Mark Raffles: A pickpocket at war
Mark Raffles, celebrated British magician, pioneering pickpocket entertainer and World War Two veteran, sadly passed away on 18 September 2022, aged an incredible 100 years old. In his honour, this special blog recounts Raffles ’ life and wartime service. Becoming a professional Mark Raffles (Albert Taylor Jnr.) was born in M anchester in January 1922.* His first professional performance, aged 16, was in 1938 at the Queen's Park Hippodrome in Manchester. He adopted the stage name Ray St. Clair, much later changing this to Mark Raffles. Because of a debilitating stammer, he performed a silent magic act. Ray St. Clair / Mark Raffles (1940s) (Source: Mark Raffles) War work in the Blitz He was only in the second year of his performing career when Britain declared war on Germany on 3 September 1939. Initially Raffles was too young for military service, but when he turned 18 years old in early 1940, the law required him to register to be called-up. The a...