Mrs Stirling

There died in Melbourne, last week, one who may be termed the mother of the Australian stage, if 90 years of life can give the lady a claim to the title. Mrs. Theodosia Stewart was the widow of Richard Stewart, comedian, who died but last year, and has been a figure in Australian theatres for over two generations. My first recollection of Mrs. Stewart was in the year 1861, if my memory is not playing me a trick, when she came from Sydney to Melbourne with her husband, Richard Stewart, and a small family of three girls and one son. But Mrs. Guerin was even then a veteran on the stage. She had appeared years before at the old Victoria Theatre in Pitt-street, and had a splendid record. Her first husband, I am informed, was a Mr. Stirling—what his occupation was I have at present no knowledge. On his death she married a Mr. Guerin, who, I think, had a seat in the orchestra. I have before me a playbill of the:
ROYAL VICTORIA THEATRE
of August 2, 1851,
'When will be produced a drama of intense interest, entitled 'Therese, or the Orphan of Geneva.' Carwin, Mr. Willis; Fountain, Mr. Griffiths ; Picard, Mr. G. H. Rogers ; Lavigne, Mr. F. Howson ; Therese, Mrs. Guerin ; Bridget, Mrs. Gibbs ; Nannette, Miss A. Hart. Flute solo with variations, Mr. Robert ...hen; ballad, ''A Lovely Youth," Madame Carandini; drum polka, Miss F. Griffiths ; ballad, 'The Keepsake,' Madame Sara Flower ; song, 'Those Odious Diggings.' Mr. John Howson. The whole to conclude with the extravaganza of "The Loves of Lord Bateman and the Fair Sophia.''
That is just 53 years, the lady then being 37. Here is another bill which may be quoted, as the entertainment took place two nights after, and Mrs. Guerin was in the cast :
ROYAL VICTORIA THEATRE.
Under the patronage of the Captain and Officers of the Oriental and Peninsular Steam Navigation Company's steamship Chusan, For the Benefit of Madame Sara Flower, On Monday Evening, August 23. The performance will commence with the Grand Operatic Drama, entitled, "The Female Mascaroni; or, The Fair Brigands." Dance, Miss F. Griffiths. Grand instrumental trio arranged from Meyerbeer’s opera of "Il Clociato" for piano, violin, and violincello. Madame Sara Flower, Mr. A. Moore, and Mr. Frank Howson. Duet : 'As it Fell Upon a Day.' Madame Sara Flower and Mrs. Guerin. To be followed by the interlude, 'Sent to the Tower.' Comic Song : 'Seven Ages,' Mr. G. H. Rogers. Favorite Song, Madame Carandini. The whole to conclude with the farce, "Out on the Loose". Boxes may be secured on application at the Royal Victoria Theatre. Tickets may be obtained of Messrs. Woolcott and Clarke, Lower George-street; and at Madame Sara Flower's residence, Riley-street, South Head-road.

There is much food for reflection in these two playbills. How often have I listened enraptured to the notes of poor Sara Flower, sweetest of singers: or hung on the notes of Carandini. No mention here of the four daughters who afterwards grew in beauty, and became as famous as their mother; and G. H. Rogers, of whom I wrote quite recently in a comic song, 'The Seven Ages.' I heard him in it once. Sara Flower rested in the old Devonshire-strict Cemetery, near Rosalie Durand, and both have been removed to La Perouse; Carindini died not long ago in England, The Howsons went to California; and now the last of a long list, Mrs. Guerin-Stewart, has gone over, at the age of 90 years.

