, London, **/**/1876 – d. Witbank, Transvaal, 11/04/1957). Actor, singer. Henry James Hamlin, usually credited as H.J. Hamlin, but also known as Halford Hamlin, was born in England. At some stage he came out to South Africa and became involved with African Film Productions. When, in 1920, his eldest daughter was baptised, his profession was given as “cinema artist” and he had completed the six films in which he is known to have acted. These were Gloria (Lorimer Johnston/1916), De Voortrekkers (Harold M. Shaw/1916), A Border Scourge (Ralph Kimpton & Joseph Albrecht/1917), King Solomon’s Mines (H. Lisle Lucoque/1919), Allan Quatermain (H. Lisle Lucoque/1919) and With Edged Tools (Joseph Albrecht/1919). In the two H. Rider Haggard films he played Sir Henry Curtis, with Albert Lawrence as Quatermain and Ray Brown as Captain Good.

He also seems to have been an accomplished singer. In 1915 he appeared in the musical comedy The Belle of New York and an advert of July 1917 announced that Mr. H.J. Hamlin would sing “The Lost Chord” at the Carlton Hotel in Johannesburg. Soon afterwards he began an engagement with a revue called S’Nice at the Empire Theatre, credited as “the eminent tenor”. In addition he appeared in a concert for soldiers at the Wanderers V.A.D. Hospital. A genealogical website gives his occupation as: Police, Films, Musician and Manager. As his father had been a” police constable” in London, it is possible that initially he followed in his footsteps. He died in 1957 in what today is Emalahleni, Mpumalanga. (FO)