
Alexis Buchanan
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Billy Waters, the 'King of the Beggars' was a well known London character. After losing a leg fighting in the British Army he supplemented his pension by begging in the West End. He starred in Pierce Egan's 'Tom and Jerry', a popular opera from 1821. Billy died in 1823 in St Giles' workhouse. In this version Billy Waters is incorrectly depicted, for he should have been painted as a black man.