Vaib Solomon


Vaiben Louis Solomon, commonly called "Vaib" to distinguish him from his father and others of the same name, was a businessman, better known as the humorous writer "Vaiben Louis".

History

Solomon was born in Medindie, South Australia, the only son of politician Vaiben Louis Solomon whose father Judah Moss Solomon forbade marriage to his girlfriend Mary Ann Wigzell, so he remained single until December 1880 following the death of his father. By this time Mary Ann was a widow and mother of Harrie Bridgland. Vaib was the son of his second wife Alice née Cohen.
He was educated at St Peter's College then at Wesley College, when his parents moved to Melbourne.
He wrote humorous pieces for a school magazine The Lion, which he sub-edited, and was active in amateur theatricals raising money for patriotic causes during the Great War.
He was successful in business, but continued to write, notably short humorous verses which were regularly published in Smith's Weekly 1922–1923.
He wrote a sketch for the comedian Gene Gerrard, which drew the attention of Hugh J. Ward, who had just acquired the rights to the "hit" farce Tons of Money and commissioned Solomon to write the lyrics of a musical version to a score by Willy Redstone.
It had a successful run at Sydney's Grand Opera House 1 March – 23 May 1924 and Melbourne's Princess Theatre 10–30 November 1924 with Charles Heslop and Dot Brunton as Aubrey and Louise Allington.
He appears to have then ceased writing, and apart from his marriage in 1931, dropped out of the limelight completely.

Family

Solomon married Claribelle "Claire" Mitchell of Camberwell, Victoria on 31 March 1931.