The Lorgnette

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Lorgnette, subtitled "Theatrical Journal and Programme" (later "A journal for Amusements"), was a weekly magazine in Melbourne, Australia, devoted to theatre, opera and the concert stage. The magazine was published Saturdays and sold for 2d (two pence) at the major entertainment venues (Theatre Royal, Opera House, Academy of Music, Princess' Theatre, and Town Hall) where it had exclusive rights, and elsewhere.

For much of its existence, a four-page supplement was issued with the Saturday two pence (from 1890 one penny)[1] paper. The supplement was available gratis as a separate publication every other day of the week.[2] This supplement was printed (and contents updated) daily, and datestamped.

In order to promote forthcoming productions as well as providing up-to-date theatre news and current programmes, a great deal of its content was reprinted from one issue to the next, perhaps a unique characteristic of this magazine, while some features changed with every issue, notably the illustrated biographies, a list of which forms a large part of this article.

History[]

A sheet called The Lorgnette made its first appearance in Melbourne in July 1865, "a local Punch" without pictures"[3] and was hailed by The Argus for its "considerable spirit".[4]

In April 1877, following a complaint from Joseph Alfred Hildreth, publisher of rival theatrical paper L'Entracte,[5] John J. Liddy, publisher of "The Lorgnette" at Royal lane, off 106 Bourke Street east, was fined £5 with £2 2s. costs for having an unregistered press and types in his possession.[6]

William Marshall

In 1878 William Marshall, of Melbourne's The Record and Emerald Hill and Sandridge Advertiser ("The Record") newspaper, with printing works at Emerald Hill,[7] purchased The Lorgnette and its printery, and continued running both businesses.[8] Marshall divested himself of The Record in 1881.[9]

The printing works was adjacent the Bijou Theatre, Melbourne, which was destroyed by fire in April 1889. Marshall suffered significant losses[10] as did the Brough-Boucicault Comedy Company, lessees of the theatre. Members of the acting community put on a benefit performance for Marshall, which raised £582. Those involved included George Coppin, the Majeronis, J. C. Williamson, Richard Stewart, Grattan Riggs, , Alfred Dampier, , and Bland Holt.[11]

A feature of issues from 11 May 1889 to 6 December 1890 was a biography of a prominent artist,[12] accompanied by a photo-engraved (perhaps leggotype) portrait, a list of which appears below.

In January 1889 Marshall purchased Fred E. Patey's interest in the Theatrical Courier[13] and henceforth the Lorgnette was subtitled "With which is incorporated The Theatrical Courier".

11 May 1889 saw the first of the weekly series of biographies which continued to December 1890.

17 January 1891 was the last (Saturday) weekly issue at 1d. It was followed with an issue labelled "4th Series No. 1" dated 18 January, and was supplied gratis. It appears that, as with the Supplements mentioned above, fresh issues with updates could have been printed every day.

John Liddy, who maintained a personal (if not financial) interest in the paper, died in January 1891[14]

In 1898 William Marshall & Co. moved from Royal Lane to new premises at 229 Little Collins Street (just above Swanston Street.[15] The old premises had been condemned as unfit in 1895 and again in 1896.[16] Marshall died on 12 June 1900, aged 55, fondly remembered by the theatre community.[17]

The Lorgnette biographies[]

