1879 November – Deguchi Kotaro born, son of Deguchi Waka, in Okayama.
1883/6 E(i)taro Deguchi born
1886/9 Jujiro Deguchi born in Japan, Okayama Prefecture. Father is Shinenion Deguchi, music hall artist.
1898 June – passports issued for New York for Okabe Kozo, Kiwa Oguri, Koto Shimakura, Sannosuke Tarumi, Jirokichi Nagase, Kotaro Deguchi, Eitaro Deguchi, Rikichi Deguchi, Kumeji Deguchi, Juijiro Deguchi, Kakujiro Hanei, and Kaji Hanei.
1899 December – Okabe family of Japanese wonders arrive in Britain, from America, perform in Hanley, then at London Hippodrome from January 15th
1900 January – City of New York arrived in Southampton from New York with 28 year old single male “Deguchi” and 28 married male Alaka Daguchi and 12 year old male Riota Deguchi, 11 year old male Joto Deguchi, 10 year old male Yamara Deguchi and others – all classified as “artists”
1904 April – Naniwa troupe – Geisha called Etaro Deguchi aged 22, Naniva Yasujivo, Naniva Yoshi, Tora Namba aged 22 in Stockholm, Sweden https://data.kb.se/dark-3702823/manifest
1906 July – Seichi Deguchi born in London to Eitaro Deguchi and Mary Dorman
1907 Oct-Dec – Arthur Etaro Deguchi born in London
1908 December – Ethel Maud Wills summonsed for cruelty to children she was caring for, including Seichi Deguchi, in Essex. Mary failed to appear at the first hearing, where it was explained she had handed over 2 children at Cannon Street Station to Ethel Wills, with a promise to pay once she had found a situation. At the second hearing: “Mary Dorman, otherwise Deguchi, who failed to appear at the last hearing, spoke to receiving her child back from Green’s Farm. He was plump and fat, but appeared ill, while blood had been running from his nose. The child was delicate when baby. He was not, however, in such a good condition now as when he left her. She was very down-hearted about it.”
1908 Eitaro Deguchi and Sadakazu Uyenishi depart Britain for Portugal
1909 September – Professor Deguchi and Professor Tobari demonstrate jiu jitsu in Essex.
1911 February – advertisment in The Era – wanted a girl aged 18-20 who understands gymnastics a little – E Deguchi, 3 Sterne Street, Shepherd’s Bush.
1911 July – Mineko Deguchi born in Holborn to Etaro Deguchi and Minnie Wilson.
1912 Mineko Deguchi dies in Fulham
1916 May E Deguchi demonstrates jujitsu in Switzerland
1917 Jujiro Deguchi aged 27 marries widowed Margaret Blanchard (b 1882), nee Jackson, in St Margaret’s Church, Burnley. She has two daughters, Lily, aged 17, and Margaret aged 18 from her previous marriage. Marriage is witnessed by Ryunosuke Iizuka.
1918 July – Manchester – Deguchi Troupe of Japanese jugglers
1918 September – Derby – Deguchi Troupe of Japanese entertainers, introducing Ju-jiro the modern juggler of Japan
1918 October “The Deguchi Troupe of Japanese artistes give a thrilling display of acrobatic and equilibristic feats, and one of their number. Jujiro by name, juggles with wonderful dexterity, and with an easy grace which makes juggling look simplicity itself.” (Dundee Courier)
1919 August – The Deguchi Troupe tops the bill at the Empire this week, including Qujiro the modern Japanese juggler, who charms stick and balls in wonderful manner. Special mention must be made of a little girl whose acrobatic skill receives much applause. This troupe performs many clever feats which are enthusiastically applauded. (Mansfield Reporter)
1920 December – the incomparable Japanese troupe, Risley hand to hand balancing, Burnley
1921 March – DE GUCHI troupe in Nottingham with Iizuka and partner.
1921 June census – Jujiro (34) and Margaret (38) at 128 Caunce Street, Blackpool with Margaret Blanchard (21) and Lily Blanchard (20), Yashida Kaine (25) , Hiro Fujii (21), Toyo Kashikura (20), Lily Pike (14) – all acrobats and Zentaro Kobayashi, biscuit maker, 21 at Kamiya and son.
1921 June census – The Kikutas are in a Sheffield boarding house: Kumeji Deguchi male 33, Kotaro Deguchi male 42, Koto Kikuta female 27, Suketaro Kikuta male 44, Shigetaro Kikuta male 34, Hanako Kikuta female 9, Masuko Kikuta female 15, Mitsuko Iwawami female 14, Echi Shimizu male 16, Toyo Kashiwakura male 19, baby Deguchi female b 1920. Music Hall artists. Will next be in Rotherham
1921 June – Most of Deguchi’s experience has been gained in the circus, principally on the Continent. All the members of his troupe have been trained by him, and the older ones have been with him for 14 years. The wonderful hand balancer has been with the troupe for about two years, during which he has been taught his tricks. You have no idea how long it takes and how much practice it requires to perfect some of the tricks which the troupe perform. Three of the tricks which M Deguchi performs took him seven years to perfect, and yet each are accomplished in about a second. Each member of the troupe practices 2 ½ hours every day. (Leicester Chronicle)
1921 July – Jujiro and Lily appear as Masu assisted by Yuri (Yuri is the Japanese word for Lily) – hand balancing and juggling acts.