In Melbourne, Mrs. Guerin appeared but at intervals, and then purely in drama, I never heard her sing, excepting in the chorus of witches in 'Macbeth,' while her husband was the Hecate. Lock's music was always given then with Shakespeare's tragedy. Mr. Stewart was always employed, and at a good salary, before he became one of the six who had leased the Royal ('Sportsman,' l3/7/'04). In addition, the family was growing up, and required tuition, which the mother was fully qualified to give. Docy (Theodosia) was the first to face the footlights ; Maggie next, quickly followed by Nellie and Dick, jun., the latter two being Stewarts, the two former Guerins. When Mr. Richard Stewart retired from the stage he was possessed of sufficient means to keep himself and wife comfortable in their old age, but, like Mr. H. R. Harwood, he lost all in the boom days ! At an advanced age Mr. Stewart returned to work ; his occupation being that of treasurer to one of the big theatrical firms. This position he filled until his death, a couple of years ago.

Henry R. Harwood was married thrice, his first wife was a great Melbourne favorite, Miss Mortimer. She made Harwood the actor he was. His second wife was not, I think, upon the stage. On her death he married Mrs. Collins, a widow, but better known to us as Docy Stewart, who survives him. Richard Stewart, junior, married one of the Deorwyns. Though broken in fortune in her great age, Mrs. Guerin-Stewart was lovingly looked after by Dick and the girls. In 1857, in a Sydney directory, 'Mrs. Guerin, actress,' resided at 97 Woolloomooloo-street, right opposite George Commins' Cottage of Content Hotel.

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The programme of Madame Sara Flower's benefit is interesting in many particulars The Chusan was the first P. and O. mail boat to enter Sydney Harbor, the first of a long line of splendid steamers. To celebrate the arrival of the steamer a grand ball was given, at which such reverend seigniors as Stuart Alexander Donaldson, James Martin, Charles Nicholson, W. C. Wentworth, and other notabilities acted as stewards. Four hundred applications for tickets had been made and were 'considered' by the stewards. How many were refused we know not, but no doubt the exclusives were exclusive, and made many hearts ache by refusals

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Apropos Charles Dillon ('Sportsman,' 25/5/'04), a correspondent writes that the Dillons in Sydney in 1863 were a decided success, and that they elevated the drama in this city. They appeared at the old Victoria on April 4, the house then being under the management of Raphael Tolano, the initial piece being 'Louis XI,' a drama first played in Australia by G. V. Brooke, and subsequently made famous by Charles Kean, it being one of that actor's best characters. I think Kean was the original Louis XI. Supporting Dillon at the Vic. was Henry Neil Warner, a grand actor, who never did himself justice. He always reminded me of a great actor in the English provinces, who made periodical appearances in Dublin, his native city, T. C. King. Just here let me interpolate an anecdote. When G. V. Brooke was last in Dublin, he, with J. L. Toole, went to visit T. C. King in Queen's-square. "Everybody thought that King was dying, and he certainly looked as if he had not long to live. "We went into his bedroom"— I am quoting Tco'e— "and I was very much impressed with the sorrowful manner in which they erected each other, their deep, rich voices adding to the solemnity of the occasion. Poor Brooke was much moved at the close. 'Well, my dear Tom,' he said, 'Please Good, you'll soon get better.' 'God bless you, Gus, you're very kind, but we'll never meet again.' Brooke leaned over the bed, and kissed King very tenderly on the forehead, and said, 'Good-bye ' We had a cab at the door. When we got into it Brooke said, 'Poor Tom! I fear he is right. We shall never see the dear fellow again.' Brooke sailed a few days after for Australia, and was drowned at sea." T. C. King lived for many years after. He was alive in 1888, according to J. L. Toole.

