The Lorgnette Explained

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, St George's Hall 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]

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, Fred Maccabe, Alfred Dampier, Henry Harwood, 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
1889 05 11 UK actress[18]
1889 05 11 IRE manager[19]
1889 05 11 UK actor manager[20]
1889 05 18 UK actor manager[21]
1889 05 25 Thomas G. Riggs US actor[22]
1889 06 01 UK actor manager[23]
1889 06 08 Philip Beck[24] Phil Beck UK actor[25]
1889 06 15 Mrs J. H. White AUS actress[26]
1889 06 22 Fred Maccabe Fred McCabe UK standup comic[27]
Married Mdlle Minnia[28]
1889 06 29 ITA actor manager[29]
1889 07 06 UK entertainer / manager[30]
1889 07 13 AUS actress[31]
Married H. R. Jewett
1889 07 20 AUS bellringer[32]
1889 07 27 Mrs Albert Marsh (1889–) UK actress manager[33]
1889 08 03 member, "The Triumvirate" AUS manager[34]
1889 08 10 UK entertainer[35]
1889 08 17 UK actress[36]
1889 08 24 UK actress[37]
Married J. P. Burnett
1889 08 31 niece of Ristori ITA actress[38]
1889 09 07 AUS actor[39]
1889 09 14 General Mite; Mrs Mite
Francis J. Flynn (died in Broken Hill November 1898) 		entertainers[40]
1889 09 21 AUS operatic tenor[41]
1889 09 28 UK actor[42]
1889 10 05 UK actor playwright[43]
1889 10 12 US actor[44] Note that a correction to the filename is pending at WM Commons
1889 10 19 Miss Edith Blande UK actress[45] married critic, stage biographer Austin Brereton (1862–1922)
1889 10 26 Miss Olive Berkley US child actress[46] born Olivia Venetia Berkley in New York, 1879, played Little Lord Fauntleroy
1889 11 02 AUS violinist manager[47]
1889 11 09 UK light opera[48]
1889 11 16 Elcia May AUS operatic prima donna[49]
Married Boothroyd Fairclough
1889 11 23 UK comedian[50]
1889 11 30 UK operatic singer[51]
1889 12 07 UK light opera[52]
1889 12 14 UK actor[53]
1889 12 21 AUS actor[54]
1889 12 28 daughter of Alfred UK actress[55]
1890 01 04 FRA operatic prima donna[56]
1890 01 11 UK actor[57]
1890 01 18 AUS stage manager[58]
1890 01 25 Mrs William South UK actress[59]
1890 02 01 UK actor[60]
1890 02 08 AUS actress[61]
1890 02 15 AUS actor[62]
1890 02 22 US stage manager[63]
1890 03 01 US actress[64]
1890 03 08 UK actress[65]
1890 03 15 UK comedian[66]
1890 03 22 UK opera singer[67]
1890 03 29 AUS actor author[68]
1890 04 05 UK actor[69]
1890 04 12 UK actor[70]
1890 04 19 AUS actress[71]
Married W. Baumann
1890 04 26 UK actor[72]
1890 05 03 AUS light opera[73]
1890 05 10 AUS manager recitations[74]
1890 05 17 UK pianist[75]
1890 05 24 UK comedian[76]
1890 05 31 IRE actor[77]
1890 06 07 AUS actress[78]
1890 06 14 AUS actor[79]
1890 06 21 US entertainer[80]
1890 06 28 UK actor[81]
1890 07 05 UK actress manager[82]
1890 07 12 UK actor[83]
1890 07 19 UK actress[84]
1890 07 26 AUS actor[85]
1890 08 02 UK actress[86]
1890 08 09 UK actor[87]
1890 08 16 AUS actor[88]
1890 08 23 UK actor[89]
Married Eugenie Le Grande
1890 08 30 UK stage manager[90]
1890 09 06 AUS actress[91]
1890 09 13 UK comedian[92]
1890 09 20 IRE comedian author[93]
1890 09 27 SCO actress[94]
1890 10 04 UK actress[95]
1890 10 11 Mrs J. C. Williamson US actress[96]
1890 10 18 UK actor[97]
1890 10 25 AUS comedian manager[98]
1890 11 01 UK singer[99]
1890 11 08 AUS actress[100]
1890 11 15 UK actress[101]
1890 11 22 UK actress[102]
1890 11 29 UK comedian[103]
1890 12 06 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.