Date Name aka
Miss Isabel Morris.png 1889 05 11 Miss UK actress[18]
Dion Boucicault jr.png 1889 05 11 Dion Boucicault Jr. IRE manager[19]
Robert Brough.png 1889 05 11 Robert Brough UK actor manager[20]
Alfred Dampier.png 1889 05 18 Alfred Dampier UK actor manager[21]
Grattan Riggs.png 1889 05 25 Grattan Riggs Thomas G. Riggs US actor[22]
George S. Coppin.png 1889 06 01 George S. Coppin UK actor manager[23]
Philip Beck.png 1889 06 08 Philip Beck[24] Phil Beck UK actor[25]
Miss Myra Kemble.png 1889 06 15 Miss Myra Kemble Mrs J. H. White AUS actress[26]
Fred Maccabe.png 1889 06 22 Fred Maccabe[24] Fred McCabe UK standup comic[27]
Married Mdlle Minnia[28]
Eduardo Majeroni.png 1889 06 29 Eduardo Majeroni ITA actor manager[29]
Thomas P. Hudson.png 1889 07 06 Thomas P. Hudson UK entertainer / manager[30]
Miss Maggie Knight.png 1889 07 13 Miss Maggie Knight AUS actress[31]
Married H. R. Jewett[28]
Harry Lynch.png 1889 07 20 Harry Lynch Lynch Family bellringers AUS bellringer[32]
Miss Emma Chambers.png 1889 07 27 Miss Emma Chambers Mrs Albert Marsh (1889–) UK actress manager[33]
Arthur Garner.png 1889 08 03 Arthur Garner member, "The Triumvirate" AUS manager[34]
G. H. Snazelle.png 1889 08 10 G. H. Snazelle UK entertainer[35]
Miss Janet Achurch.png 1889 08 17 Miss Janet Achurch UK actress[36]
Miss Jennie Lee.png 1889 08 24 Miss Jennie Lee UK actress[37]
Married J. P. Burnett[28]
Signora Majeroni.png 1889 08 31 Signora Majeroni niece of Ristori ITA actress[38]
George Fawcett Rowe.png 1889 09 07 George Fawcett Rowe George Fawcett AUS actor[39]
The Royal Midgets.png 1889 09 14 General Mite; Mrs Mite
Francis J. Flynn (died in Broken Hill November 1898)		 entertainers[40]
Edward Armes Beaumont (2).png 1889 09 21 Edward Armes Beaumont Armes Beaumont AUS operatic tenor[41]
Henry Edwards.png 1889 09 28 Henry Edwards UK actor[42]
Wybert Reeve.png 1889 10 05 Wybert Reeve UK actor playwright[43]
Edward F. Thorne.png 1889 10 12 Edwin F. Thorne US actor[44] Note that a correction to the filename is pending at WM Commons
Miss Edith Blande.png 1889 10 19 Miss Edith Blande[24] UK actress[45] married critic, stage biographer (1862–1922)
Miss Olive Berkley.png 1889 10 26 Miss Olive Berkley[24] US child actress[46] born Olivia Venetia Berkley in New York, 1879, played Little Lord Fauntleroy
Martin Simonsen.png 1889 11 02 Martin Simonsen AUS violinist manager[47]
Henry Bracy.png 1889 11 09 Henry Bracy UK light opera[48]
Miss Elsa May.png 1889 11 16 Miss Elcia May AUS operatic prima donna[49]
Married Boothroyd Fairclough[28]
Frank Thornton.png 1889 11 23 Frank Thornton UK comedian[50]
Miss Lilian Tree.png 1889 11 30 Miss UK operatic singer[51]
Knight Aston.png 1889 12 07 UK light opera[52]
George Sutton Titheradge.png 1889 12 14 George Sutton Titheradge UK actor[53]
W. G. Carey.png 1889 12 21 AUS actor[54]
Miss Lily Dampier.png 1889 12 28 Miss Lily Dampier daughter of Alfred UK actress[55]