* * *

Getting back to Dillon and his sup ports in 1863. Fred Younge, Charles Burford, F. C. Appleton, J. Hall, Sam Howard, Danie's (? which), J. P. West, Jas. Hasker, H. Clifford, and C. W. Barry, the latter a sterling actor of the old school of tragedians. The ladies were — Mrs. Dillon. Mrs. Charles Poole, Mrs. Fred Younge, Mrs. Charles Jones, and some others more or less noted. Charles Dillon had, I admit, a long list of characters in which he shone — 'The Gamester' (to my mind this was Charles Kean's greatest part), 'Wild Oats,' 'Ruy Blas,' 'The Willow Copse,' 'The Wife's Secret,' etc. No doubt in his prime, or when I saw him in Dublin in the early fifties, he was great in these char actors, but he had become stale when I saw him, in 1863, in Australia. An anecdote of John Dunn ('Sportsman,' 20/7/04). The Zavistowski Sisters were playing at Bendigo. The Zavs were a mother and two daughters. In the company at Bendigo was John Dunn, 'Cast-iron Jack,' as he was call ed. A local scribe expressed his dissatisfaction with the Zav trio. and especially with the mother, whom, I think, he accused of having swindled a washerwoman out of her weekly wash bill, or was it Madame who accused the newspaper man of having bilked the laundress? Anyhow, Madame provided herself with a greenhide whip, and, waylaying the ink slinger, laid it lustily about his shoulders. A police court case resulted, Madame being summoned for assault. The court was crowded, of course, and much amusement resulted from the trial. The bench of magistrates considered that an assault had been committed, but under great provocation, and fined the defendant Zav one shilling. Then 'Cast-iron Jack' strutted to the table, and, dumping down a handful of silver, handed melodramatically to the clerk, the required coin.

*****

In the course of this series I have had occasion to make mention of Avonia Jones, who became the wife of the lamented G. V. Brooke, in Liverpool, in 1863 ('Sportsman,' 25/5/04.). In the year 1860 the dead walls and hoardings of Melbourne were plentifully adorned with huge posters, printed by Charlwood and Son, and Shaw, Harnett and Co., announcing that Mrs. Melinda Jones and Avonia Jones, mother and daughter, had arrived, and would appear at an early date. In those times Thespians were not heralded as they are to-day— three or four months before arrival. They just dropped in, as it were, from the, clouds, and did their 'fixings' on arrival. The Jones's had arrived at a period when there was a decided lull in matters theatrical. Prior to the Ladies from the States, we had numerous tragic stars, Mr. and Mrs. James Stark, Mary Provost, G. V. Brooke, Nesbitt M'Cron, Clarence Holt, M'Kean Buchanan, a spluttering actor, , who had one good character, Sir Har- court Courtley ('London Assurance'), ; and Henry Neil Warner. While G. V. Brooke held the Australian stage as the 'greatest tragedian of the age,' no great actor in the higher walks of the drama visited these shores. When Brooke left the colonial stage clear, Barry Sullivan arrived, having as his agent Mr. J. H. Wilton, who came in a similar capacity with G. V. Brooke. Then Mr. and Mrs. Charles Kean appeared upon the scene, Engineered by Mr. George Coppin. Then we had Montgomery Howe, James Anderson, Creswick, etc., so that in 1860, when Mrs. and Miss Jones arrived, they at once filled the public eye— Mrs. Jones physically, Avonia mentally. The mother, a weighty woman, made but one appearance, when she played Romeo to her daughter's Juliet. I cannot say that she conveyed to me an agreeable idea of the love-sick young gentleman of Verona. The latter was corpulent, and displayed wealth of limb which was certainly not practical. Mrs. Jones had filled a leading position on the American stage, and the daughter, who was born in 1836, clung to her for domestic reasons, with a tenacity which was described as 'filial even to piety.' The father of Avonia Jones, the Count Joannes, was a vain eccentric, yet clever author, and actor. Why the wife separated from him and took the daughter with her need not be dealt with now ; suffice it that, in the opinion of her friends, she acted wisely. Miss Jones, it is said, inherited nothing from her father but his good looks and great ability. Her personal gifts were 'tall. well-made, with a lithe form and expressive  features and voice. She seemed born to become a tragedy queen. A classic head, wreathed with hair as dark as a raven's wing, and a complexion that was clear, though colorless, surmounted a figure that regularly responded in every phase of emotion she was called upon to Portray. Such was the enthusiastic eulogy passed upon the lady by a critic of the day, a critic who still lives and occasionally criticises; I cannot enthuse as did this writer, as I have a distinct recollection of certain Americanisms and a touch of nasal twang. Had she lived and studied, Miss Jones would have made a great actress. Her Medea was perhaps her best piece of acting; but later on when playing with Brooke, she made a great Lady Macbeth. Another great hit was in 'As You Like It.' and as Beatrice in 'Much Ado About Nothing,' although on one occasion poor Brooke, as Benedict, was so "overcome" that the performance was sadly marred. Space does not permit of going through her list of characters, but no actress of her age — she was but 32 when she died— had played such a round of characters and played them so well.

