Louie Freear as Reggie in The Babes in the Wood, Theatre Royal, Manchester, Christmas 1898

Louie Freear (1871-1939), English actress and singer, as she appeared as Reggie the boy babe in The Babes in the Wood, the pantomime produced at the Theatre Royal, Manchester, on 24 December 1898.
(photo: Lafayette, Manchester, 1898/99; for another pose from this sitting, see The Sketch, London, Wednesday, 15 March 1899, p. 330)

‘A curious and interesting experiment will be tried in Manchester at Christmas [1898]. When the Drury-lane Babes in the Wood is reproduced at the Theatre Royal. Mr Dan Leon’s part will be played by Miss Louie Freear, who is to have the noble salary of £110 a-week. The girl babe [Chrissie] will be Mr [John] Brabourne.’
(The Era, London, Saturday, 7 May 1898, p. 12a)

‘The pantomime of The Babes in the Wood, which was produced at Drury-lane last year with Mr Dan Leno as a central figure, has been transplanted to the Theatre Royal, Manchester. With its adornment of local allusions and up-to-date matter of general interest, and the inevitable fun which must ever attend the efforts of such favourites as Miss Maggie Duggan [Prince Paragon], Miss Louie Freear, and Mr Thomas E. Murray [the Baron], the revivified Babes in the Wood promises to have a most successful run. One scene which promised to develop as a mirth-provoking incident of the pantomime is a schoolroom episode which even at this early period provides a fund of irresistible merriment. Another novelty of the pantomime, s those who saw it in London well know, is that the babes, Miss Louie Freear and Mr Brabourne, are not the usual innocent victims of a designing baron. They are real, live babes with a penchant for mischief which provokes merriment all round, and Miss Louie Freear’s dry humour, which takes the form of a quiet, spontaneous wit, rather than vivacious liveliness, is droll and invigorating in the extreme… .’
(The Era, London, Saturday, 31 December 1898, p. 24d)

* * * * *

Louie Freear (real name Louisa Freear), one of the children of Henry Butler Freear (1840/41-1879), an actor, and his wife Mary (née Burke, 1835-), was baptised at St. John’s, Waterloo Road, Lambeth, Surrey, on 17 December 1871. Both her parents were born in Ireland, where they were married in 1860. She was married in 1912 to Charles Shepherd (who is thought to have died in 1963) and died in 1939.

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Stafford Hall’s tableau, ‘A Dream of China’ in the pantomime, Aladdin and his Wonderful Lamp, produced at the Grand Theatre, Leeds, Christmas, 1894

the final tableau painted by the noted English scenic artist, Stafford Hall (1855-1921) of the pantomime, Aladdin and his Wonderful Lamp, produced at the Grand Theatre, Leeds, Yorkshire, at Christmas, 1894
(photo: unknown, Leeds, 1894)

‘The last scene of all is Mr. Stafford Hall’s transformation scene, entitled, ”A Dream of China – Illustrated in Two Plates.” Upon this magnificent scene the artist has evidently expended a great deal of thought and skill, and the result is a most resplendent picture, grand in its design and grouping, and glowing with gorgeous colour.’
(The Leeds Mercury, Leeds, Monday, 24 December 1894, p. 5g)

The leading cast members of this production of Aladdin were Maggie Duggan, Julia Kent, Violet Durkin, Denny Fitzherbert, Marion Martell, Ethel Bartlett, Alfred Hemming, Austin Melford, George Delaforce, the Payne Troupe of pantomimists and the Albert and Edmunds Troupe of acrobats, also the champion trick bicycle rider, W.G. Hurst.

Evie Greene

Evie Greene (1876-1917),
English actress and singer,
as principal boy in the pantomime
Babes in the Wood and Robin Hood,
produced at the Tyne Theatre, Newcastle-on-Tyne, Christmas, 1897
(photo: unknown, 1897/98)

This real photograph cigarette card of Evie Greene as principal boy in the Christmas 1897 pantomime Babes in the Wood and Robin Hood, produced at the Tyne Theatre, Newcastle-on-Tyne, was issued about 1900 in England in one of Ogden’s Guinea Gold series. Other members of the cast included Maggie Duggan, Marie Yorke, May Marton, Nellie Christie, Lulu and Valli Valli, Robb Harwood, Harry Elliston, Harry Lupino, Charles Cassie (eccentric doll dance), Volti and Ray (bar act) and the Harlow Brothers (The Newcastle Weekly Courant, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Saturday, 1 January 1898, p. 1b)

