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Some Special Interests => Occupation Interests => Topic started by: jadis on Saturday 12 August 06 13:51 BST (UK)
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I am looking for info on my Great Grandmother EDITH COURTNEY. She was an Opera Singer and I know she performed in Utopia Limited for the D'Oyley Carte co touring New York and Boston in 1894. If anyone knows where I may find any more info I would be grateful.
Many thanks
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Found this on the internet, but I suspect you already know it :D
Edith Courtney (1894)
Edith Courtney appeared as Melene in Utopia Limited with D'Oyly Carte's American Utopia Company in New York and Boston, March-June 1894. It was her only engagement with the D'Oyly Carte organization. She later appeared as Nora in George Dance and Ivan Caryll's musical comedy The Gay Parisienne at London's Duke of York's Theatre in 1896-97.
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Thanks, but thats the only info that I know. I'm trying to find out more but having no luck :'( but i'll have to keep trying ;D
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The Times shows her at the Palace, off and on, from 1896 (briefly, before she shows up as at the Duke of York) right up to 1905, after which she disappears from the Advertising listings. Presumably they mean this place:
http://www.thisistheatre.com/londontheatre/palacetheatre.html
It doesn't say what was going on there, just that there were nightly shows and a Saturday Matinee (musical variety show, perhaps?)
Esme Beringer - http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0075206/ - was at the same venue in 1903.
In 1901 the headliner act is a George Grossmith, possibly the son of this one:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Grossmith
Incidentally, was a Kathleen Courtney any relation? She also turns up in the theatre advertisments...
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The Times shows her at the Palace, off and on, from 1896 (briefly, before she shows up as at the Duke of York) right up to 1905, after which she disappears from the Advertising listings. Presumably they mean this place:
http://www.thisistheatre.com/londontheatre/palacetheatre.html
It doesn't say what was going on there, just that there were nightly shows and a Saturday Matinee (musical variety show, perhaps?)
Esme Beringer - http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0075206/ - was at the same venue in 1903.
In 1901 the headliner act is a George Grossmith, possibly the son of this one:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Grossmith
Incidentally, was a Kathleen Courtney any relation? She also turns up in the theatre advertisments...
Please can you tell me where you got the info regarding the Times? I havn't come across Kathleen yet so I assume not she is no relation.
Thanks :)
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I have access to the database through Cambridgeshire Libraries. If you are in England, and have a library card, it's worth checking if your county library provides access (with my library card I have access to this and other databases from home, although The Times is the one I use primarily).
Alternatively, I think somewhere on Rootschat there's instructions for another way of getting to it, for free I believe although it involves becoming a member of one of the libraries or something of that sort?
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OK Thanks :)I've just tried my local library and no luck :'(I'll have to find another way
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Jadis, My wife's grandmother is an Edith COURTNEY born 28 Nov 1882 (as Edith Courtney TOWNSEND as out of wedlock), who married William Aloysius WHITE on 3 Sep 1911 and died on 24 Jun 1967. For quite good but not conclusive circumstantial reasons I thought that she appeared in London theatres as a singer. Using the Cambridgeshire access to The Times, I thought that these included the Alhambra, Duke of York, Palace (Theatre of Varieties) and Tivoli. She also had a sister Constance COURTNEY whom I believe had a few minor theatre appearances. I thought I knew all Edith's descendants, so there seems to be a problem for one or both of us. Any thoughts?
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Jadis, My wife's grandmother is an Edith COURTNEY born 28 Nov 1882 (as Edith Courtney TOWNSEND as out of wedlock), who married William Aloysius WHITE on 3 Sep 1911 and died on 24 Jun 1967. For quite good but not conclusive circumstantial reasons I thought that she appeared in London theatres as a singer. Using the Cambridgeshire access to The Times, I thought that these included the Alhambra, Duke of York, Palace (Theatre of Varieties) and Tivoli. She also had a sister Constance COURTNEY whom I believe had a few minor theatre appearances. I thought I knew all Edith's descendants, so there seems to be a problem for one or both of us. Any thoughts?
Hi Brianas, I was previously Jadis but due to previous computer problems i am now logged in as Salem.
I don't believe that we are talking about the same person as none of the info that you have given ties up with mine although there are similarities. Very interesting though. Do you have pics? :)
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Hi Salem, The earliest photo I have of my Edith Courtney is attached. Estimates of Edith's age in the photo have ranged from 28 to 32. Is she at all like your Edith Courtney?
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Hi
My Edith was born 1870 at Grays Inn road, Pancras and died 1942. Here's a pic anyway :)
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Try again :D
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Salem, Thanks for the photo. A glamorous-looking lady! And fairly clearly the same one as referred to above by suttontrust as being Nora in the Gay Parisiennne. It increasingly looks as if I have been on the wrong track, but I am asking my wife's cousins if they can come up with more evidence of their grandmother having been on stage.
