| Matlock & District
Amateur Operatic Society, The Mikado, 1908 |
| Matlock : Twentieth Century Photographs, Postcards, Engravings & Etchings |
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Gilbert and Sullivan's comic opera "The Mikado,or The Town of
Titipu" was first performed by the Society in 1908. The production
was staged in the Victoria Hall on Smedley Street that had been "kindly
lent by James White, Esq." between the 19th and 22nd February.
The reviewer in the "Derbyshire Courier" said there
had been a crowded audience and concluded that there was a capital
chorus[1]. The drawing
on the programme cover shows the Victoria Hall; its pavilion and
gardens had been opened on 4 June 1896 by Mr. Victor Cavendish, M.P.[2].
The names below have been extracted from
the 1908 programme:
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 The Cast |
1. Principal Roles:
The Mikado of Japan ...
Nanki Poo (his son, disguised as a wandering minstrel)
Ko-Ko (Lord High Executioner of Titipu) ..
Pooh-Bah (Lord High Everything Else) ...
Pish-Tush (a Noble Lord) ...
Yum-Yum } ...
Pitti-Sing } Wards of Ko-Ko ...
Peep-Bo } Three sisters ...
Katisha (an elderly lady in love with Nanki-Poo) ... |
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Mr. Alf S. Gray
Mr. J. Franklin Thomas
Mr. A. Percival
Mr. Arthur W. Bond
Mr. Lew. G. Dickenson[3]
Miss Lily Crawford*
Miss Blanche Newton[4]
Miss Mabel Walker
Mrs. E. H. Charge |
*Miss Lily Crawford was 'Of the Royal Opera House, Convent Garden'.
2. Chorus:
Miss H. Abbott
Miss M. Bannister
Miss A. Barton
Miss E. Basquil
Miss E. M. Bailey
Miss. D. Clay
Miss Charlesworth
Miss J. Dickenson
Miss A. Fowkes
Miss H. M. Hart
Miss M. Hutchings
Miss Hackney
Miss L. Johnson
Miss E. Kirkland
Miss M. Leslie
Miss V. Moody
Miss F. Parkin
Miss A. Plant
Miss A. E. Rowland
Miss M. Speed
Miss C. Vearnals
Miss I. Walker[5]
Miss A. Wall[6]
Miss C. Wall[6]
Miss N. Warner[6]
Miss J. Wilson |
Mr. S. R. Baumber
Mr. E. Bidulph
Mr. J. W. Boden
Mr. E. H. Charge
Mr. P. Clay
Mr. T. Coates
Mr. E. Cusack
Mr. G. S. Dakin
Mr. W. Ellis
Miss H. E. Giles
Mr. A. S. Garner
Mr. A. P. Ghent
Mr. F. Gillott
Mr. P. J. Haynes
Mr. W. G. Housley
Mr. W. Hockliffe
Mr. G. Knowles
Mr. A. Mackenzie
Mr. H. Roberts
Mr. W. H. Roberts
Mr. W. H. Sharp
Mr. E. Smith
Mr. G. Taylor
Mr. G. F. Ward
Mr. M. Williams
Mr. F. Wright |
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| The Orchestra |
(under the direction of Mr. G. W. Johnstone)
Leader ...
Accompanist ... |
Mr. W. Daltry, L.R.A.M.
Mrs. J. Franklin Thomas |
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| Society Officials |
President:
Vice- Presidents: |
Hon Victor Cavendish, P.C., M.P.
J. B. Marsden-Smedley, Esq., J.P., C.C.
Dr. William Moxon, J.P.
Hy. Challand, Esq.
A. Büttgen, Esq.
W. Tanzer, esq.
James White, Esq.
Mrs. Cecil Sharpe
Miss A. E. Goodwin |
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| Committee and Officers |
Chairman & Hon. Treasurer ...
Hon. Secretary ...
Hon. Musical Director ...
Hon Stage Managers ...
Hon. Registrar ...
Hon. Accompanist ...
______________________ |
Mr. Wm. Basquil
Mr. E. H. Charge
Mr. Geo. W. Johnstone
{ Mr. Arthur W. Bond
{ Mr. J. A. M. Sinclair
Mrs. E. H. Charge
Mrs. J. F. Johnstone |
Mr. T. H. Brown
Mr. T. Coates
Mr. L. G. Dickenson
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Mr. C. McGhie
Mr. W. H. Sharp
Mr. Geo. F. Ward |
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| Advertisers,
with selected advertisements |
(all Matlock, unless indicated)
Fredk. Adams, Crown Square - Saddler &c. (below)
H. Bailey, Matlock Bank - Dispensing Chemist
H. Barnwell, Watchmaker, Jeweller &c. (below)
Basquil & Co., Ladies' and Gents' Tailors
J. E. Beard, Crown Square - General
and Fancy Draper - see advertisement
E. Bridge, 1 Alexandra Buildings, Dale Road - Toys and Fancy Goods
Crown Hotel, Matlock Bridge (W. Tanzer, proprietor)
A. E. Davis, M.P.S., The Pharmacy (below)
De La Court, Smedley Street - Confectioner & Restaurant
Hall & Co. Crown Hardware Stores, Dale Road - Seed merchants
and dealers in horticultural tools and sundries
Hill's Cromford brewery Co., Ltd., Cromford, Matlock Bath
Geo. Hodgkinson, General Printers
T. Kirkham, Crown Square & Smedley Street - Family and Surgical
Bootmaker
Madame Edwina, Linacre, Matlock Bath - Modiste
Manchester Store (below)
H. C. Rackstraw, Station Yard - Coal Merchant
Radford's Music Store, Bank Road
T. Sharp & Son, Complete House Furnishers (below)
W. N. Statham, The Studio - Photographic Artist (above)
G. F. Ward, Smedley Street - Ladies' and Gentlemans' Tailor (below)
Welch & Co, The Green - Family Grocers, Wine & Spirit Merchants
 Most of those advertising can be found in
contemporary Trade Directories. See Twentieth Century Directories.
An advertisement from this production and two
from the 1910 programme can be found on Matlock
at the Beginning of the Twentieth Century.
Another advertisement from the1910 programme is included
on Matlock: Crown Square, 1901.
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From an original programme in the collection of, provided by and © Ann
Andrews.
Transcribed, page written, researched by and © Ann Andrews.
Intended for personal use only.
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References:
[1] "Derbyshire Courier", 22 February 1908.
[2] "Derby Mercury" 27 May 1896.
[3] Lew Dickenson was to be killed in the First World War. He is commemorated on both
Matlock's War Memorial and that
of Matlock Bath.
[4] A photograph of Mabel will be published on site shortly.
[5] This is believe to be Miss Isabel Walker, sister of Mabel, who is known to have been a member
of the society and sang principal parts in other productions.
[6] In May 2004 a Canadian, Kathleen Flint, contacted the webmistress to identify these three young women,
one of whom was her grandmother. They were childhood friends and, although they were in the chorus, they loved to sing "Three
Little Maids from School". They were Ada Wall, Cis (Frances Mary) Wall and Nancy Warner. Cis emigrated with her husband, Joseph
Joshua Flint from Wirksworth, but returned to England at the outbreak of war. Their son was born in England, but the family returned to
Canada at the end of WW1.
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