Harriett Vernon’s ‘Young King Neptune,’ 1894

a portrait of Harriett Vernon (1852-1923),
English music hall singer, pantomime principal boy and actress,
featured on the lithograph song sheet cover of Arthur Seldon’s patriotic song,
‘Young King Neptune’
(published by Francis, Day & Hunter, London, and T.B. Harms & Co, New York, 1894; printed by H.G. Banks, London, 1894)

London Pavilion, Bank Holiday Monday, 7 May 1894
‘… The serio-comic business found excellent exponents in Miss Marie Le Blanc, Miss Florrie Robina, and Miss Maggie Duggan. Miss Harriett Vernon was vociferously applauded in the character of Neptune, her costume being simply superb… .’
(The Standard, London, Tuesday, 15 May 1894, p. 2d)

Harriett Vernon in the character of ‘Young King Neptune’
(photo: unknown, probably London, 1894)

This real photograph cigarette card was issued in the United States of America during 1894 or shortly thereafter.

Madge Rockingham (fl. late 19^th Century), English actress manageress, singer and pantomime principal boy and principal girl(photo: unknown, UK, probably 1890s)

This real photograph cigarette card of Madge Rockingham was issued about 1900 in England in one of Ogden’s Guinea Gold series. It shows her in the title role of Robinson Crusoe, a pantomime in which she took the lead at the Theatre Royal, Halifax (Christmas, 1894) and at the New Theatre, Kilburn (Christmas, 1895)

New Theatre, Kilburn.

‘But the bright particular star and success of the production is Miss M.R. as Crusoe, one of the best principal boys on the stage. Why this lady is not heard more of in London we cannot understand. Now, Mr. George Edwardes, keep your eye on this. A lady with a fine presence, pretty face and figure, grand mezzo=soprano voice, and can use it, and, what is more, an actress. Bravo! Dick Mansell [manager of the New Theatre, Kilburn], for being the first in the field in London with such a valuable article.’ (from The Encore, London, 3 January 1896, reprinted in The Era, London, Saturday, 11 January 1896, p. 12a)

‘Miss Madge Rockingham is a native of Sheffield, where Mr Edgar Ward, the theatrical manager and musical director, heard her sing at a concert in the Albert Hall. He engaged her for Fairy Queen in the pantomime at the Theatre Royal, Plymouth, 1883, and so she made her first appearance on the stage. Subsequently, Miss Rockingham played Germaine throughout five tours of Les Cloches de Corneville, the last with Mr Shiel Barry. She appeared on tour in La Fille du Tambour Major, Les Manteaux Noirs, and The Princess of Trebizonde. Miss Rockingham played principal girl in Randolph the Reckless (with Mr Victor Stevens, Miss Alice Brookes, and Miss Alice Cooke); in Miss Esmeralda, with Maggie Duggan and Little Tich; and in Cartouche and Company, with Miss Vesta Tilley. Miss Rockingham also toured as Thames Darrell, in Little Jack Sheppard, with Miss Fanny Robina and Mr J.J. Dallas. For three years she was in management on her own account, the ”Madge Rockingham company” appearing in the Gaiety version of Miss Esmeralda, also in a musical comedy, specially written by Mr Arthur Shirley and Mr Benjamin Landeck, entitled A Fight for Freedom. Miss Rockingham’s pantomime engagements include the following: – Principal girl – Alexandra Theatre, Liverpool; Theatre Royal, Sheffield; Theatre Royal, Bath; Avenue Theatre, Sunderland; and two Easter pantomimes at York; principal boy – Opera Comique, London; Theatre Royal, Brighton; Alexandra Theatre, Liverpool; Theatre Royal, Reading; and Theatre Royal, Kilburn. Next Christmas Miss Rockingham plays Aladdin at the West London Theatre. Meanwhile she is appearing as Madame Montesquieu with Miss Cissy Grahame’s All Abroad company.’ (The Era, London, Saturday, 17 October 1896, p. 13d)