Notes and References

  1. News: Advertising . The Lorgnette . 57 . Victoria, Australia . 1 February 1890 . 10 April 2021 . 3 (Supplement) . National Library of Australia.
  2. News: Public Notice . The Lorgnette . 1 . Victoria, Australia . 12 January 1889 . 10 April 2021 . 2 (Supplement) . National Library of Australia.
  3. News: Items of News . . 1963 . Victoria, Australia . 29 June 1865 . 10 April 2021 . 2 . National Library of Australia.
  4. News: Daylesford . . 5,957 . Victoria, Australia . 10 July 1865 . 10 April 2021 . 6 . National Library of Australia.
  5. News: The Rival Programmes . . 1546 . Victoria, Australia . 27 March 1877 . 10 April 2021 . 3 . National Library of Australia.
  6. News: Victoria . . IX . 2515 . South Australia . 10 April 1877 . 17 March 2021 . 2 . National Library of Australia.
  7. News: Advertising . . X . 516 . Victoria, Australia . 17 May 1878 . 10 April 2021 . 2 . Trove.
  8. News: Advertising . The Lorgnette . Victoria, Australia . 2 July 1878 . 10 April 2021 . 4 (Edition 1) . National Library of Australia.
  9. News: The Record . . XIII . 644 . Victoria, Australia . 28 January 1881 . 11 April 2021 . 3 . National Library of Australia.
  10. News: News of the Day . . 10,659 . Victoria, Australia . 23 April 1889 . 8 March 2021 . 4 . National Library of Australia.
  11. News: Bygone Days . . 28,918 . Victoria, Australia . 29 April 1939 . 8 March 2021 . 5 . National Library of Australia.
  12. News: Advertising . The Lorgnette . 105 . Victoria, Australia . 3 January 1891 . 5 March 2021 . 3 (Supplement) . National Library of Australia. A list of featured artists; note several discrepancies.
  13. News: "The Theatrical Courier" . The Lorgnette . I . Victoria, Australia . 12 January 1889 . 10 April 2021 . 4 . National Library of Australia.
  14. News: Funeral of the late John J. Liddy . The Lorgnette . 107 . Victoria, Australia . 17 January 1891 . 10 April 2021 . 2 . National Library of Australia.
  15. News: Advertising . The Lorgnette . 285 . Victoria, Australia . 1 December 1898 . 10 April 2021 . 6 . National Library of Australia.
  16. News: An Unregistered "Factory" . . 12,833 . Victoria, Australia . 17 April 1896 . 10 April 2021 . 6 . National Library of Australia.
  17. News: Topics of the Day . . 6207 . Victoria, Australia . 12 June 1900 . 10 April 2021 . 2 . National Library of Australia.
  18. Web site: Isabel Morris . 11 May 1889 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  19. Web site: Dion Boucicault Jr . 11 May 1889 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  20. Web site: Robert Brough . 11 May 1889 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  21. Web site: Alfred Dampier . 18 May 1889 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  22. Web site: Grattan Riggs . 25 May 1889 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  23. Web site: George S Coppin . 1 June 1889 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  24. Insufficient material for article
  25. Web site: Philip Beck . 8 June 1889 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  26. Web site: Myra Kemble . 15 June 1889 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  27. Web site: Fred Maccabe . 22 June 1889 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  28. News: Private and Professional Names. . . 172 . Victoria, Australia . 5 October 1888 . 2 June 2021 . 28 . National Library of Australia.
  29. Web site: Eduardo Majeroni . 29 June 1889 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  30. Web site: Thomas P. Hudson . 6 July 1889 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  31. Web site: Maggie Knight . 13 July 1889 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  32. Web site: Harry Lynch . 20 July 1889 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  33. Web site: Emma Chambers . 27 July 1889 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  34. Web site: Arthur Garner . 3 August 1889 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  35. Web site: G. H. Snazelle . 10 August 1889 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  36. Web site: Janet Achurch . 17 August 1889 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  37. Web site: Jennie Lee . 24 August 1889 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  38. Web site: Signora Majeroni . 31 August 1889 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  39. Web site: George Fawcett Rowe . 7 September 1889 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  40. Web site: The Royal Midgets . 14 September 1889 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  41. Web site: Edward Armes Beaumont . 21 September 1889 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  42. Web site: Henry Edwards . 28 September 1889 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  43. Web site: Wybert Reeve . 5 October 1889 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  44. Web site: Edwin F Thorne . 12 October 1889 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  45. Web site: Edith Blande . 19 October 1889 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  46. Web site: Olive Berkley . 26 October 1889 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  47. Web site: Martin Simonsen . 2 November 1889 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  48. Web site: Henry Bracy . 9 November 1889 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  49. Web site: Elsa May . 16 November 1889 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  50. Web site: Frank Thornton . 