Fanny Simonsen.png 1890 01 04 Madame Fanny Simonsen FRA operatic prima donna[56]
Charles Warner.png 1890 01 11 Charles Warner UK actor[57]
James Allison.png 1890 01 18 James Allison AUS stage manager[58]
Miss Fanny Wiseman.png 1890 01 25 Miss Mrs William South UK actress[59]
James F Cathcart.png 1890 02 01 UK actor[60]
Mrs Robert Brough.png 1890 02 08 AUS actress[61]
George R Ireland.png 1890 02 15 AUS actor[62]
Benjamin N Jones.png 1890 02 22 US stage manager[63]
Mrs Brown-Potter.png 1890 03 01 Mrs Brown-Potter US actress[64]
Miss Gracie Warner.png 1890 03 08 Miss UK actress[65]
John Lawrence Toole.png 1890 03 15 John Lawrence Toole UK comedian[66]
Madame Marian Burton.png 1890 03 22 Madame UK opera singer[67]
George Darrell.png 1890 03 29 George Darrell AUS actor author[68]
George William Anson.png 1890 04 05 UK actor[69]
Percy Lyndal.png 1890 04 12 UK actor[70]
Miss Pattie Browne.png 1890 04 19 Miss AUS actress[71]
Married W. Baumann[28]
John Billington.png 1890 04 26 UK actor[72]
Jules Simonsen.png 1890 05 03 AUS light opera[73]
Alexander Mayne.png 1890 05 10 AUS manager recitations[74]
Sir Charles Halle.png 1890 05 17 Sir Charles Hallé UK pianist[75]
Henry R. Harwood.png 1890 05 24 Henry R. Harwood UK comedian[76]
Dion Boucicault.png 1890 05 31 Dion Boucicault IRE actor[77]
Miss Jenny Watt-Tanner.png 1890 06 07 Miss AUS actress[78]
Cecil Ward.png 1890 06 14 AUS actor[79]
Professor S. S. Baldwin.png 1890 06 21 Professor US entertainer[80]
George Rignold.png 1890 06 28 George Rignold UK actor[81]
Mrs Bland Holt.png 1890 07 05 UK actress manager[82]
William Rignold.png 1890 07 12 William Rignold UK actor[83]
Miss Maude Williamson.png 1890 07 19 Miss UK actress[84]
Cecil Forrester.png 1890 07 26 AUS actor[85]
Miss Roland Watts-Phillips.png 1890 08 02 Miss UK actress[86]
Edward Sass.png 1890 08 09 UK actor[87]
A. E. Greenaway.png 1890 08 16 AUS actor[88]
Kyrle Bellew.png 1890 08 23 Kyrle Bellew UK actor[89]
Married Eugenie Le Grande[28]
A. Litherland Cunard.png 1890 08 30 UK stage manager[90]
Christine Darrell.png 1890 09 06 AUS actress[91]
George Leopold.png 1890 09 13 UK comedian[92]
Hubert O'Grady.png 1890 09 20 IRE comedian author[93]
Miss Eloise Juno.png 1890 09 27 Miss SCO actress[94]
Miss Olga Nethersole.png 1890 10 04 Miss Olga Nethersole UK actress[95]
Miss Maggie Moore.png 1890 10 11 Miss Maggie Moore Mrs J. C. Williamson US actress[96]
Laurence Cautley.png 1890 10 18 UK actor[97]
J. R. Greville.png 1890 10 25 John Rodger Greville AUS comedian manager[98]
Madame Patey.png 1890 11 01 UK singer[99]
Mrs Walter Hill.png 1890 11 08 AUS actress[100]
Miss Fanny Enson.png 1890 11 15 Miss UK actress[101]
Miss E. Romer.png 1890 11 22 UK actress[102]
William Elton.png 1890 11 29 William Elton UK comedian[103]
George Leitch.png 1890 12 06 George Leitch George Ralf Walker UK comedian playwright[104]

