JEFFERINI

John , stage name of John Jeffreys. Made his first appearance at the Pan harmonium theatre, King’s Cro , London 1837 as Desperetta in The Dumb Maid of Genoa; a pupil of Tom Matthews the clown; tobacconist at 2 Myddelton quadrant, Spa Fields 1839–47; kept a tobacconist’s shop known as “The Little Snuff-box,” Garnault place, Clerkenwell 1847–53, it was also a gambling-house where French hazard and écarté were played; the sign portraiture which adorned the Clown Tavern, 62 St. John st. road, Clerkenwell 1842–9 was the face and form of Jefferini; played clown in E. L. Blanchard’s pantomime King Alfred the Great, at Olympic theatre 26 Dec. 1846; played clown at Sadler’s Wells, City of London and Victoria theatres; landlord of the Rose public house 2 Farring don st. 1851–3. d. 1853. Life of E. L. Blanchard , i 51–2 (1891).