1921 October Lily’s older sister Margaret marries an acrobat – Nabekichi Maeda
1922 Jujiro and Margaret Deguchi move to Fleetwood, Lancashire
1922 September – “Masu (who is assisted by Yuri) is well called “the Japanese marvel” He is amazingly adept in juggling, balancing, “step dancing” on his hands and other feats, and his tricks with a ball are extraordinarily clever. His is as fine a turn as one could wish to see. It is a combination of wonderful muscle-control, perfect poise of the body, quickness of eye, and manual dexterity. Masu’s performance is worthy of unqualified praise.” (Staffordshire Sentinel)
1922 December – De Guchi Japanese troupe in Glasgow
1923 March – Jujiro and Margaret bring action against Ann Chambers for trying to break apprenticeship contract with her daughter Lily Pike
1925 Margaret dies
1926 June – Margaret Maeda, nee Blanchard, marries Hirokich Fujii, one of the Deguchi troupe.
1926 October Jujiro Deguchi marries his step daughter Lily Deguchi
1926 DEGUCHI.–In loving memory of Margaret Elizabeth Deguchi, the beloved wife of J. Deguchi, who died November 22rd 1925. aged 43 years. Some may think we have forgotten. When at times they see us smile: But little do they know the sorrow. That smile hides all the while. —From her loving Husband. (Fleetwood Chronicle)
1927 November Sumako, daughter of Jujiro and Lily is born in Wandsworth
1928 Masu and Yuri, the perfect Japanese hand balancers and jugglers
1930 son, Jujiro is born to Jujiro and Lily in Wandsworth
1930 US Census – The Kikutas – Kumeji Deguchi 40, actor, Kotaru Deguchi 51, actor, single, Hamako Kikuta 18, actress, Toyotaro Kashiwakura, 27, actor in Brooklyn, New York.
1932 May – Lily Deguchi “artist”, returns to Britain from Buenos Aires, aged 31
1932 June – Lily “artist” and Jujiro junior aged 2 “artist” depart Britain for Brazil
1932 August – Jujiro, Lily, Sumako and Jujiro junior return to Britain from Brazil. “Music Hall Artists” aged 43, 32, 4 and 2.
1933 August – Masu is a Japanese juggler of great grace and dexterity (Aberdeen)
1937 Masu and Yuri appear at the Union Cinemas Regal, Great Yarmouth. Celebrated stage act of juggling and pole balancing.
1938 Junosuke born to Jujiro and Lily
1939 Lily and Jujiro living at 12 Colebrook Road, Croydon – both described as variety artistes.
1942 January – last performance as Masu and Yuri in pantomime Mother Goose in Southport, with Masu as a Goose and Yuri peforming hand balancing. No mention of them being Japanese since October 1939.
1942 June – became Lamonte & Julie, a balancing and juggling team.
1943 Lamonte & Julie trio – joined by Sumako aged 16 at the Wolverhampton Hippodrome.
1946 The Lamonte Julie Trio are a foursome, and the chief merit in this turn is some smart juggling by an attractive young brunette. A little more showmanship would add to the effectiveness of the various tricks. (The Stage, 22nd August) – joined by Jujiro aged 16?
1947 – 1948 The Lamonte Julie Trio – two girls and a boy
1950 Suma Lamonte juggling at the Bradford Alhambra
1951 Deguchis start advertising rooms at Angell Road, Brixton, in the The Stage.
1951 Juno Deguchi awarded Grade 1 Royal School of Music
1952 Jujiro and Sumako start own act as Johnny and Suma Lamonte.
1952 October John and Suma Lamonte at Bradford Alhambra
1953 June – Johnny and Suma Lamonte first appearance at London Palladium as part of Al Martino bill
1955 Oriental looking Londoners Johnny and Suma Lamonte at Blackpool, the at London Palladium supporting Eddie Fisher.
1956 Sumako marries Victor Seaforth, another performer, who became known as the man with a 1000 voices.
1960 Daryl Seaforth, son of Sumako and Victor born
Johnny & Suma Lamonte for the Continent JOHNNY LAMONTE finished his long engagement with his single act at the Latin Quarter in mid-September and the single act, having served its purpose, has been put away for the time being as sister Suma–Mrs. Victor Seaforth–having become a proud mother… is now ready for work again. They have already played some engagements with the revived double act into which they have put many new features and on November 1 start off on some Continental engagements at the Emporium, Barcelona.
From there they go to the Biombo Chino in Madrid, and this is to be followed by engagement at the Sporting Club, Monte Carlo, and the Casino, Cannes. Johnny and Suma have done a small amount of Continental work in the past but not to any great extent, but it now looks as if they may be doing quite a sequence.
Their agent, Don Ross, has arranged these engagements; in fact, Don Ross has not only been the only agent Johnny and Suma have ever had but was also agent for their mother and father, who were well known as Masu and Yuri, and the Lamonte-Julie Trio when Suma was old enough to join the act (Quartette when Johnny was old enough to join the act), for Suma and Johnny when they became a double, for Suma while she did a single when Johnny was doing his time in the Forces, and then again for them both, again for Johnny while he did a single while Suma was infanticipating, and now and again for Johnny and Suma.
It is always pleasant to hear of artists and agent getting along so well together over so many years. (The Stage, 27 October 1960)
1961 Johnny and Suma at London Embassy Club. Johnny is an expert hand juggler and Suma, an attractive Asiatic, an adept juggler.
1966 Lily Deguchi dies, aged 65
1971 Jujiro Deguchi senior dies, aged 84
1973 Rolph Gobits photo of Suma Lamonte
Johnny and Suma Lamonte continue to perform and tour arond the world until 1980, when their agent Don Ross dies.
1980 Victor Seaforth sets up own agency, with Sumako, until 1993. Victor Seaforth continued to perform until 2004.
2003 Sumako dies. Times obituary here
2016 Victor Seaforth dies
Ninjin 