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From “Stage-Land: Curious Habits and Customs of its Inhabitants” described by Jerome K Jerome with drawings by J Bernard Partridge. Published by Chatto & Windus, London, in 1890. The book is an entertaining account of the types of characters to be found upon the theatre stage and this is the ‘stage hero’ whose main purpose is to be accused of crimes which he has not committed and who will be proved innocent - eventually - by the ‘stage detective’ to popular acclaim. He might, or might not, get the girl but will take it on the chin and soldier on regardless. He is a generally good fellow and always wears patent leather footwear.