23 November 1889 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  51. Web site: Lilian Tree . 30 November 1889 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  52. Web site: Knight Aston . 7 December 1889 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  53. Web site: George Sutton Titheradge . 14 December 1889 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  54. Web site: W G Carey . 21 December 1889 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  55. Web site: Lily Dampier . 28 December 1889 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  56. Web site: Fanny Simonsen . 4 January 1890 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  57. Web site: Charles Warner . 11 January 1890 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  58. Web site: James Allison . 18 January 1890 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  59. Web site: Fanny Wiseman . 25 January 1890 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  60. Web site: James F. Cathcart . 1 February 1890 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  61. Web site: Mrs Robert Brough . 8 February 1890 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  62. Web site: George R. Ireland . 15 February 1890 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  63. Web site: Benjamin N Jones . 22 February 1890 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  64. Web site: Mrs Brown-Potter . 1 March 1890 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  65. Web site: Gracie Warner . 8 March 1890 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  66. Web site: John Lawrence Toole . 15 March 1890 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  67. Web site: Marian Burton . 22 March 1890 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  68. Web site: George Darrell . 29 March 1890 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  69. Web site: George William Anson . 5 April 1890 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  70. Web site: Percy Lyndal . 12 April 1890 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  71. Web site: Pattie Browne . 19 April 1890 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  72. Web site: John Billington . 26 April 1890 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  73. Web site: Jules Simonsen . 3 May 1890 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  74. Web site: Alexander Mayne . 10 May 1890 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  75. Web site: Sir Charles Halle . 17 May 1890 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  76. Web site: Henry R Harwood . 24 May 1890 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  77. Web site: Dion Boucicault . 31 May 1890 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  78. Web site: Jenny Watt-Tanner . 7 June 1890 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  79. Web site: Cecil Ward . 14 June 1890 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  80. Web site: S. S. Baldwin . 21 June 1890 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  81. Web site: George Rignold . 28 June 1890 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  82. Web site: Mrs Bland Holt . 5 July 1890 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  83. Web site: William Rignold . 12 July 1890 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  84. Web site: Miss Maude Williamson . 19 July 1890 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  85. Web site: Cecil Forrester . 26 July 1890 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  86. Web site: Roland Watts-Phillips . 2 August 1890 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  87. Web site: Edward Sass . 9 August 1890 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  88. Web site: A. E. Greenaway . 16 August 1890 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  89. Web site: Kyrle Bellew . 23 August 1890 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  90. Web site: A Litherland Cunard . 30 August 1890 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  91. Web site: Christine Darrell . 6 September 1890 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  92. Web site: George Leopold . 13 September 1890 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  93. Web site: Hubert O'Grady . 20 September 1890 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  94. Web site: Eloise Juno . 27 September 1890 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  95. Web site: Olga Nethersole . 4 October 1890 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  96. Web site: Maggie Moore . 11 October 1890 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  97. Web site: Laurence Cautley . 18 October 1890 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  98. Web site: J. R. Greville . 25 October 1890 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  99. Web site: Madame Patey . 1 November 1890 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  100. Web site: Mrs Walter Hill . 8 November 1890 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  101. Web site: Fanny Enson . 15 November 1890 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  102. Web site: Miss E. Romer . 22 November 1890 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  103. Web site: William Elton . 29 November 1890 . The Lorgnette . Trove.
  104. Web site: George Leitch . 5 December 1890 . The Lorgnette . Trove.

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