Digitization[]

Photographic copies of The Lorgnette from 1 July 1878 to 1 December 1898 have been digitized by the National library of Australia and may be accessed via Trove. In the "4th Series" a representative issue from the first of each month has been digitized.

References[]

  1. ^ "Advertising". The Lorgnette. No. 57. Victoria, Australia. 1 February 1890. p. 3 (Supplement). Retrieved 10 April 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  2. ^ "Public Notice". The Lorgnette. No. 1. Victoria, Australia. 12 January 1889. p. 2 (Supplement). Retrieved 10 April 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. ^ "Items of News". Mount Alexander Mail. No. 1963. Victoria, Australia. 29 June 1865. p. 2. Retrieved 10 April 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ^ "Daylesford". The Argus (Melbourne). No. 5, 957. Victoria, Australia. 10 July 1865. p. 6. Retrieved 10 April 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. ^ "The Rival Programmes". The Herald (Melbourne). No. 1546. Victoria, Australia. 27 March 1877. p. 3. Retrieved 10 April 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ^ "Victoria". The Evening Journal (Adelaide). Vol. IX, no. 2515. South Australia. 10 April 1877. p. 2. Retrieved 17 March 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ^ "Advertising". The Record and Emerald Hill and Sandridge Advertiser. Vol. X, no. 516. Victoria, Australia. 17 May 1878. p. 2. Retrieved 10 April 2021 – via Trove.
  8. ^ "Advertising". The Lorgnette. Victoria, Australia. 2 July 1878. p. 4 (Edition 1). Retrieved 10 April 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. ^ "The Record". . Vol. XIII, no. 644. Victoria, Australia. 28 January 1881. p. 3. Retrieved 11 April 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  10. ^ "News of the Day". The Age. No. 10, 659. Victoria, Australia. 23 April 1889. p. 4. Retrieved 8 March 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  11. ^ "Bygone Days". The Argus (Melbourne). No. 28, 918. Victoria, Australia. 29 April 1939. p. 5. Retrieved 8 March 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  12. ^ "Advertising". The Lorgnette. No. 105. Victoria, Australia. 3 January 1891. p. 3 (Supplement). Retrieved 5 March 2021 – via National Library of Australia. A list of featured artists; note several discrepancies.
  13. ^ ""The Theatrical Courier"". The Lorgnette. No. I. Victoria, Australia. 12 January 1889. p. 4. Retrieved 10 April 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  14. ^ "Funeral of the late John J. Liddy". The Lorgnette. No. 107. Victoria, Australia. 17 January 1891. p. 2. Retrieved 10 April 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  15. ^ "Advertising". The Lorgnette. No. 285. Victoria, Australia. 1 December 1898. p. 6. Retrieved 10 April 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  16. ^ "An Unregistered "Factory"". The Age. No. 12, 833. Victoria, Australia. 17 April 1896. p. 6. Retrieved 10 April 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  17. ^ "Topics of the Day". The Herald. No. 6207. Victoria, Australia. 12 June 1900. p. 2. Retrieved 10 April 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  18. ^ "Isabel Morris". The Lorgnette. 11 May 1889 – via Trove.
  19. ^ "Dion Boucicault Jr". The Lorgnette. 11 May 1889 – via Trove.
  20. ^ "Robert Brough". The Lorgnette. 11 May 1889 – via Trove.
  21. ^ "Alfred Dampier". The Lorgnette. 18 May 1889 – via Trove.
  22. ^ "Grattan Riggs". The Lorgnette. 25 May 1889 – via Trove.
  23. ^ "George S Coppin". The Lorgnette. 1 June 1889 – via Trove.
  24. ^ "Philip Beck". The Lorgnette. 8 June 1889 – via Trove.
  25. ^ "Myra Kemble". The Lorgnette. 15 June 1889 – via Trove.
  26. ^ "Fred Maccabe". The Lorgnette. 22 June 1889 – via Trove.
  27. ^ a b c d e f "Private and Professional Names". Table Talk. No. 172. Victoria, Australia. 5 October 1888. p. 28. Retrieved 2 June 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  28. ^ "Eduardo Majeroni". The Lorgnette. 29 June 1889 – via Trove.
  29. ^ "Thomas P. Hudson". The Lorgnette. 6 July 1889 – via Trove.
  30. ^ "Maggie Knight". The Lorgnette. 13 July 1889 – via Trove.
  31. ^ "Harry Lynch". The Lorgnette. 20 July 1889 – via Trove.
  32. ^ "Emma Chambers". The Lorgnette. 27 July 1889 – via Trove.
  33. ^ "Arthur Garner". The Lorgnette. 3 August 1889 – via Trove.
  34. ^ "G. H. Snazelle". The Lorgnette. 10 August 1889 – via Trove.
  35. ^ "Janet Achurch". The Lorgnette. 17 August 1889 – via Trove.
  36. ^ "Jennie Lee". The Lorgnette. 24 August 1889 – via Trove.
  37. ^ "Signora Majeroni". The Lorgnette. 31 August 1889 – via Trove.