I have a scan of a pretty programme from the Palace of Varieties. The programme was a piece of card folded into three columns, and Edith Courtney is listed as a ballad singer at item 10. See attachments. It seems likely she is 'yours', though I still have faint hopes that my Edith was somewhere on stage.
I have some Word notes 'an' Edith Courtney's performances, as well as quite a few some scans of reviews of performances she was in (though she is not mentioned personally) and other images. If you are interested, please send me your email address via a RootsChat personal message.
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Hi. I'm trying to find out more info about Edith Courtney. I've traced her to approx 1900 through D'Oyly Carte etc. But the last census info I've got is 1881 and I can't find any details of her marriage and any family she may have had. I can trace most her of siblings and their families (my husband is descended from her brother William), so its really frustrating that I can't trace her! Any help would be most aprreciated.
Sally
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Hi
Just a thought.... have you tried contacting the D'Oyley Carte Theatre Co direct?
www.doylycarte.org.uk
You never know they may have records, or be able to suggest where to look.
Best wishes,
Copperbeech5
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Hi. I'm trying to find out more info about Edith Courtney. I've traced her to approx 1900 through D'Oyly Carte etc. But the last census info I've got is 1881 and I can't find any details of her marriage and any family she may have had. I can trace most her of siblings and their families (my husband is descended from her brother William), so its really frustrating that I can't trace her! Any help would be most aprreciated.
Sally
It's you're Lucky Day !!!
Email me at (*)
I have the Birth & Death Certificates of Edith Courtney
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to avoid spamming and other abuses.
Please use the Personal Message (PM) system for exchanging personal data.
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er ... Hello All.
May I join in?
It seems that Edith is my 3rd cousin twice removed. We share the common ancestor Jonathan BREWSTER 1758 - 1812 of Good Easter, Essex (my 4 x Great-Grandfather). I really would like to know more about Edith.
I have fairly extensive information about the Good Easter BREWSTER family if anyone is interested.
Regards
Wombat
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Hi Wombat
I confess that I don’t know much about Edith’s maternal line. Her father, Charles Courtney married twice and my descendants come from his first marriage with Sarah Leyzell. I have copies of both of Charles’s marriage certificates, if you would like copies. From the marriage certificate of Sarah Brewster, it says that her father is Thomas Brewster, farrier. I’ve tried to trace this family without much success. Can you let me know where the family is on the 1841 census?
Regards
Sally
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jadis,
Reynolds Newspapers Aug 4 1878
Aquarium Theatre, Westminster
Comedy Drama - That's Why She Loved him
There is an Edith Courtenay (note the "a") listed in the cast
Jackson's Oxford Journal Sep 11 1880
The Theatre, Oxford - She Stoops to Conquer
"Miss Hardcastle was gracefully embodied by Miss Edith Courtney"
Up until 1892 all references (about10) to Edith Courtney relate to her as an actress. In 1895 comes the first references to a "musical" side ie.
The Era, Apr 13 1895
Melbourne, Australia - Princess Theatre
".... new production of Cinderella" - and Edith Courtney is listed as Elfinella. A review of the show includes "... the ballets, arranged by Madame Phillipini and Mr John Wallace constitute an important feature".
The Era, Feb 29 1896
Theatre Royal, Stratford - The Lightning Flash
"Miss Edith Courtney causes some amusement as Selina Snack. Miss Mary Stiven introduces a couple of songs which are well received"
From now on all references to Edith (and there are a great deal of them) are of a lighter, musical side eg appearing with Vesta Tilley, George Robey, Dan Leno, Bransby Williams, as a Principal Boy in Pantomime etc. I had begun to wonder whether there were indeed 2 Edith Courtneys!!
Finally, The Times Oct 11 1957 advertises the following book
FARES PLEASE - Edith Courtney, her adventures as a "clippie", highly amusing, warm and human (published by Hutchison). Did she live to a grand old age - or a totally different Edith?
Have sent you a PM
regards
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Edith Gladys Courtney was born 1870 at Grays Inn road, Pancras .
She never married, but in 1902 she had a child Cyril Curzon (My Grandad) Fathers name Alfred William Curzon.
On the birth certificate it has Alfred William Curzon down as Deceased, but after a little research found out he was still alive, and went on to marry Eva Taylor in 1906 . Alfred's first wife Annie Webster died in 1899.
Edith Died 8th May 1942 in Worthing
Alfred Died 6th Feb 1957 in Purley, Surrey.
Cyril Curzon Died 27th August 1960 in Lambeth.
:-X :-X :-X
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Hi Stevie
Many thanks for the extra information about Edith's father, Alfred Curzon. I have struggled to find him on the census returns etc, but with this extra information it all fits into place.
Many thanks
Sally