John Bardsley (1883-1916), English tenor

autographed halftone postcard photograph of John Bardsley (1883-1916), English tenor
(photo and postcard: unknown, United Kingdom, circa 1910)

Before leaving for the United States in August 1913 to fulfil a contract with the Aborn Opera Company, John Bardsley sang at several Promenade Concerts in London between 1906 and 1911. Among other commitments (see below) he also appeared in two musical plays: Butterflies, at the Apollo Theatre, London (12 May 1908), with Ada Reeve, Louis Bradfield and Hayden Coffin; and A Persian Princess, at the Queen’s Theatre, London (27 April 1909), with George Graves, Carrie Moore and Ruth Vincent. He also made a number of gramophone recordings.

‘Shortly after singing faintly, ”Drink to me only with thine eyes,” John Bardsley, a tenor who formerly was a member of the Covent Garden Opera Company in London and the Century Opera Company in New York, fell back on his bed and died.’
(The Wairarapa Daily Times, Saturday, 13 May 1916, p. 3b)

‘New York. – Dying of pneumonia, John Bardsley, tenor, sat up in bed, sang ”Drink to Me Only With Thine Eyes,” and fell back dead.’
(The Day Book, Chicago, Illinois, Friday, 7 April 1916, p. 30b)

‘JOHN BARDSLEY BURIED.
‘Was Formerly Well Known as a Singer of Operatic Roles.
‘John Bardsley, formerly a well known tenor of the Aborn Opera Company and for the last two years one of the entertainers at Shanley’s, was buried yesterday from the undertaking rooms at 2748 Broadway. He died early Thursday morning of pneumonia.
‘Mr. Bardsley was born in Lancaster, England, and was 32 years old. He won the Ada Lewis free scholarship at the Royal Academy of Music in London when 17 years old and at 25 was tenor with the Beecham Opera Company at the Covent Garden. He made his first appearance in the United States with the Aborn troupe and was especially successful in light opera roles. One of his best successes was in ”Pinafore” at the [New York] Hippodrome [9 April 1914].
‘His wife and three small children were at his bedside during his illness. Mr. Bardsley leaves three brothers, all of whom are with the British troops in France, one of them being a captain. Burial was at Woodlawn Cemetery.’
(The Sun, New York, Saturday, 8 April 1916, p. 9g)

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Ruth Vincent and her son, John Fraser

Ruth Vincent (née Amy Ruth Bunn, 1873-1955), English soprano and actress, with her son, John Fraser (1906-1977)
(photo: Foulsham & Banfield, London, probably 1907)

Ruth Vincent was born in Norfolk on 3 December 1873, one of several children of Henry Vincent Bunn (1831/32-1892), a butcher of the Marketplace, Great Yarmouth, and his wife, Emma (née Long, 1843/44-1913?), who were married in 1869. Miss Vincent married Lt. Col. John Fraser of the Royal Horse Guards in 1898 and their son, John was born in 1906. The latter eventually became business manager to the dress designer, Michael Sherard (1910-1998), a former assistant of Peter Russell.

One of Ruth Vincent’s sisters, Margaret Vincent Bunn (1877-1953), was the actress and singer, Madge Vincent. The latter married the actor and comedian Harry Franckeiss (otherwise Frankiss) in 1901, by whom she had a daughter, Betty Frankiss (born 1912), who was also an actress and singer.

Ruth Vincent, English soprano and actress, with her son, John Fraser, circa 1907

Ruth Vincent (née Amy Ruth Bunn, 1873-1955), English soprano and actress, with her son, John Fraser (1906-1977)
(photo: Foulsham & Banfield, London, probably 1907)

Ruth Vincent was born in Norfolk on 3 December 1873, one of several children of Henry Vincent Bunn (1831/32-1892), a butcher of the Marketplace, Great Yarmouth, and his wife, Emma (née Long, 1843/44-1913?), who were married in 1869. Miss Vincent married Lt. Col. John Fraser of the Royal Horse Guards in 1898 and their son, John was born in 1906. The latter eventually became business manager to the dress designer, Michael Sherard (1910-1998), a former assistant of Peter Russell.

One of Ruth Vincent’s sisters, Margaret Vincent Bunn (1877-1953), was the actress and singer, Madge Vincent. The latter married the actor and comedian Harry Franckeiss (otherwise Frankiss) in 1901, by whom she had a daughter, Betty Frankiss (born 1912), who was also an actress and singer.

Ruth Vincent (née Amy Ruth Bunn, 1873-1955), English soprano and actress, with her son, John Fraser (1906-1977)
(photo: Foulsham & Banfield, London, probably 1907)

Ruth Vincent was born in Norfolk on 3 December 1873, one of several children of Henry Vincent Bunn (1831/32-1892), a butcher of the Marketplace, Great Yarmouth, and his wife, Emma (née Long, 1843/44-1913?), who were married in 1869. Miss Vincent married Lt. Col. John Fraser of the Royal Horse Guards in 1898 and their son, John was born in 1906. The latter eventually became business manager to the dress designer, Michael Sherard (1910-1998), a former assistant of Peter Russell.

One of Ruth Vincent’s sisters, Margaret Vincent Bunn (1877-1953), was the actress and singer, Madge Vincent. The latter married the actor and comedian Harry Franckeiss (otherwise Frankiss) in 1901, by whom she had a daughter, Betty Frankiss (born 1912), who was also an actress and singer.

Maudi Darrell and George Graves in The Belle of Britanny

Maudi Darrell (1882-1920) as Toinette and George Graves (1876-1949) as the Marquis de St. Gautier in The Belle of Britanny, Queen’s Theatre, London, 24 October 1908
(photo: Foulsham & Banfield, London, 1908)

This real photograph postcard, no. 7444B in the Rotary Photographic Series published in 19087 by the Rotary Photographic Co Ltd of London, shows Maudi Darrell as Toinette and George Graves as the Marquis de St. Gautier in the comic opera The Belle of Britanny, which was produced at the Queen’s Theatre, London, on 24 October 1908. The piece was written by Leedham Bantock and P.J. Barrow, with lyrics by Percy Greenbank and music by Howard Talbot and Marie Horne. Other members of the cast included Lawrence Rea, Davy Burnaby, E.W. Royce senior, Walter Passmore, Lily Iris (replaced during the run successively by May Hackney and Millie Legarde), Maud Boyd, Blanche Stocker, Minnie Baker, Gladys Saqui and Ruth Vincent. The production ran for 147 performances.

An American production of The Belle of Britanny opened at Daly’s Theatre, New York, on 8 November 1909, in which Toinette was played by Elsa Ryan and de St. Gautier by Frank Daniels.