  38. ^ "George Fawcett Rowe". The Lorgnette. 7 September 1889 – via Trove.
  39. ^ "The Royal Midgets". The Lorgnette. 14 September 1889 – via Trove.
  40. ^ "Edward Armes Beaumont". The Lorgnette. 21 September 1889 – via Trove.
  41. ^ "Henry Edwards". The Lorgnette. 28 September 1889 – via Trove.
  42. ^ "Wybert Reeve". The Lorgnette. 5 October 1889 – via Trove.
  43. ^ "Edwin F Thorne". The Lorgnette. 12 October 1889 – via Trove.
  44. ^ "Edith Blande". The Lorgnette. 19 October 1889 – via Trove.
  45. ^ "Olive Berkley". The Lorgnette. 26 October 1889 – via Trove.
  46. ^ "Martin Simonsen". The Lorgnette. 2 November 1889 – via Trove.
  47. ^ "Henry Bracy". The Lorgnette. 9 November 1889 – via Trove.
  48. ^ "Elsa May". The Lorgnette. 16 November 1889 – via Trove.
  49. ^ "Frank Thornton". The Lorgnette. 23 November 1889 – via Trove.
  50. ^ "Lilian Tree". The Lorgnette. 30 November 1889 – via Trove.
  51. ^ "Knight Aston". The Lorgnette. 7 December 1889 – via Trove.
  52. ^ "George Sutton Titheradge". The Lorgnette. 14 December 1889 – via Trove.
  53. ^ "W G Carey". The Lorgnette. 21 December 1889 – via Trove.
  54. ^ "Lily Dampier". The Lorgnette. 28 December 1889 – via Trove.
  55. ^ "Fanny Simonsen". The Lorgnette. 4 January 1890 – via Trove.
  56. ^ "Charles Warner". The Lorgnette. 11 January 1890 – via Trove.
  57. ^ "James Allison". The Lorgnette. 18 January 1890 – via Trove.
  58. ^ "Fanny Wiseman". The Lorgnette. 25 January 1890 – via Trove.
  59. ^ "James F. Cathcart". The Lorgnette. 1 February 1890 – via Trove.
  60. ^ "Mrs Robert Brough". The Lorgnette. 8 February 1890 – via Trove.
  61. ^ "George R. Ireland". The Lorgnette. 15 February 1890 – via Trove.
  62. ^ "Benjamin N Jones". The Lorgnette. 22 February 1890 – via Trove.
  63. ^ "Mrs Brown-Potter". The Lorgnette. 1 March 1890 – via Trove.
  64. ^ "Gracie Warner". The Lorgnette. 8 March 1890 – via Trove.
  65. ^ "John Lawrence Toole". The Lorgnette. 15 March 1890 – via Trove.
  66. ^ "Marian Burton". The Lorgnette. 22 March 1890 – via Trove.
  67. ^ "George Darrell". The Lorgnette. 29 March 1890 – via Trove.
  68. ^ "George William Anson". The Lorgnette. 5 April 1890 – via Trove.
  69. ^ "Percy Lyndal". The Lorgnette. 12 April 1890 – via Trove.
  70. ^ "Pattie Browne". The Lorgnette. 19 April 1890 – via Trove.
  71. ^ "John Billington". The Lorgnette. 26 April 1890 – via Trove.
  72. ^ "Jules Simonsen". The Lorgnette. 3 May 1890 – via Trove.
  73. ^ "Alexander Mayne". The Lorgnette. 10 May 1890 – via Trove.
  74. ^ "Sir Charles Halle". The Lorgnette. 17 May 1890 – via Trove.
  75. ^ "Henry R Harwood". The Lorgnette. 24 May 1890 – via Trove.
  76. ^ "Dion Boucicault". The Lorgnette. 31 May 1890 – via Trove.
  77. ^ "Jenny Watt-Tanner". The Lorgnette. 7 June 1890 – via Trove.
  78. ^ "Cecil Ward". The Lorgnette. 14 June 1890 – via Trove.
  79. ^ "S. S. Baldwin". The Lorgnette. 21 June 1890 – via Trove.
  80. ^ "George Rignold". The Lorgnette. 28 June 1890 – via Trove.
  81. ^ "Mrs Bland Holt". The Lorgnette. 5 July 1890 – via Trove.
  82. ^ "William Rignold". The Lorgnette. 12 July 1890 – via Trove.
  83. ^ "Miss Maude Williamson". The Lorgnette. 19 July 1890 – via Trove.
  84. ^ "Cecil Forrester". The Lorgnette. 26 July 1890 – via Trove.
  85. ^ "Roland Watts-Phillips". The Lorgnette. 2 August 1890 – via Trove.
  86. ^ "Edward Sass". The Lorgnette. 9 August 1890 – via Trove.
  87. ^ "A. E. Greenaway". The Lorgnette. 16 August 1890 – via Trove.
  88. ^ "Kyrle Bellew". The Lorgnette. 23 August 1890 – via Trove.
  89. ^ "A Litherland Cunard". The Lorgnette. 30 August 1890 – via Trove.
  90. ^ "Christine Darrell". The Lorgnette. 6 September 1890 – via Trove.
  91. ^ "George Leopold". The Lorgnette. 13 September 1890 – via Trove.
  92. ^ "Hubert O'Grady". The Lorgnette. 20 September 1890 – via Trove.
  93. ^ "Eloise Juno". The Lorgnette. 27 September 1890 – via Trove.
  94. ^ "Olga Nethersole". The Lorgnette. 4 October 1890 – via Trove.
  95. ^ "Maggie Moore". The Lorgnette. 11 October 1890 – via Trove.
  96. ^ "Laurence Cautley". The Lorgnette. 18 October 1890 – via Trove.
  97. ^ "J. R. Greville". The Lorgnette. 25 October 1890 – via Trove.
  98. ^ "Madame Patey". The Lorgnette. 1 November 1890 – via Trove.
  99. ^ "Mrs Walter Hill". The Lorgnette. 8 November 1890 – via Trove.
  100. ^ "Fanny Enson". The Lorgnette. 15 November 1890 – via Trove.
  101. ^ "Miss E. Romer". The Lorgnette. 22 November 1890 – via Trove.
  102. ^ "William Elton". The Lorgnette. 29 November 1890 – via Trove.
  103. ^ "George Leitch". The Lorgnette. 5 December 1890 – via Trove.
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