*****

In 1861 she went to England with her mother and G. V. Brooke, and appeared at Drury Lane theatre, where she created a marked sensation. In Birmingham Brooke was arrested for debt and had to go through the Bankruptcy Court. On his release he and Miss Jones played at Manchester. At this time they had not been married, and the Manchester "Examiner" thus noticed this performance: "The great and ever interesting tragedy of Macbeth was last night given for the benefit of Miss Jones, who had evidently gained friends among our playgoers during a brief engagement. On this occasion she had procured the services of Mr. Gustavus Brooke, and as this gentleman has not appeared in Manchester for some ten or twelve years there could be no surprise at seeing the house crammed to excess in every part, stalls, boxes, pit, gallery, all equally crowded. Mr. Brooke on his appearance with Banquo on the heath, was received in the most enthusiastic manner, and shared his 'calls' with Miss Jones."

*****

As a truthful chronicler, some not very pleasant facts must be given. Mr. Brooke had a domestic quarrel with the lady whom we all recognised for years in Melbourne as his wife, and the lady left, placing herself under the protection of Mr. Henry Edwards, an old time Sydney actor, well and favorably remembered in the fifties. Mr. Edwards had succeeded Robert Heir as Brooke's manager, and by some means could not make ends meet, hence the quarrel between the two men, in which, possibly, the lady may have had a share of the blame thrust upon her. Mr. Edwards now dead, was in Sydney a few years ago with "Little Lord Fontelroy," He and Mrs. Edwards (Mrs. Brooke that was) kept for many years an hotel at Callao. When Mr. and Mrs, Brooke separated, Avonia Jones brought a good deal of scandal on herself by constantly appearing in the street and elsewhere with the tragedies. It was determined to return to England At that time there was an exodus of actresses and actors from Australia. Miss Jones took a farewell benefit, at which Brooke did not appear. She delivered an address, in which she slated her critics for entrenching upon her private life. One newspaper ungenerously stated the address was written for her by a professional address writer, and that this "beloved parent" was prompting her through the hole in the baize curtain." Mr. Brooke had announced his departure in the ship Suffolk, and as a guarantee that he was at last going, the receipt for the passage money was published in the newspapers. Mrs. and Miss Jones took their passages in the ship The Great Britain, and Brooke went in the same vessel. An army of bailiffs were waiting on Sandridge Pier, to make an arrest. Richard Younge was arrested at the suit of Robert Heir, but promptly settled the claim. (By the way, a very well-informed friend, who knew both gentlemen well, tells me that Richard and Fred Younge were not brothers, a delusion under which I have labored for 55 years.) Miss Jones was arrested at the suit of Mr. R. H. Horne ( "Orion") for £30, the price of a tragedy ordered, but which she refused to accept. Two gentlemen guaranteed to pay any claim Mr. Horne could sustain, and Miss Jones was released. Anxious inquiries were made for Mr. Brooke, but it was not until The Great Britain had sailed that it was assured that the tragedian had got away from our shores. When in Europe and America, Miss Jones kept up a constant correspondence with some Australian friends. In one letter she gave details of the career of Wilkes Booth, the assassin of Abraham Lincoln. Miss Jones knew Booth intimately. He had been her playmate in childhood, and her letter at the time of the tragedy is extremely interesting.

(To be continued.)