Few performers have become as closely associated with Blackpool’s magical heritage as Mark Raffles. A master magician, celebrated pickpocket entertainer and respected ambassador for the art of illusion, Raffles enjoyed a career spanning more than eight decades. Although born in Manchester, he made Blackpool his home for many years and became one of the resort’s most recognised figures within the world of magic.
Magician, Mark Raffles with portrait of himself – Image from Showtown Museum & Blackpool Council
Mark Raffles was born Albert Taylor on 22 January 1922 in Hulme, Manchester. As a child he struggled with a severe speech impediment and stammer, something that would shape the direction of his future career. Encouraged by an uncle with an interest in conjuring, Taylor developed a silent magic act that relied on skill, dexterity and personality rather than spoken dialogue. At just 16 years of age he made his stage debut at the Queen’s Park Hippodrome under the name Ray St Clair.
When the Second World War began, his speech defect prevented him from joining the armed forces. Instead, he worked as a bricklayer constructing air raid shelters before joining the Entertainments National Service Association (ENSA) in 1941. Over the next three years he entertained British servicemen and women both at home and overseas. During this period he refined the pickpocket routine that would later become his trademark, turning it into one of the finest comedy pickpocket acts in the country. His contribution to wartime entertainment was later recognised with the award of the Veterans Badge.
Blackpool entered the story shortly after the war. Around 1947, Ray St Clair appeared at the Palace Theatre of Varieties, beginning what would become a lifelong association with the resort. As Blackpool continued to establish itself as Britain’s entertainment capital, Raffles became a familiar performer in its theatres and venues, eventually settling in the town.
The world’s oldest working magician Mark Raffles (b. 1919) on stage in Brighton in 2007 at the age of 88. 8 July 2007. © Alamy
In 1948 he appeared alongside comedian Sandy Powell in the film Cup-Tie Honeymoon. During a pantomime engagement in Bilston later that year he met dancer Joan Cleare, whom he later married. Around this time he adopted the stage name Mark Raffles, inspired by the fictional gentleman thief Arthur J. Raffles, a fitting choice for a performer whose celebrated act revolved around skilfully relieving unsuspecting volunteers of watches, wallets and ties before returning them to great amusement.
Throughout the following decades Raffles became one of Britain’s most sought-after magical entertainers. He appeared in theatres, holiday camps, cruise ships, corporate events and on television, including the popular ITV entertainment show 3-2-1. His performances combined sleight of hand, impeccable timing and gentle humour, earning admiration from audiences and fellow magicians alike.
For a period he stepped away from performing because of heart problems. However, in the 1970s he and his wife Joan were persuaded by friends Jack and Audrey Shaw to take over their trained dog act, The Wychwoods. The unusual addition allowed the couple to continue entertaining audiences in a new way while remaining active within the variety circuit.
As his reputation grew, so too did his standing within the international magic community. He became a member of the prestigious Inner Magic Circle and, in 2005, served as President of the International Brotherhood of Magicians. He also held senior positions within The Blackpool Magicians’ Club, becoming one of the organisation’s most respected figures and helping strengthen Blackpool’s reputation as the home of magic.
For decades Mark Raffles was a familiar face at the annual Blackpool Magic Convention, the world’s largest gathering of magicians. His experience, generosity and encyclopaedic knowledge of magic made him a mentor to younger performers, while his own remarkable career inspired generations entering the profession. His contribution to Blackpool’s magical heritage was also recognised by Showtown Museum, where his memories, artefacts and achievements help tell the story of the resort’s extraordinary entertainment history.
In 2019, at the age of 97, Raffles retired to Queen Elizabeth Court in Llandudno. He died there on 18 September 2022 at the age of 100, leaving behind one of the longest and most distinguished careers in British magic. Although Manchester was his birthplace, Blackpool became the stage on which much of his legacy was built. Through his performances, leadership within The Blackpool Magicians’ Club and support for the internationally renowned Blackpool Magic Convention, Mark Raffles played a significant role in establishing the resort as the recognised capital of magic. His remarkable life remains an important chapter in Blackpool’s entertainment history.
The world’s oldest working magician Mark Raffles (b. 1919) on stage in Brighton in 2007 at the age of 88. 8 July 2007
