Showing posts with label Wood Green Empire. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wood Green Empire. Show all posts

Monday, March 23, 2026

Grave of William Ellsworth Robinson, aka Chung Ling Soo

Grave of William Ellsworth Robinson
East Sheen Cemetery, opened in 1905 or 1906 as Barnes Cemetery, on what was originally rural woodland.

The cemetery is home to many notable interments, including over seventy Commonwealth war graves, the Buxton Memorial, the Lancaster Memorial and notable actors, artists, diplomats, entertainers, sculptors, writers and many more.

However, the grave that I had come to see was that of someone I had heard about when I was growing up, as he was mentioned on 'The Paul Daniel's Magic Show'. 

The grave for which I searched was that of the American William Ellsworth Robinson, who the world of the early twentieth century would come to know as Chung Ling Soo.

After passing rows of graves and tombs I found it.

So, how does an American, born with Scottish ancestry, become known by a Chinese name?