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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 07 July 2009
The death of Sir Winston Churchill in 1965 focused renewed attention upon his colorful American mother, Jennie Jerome (1854–1921), who distinguished herself as a political aide of Lord Randolph Churchill (1849–95), her first husband, and also as an authoress, public speaker, and indefatigable worker in behalf of numerous charities. Her manifold activities have been described by Ralph G. Martin (Jennie: The Life of Lady Randolph Churchill) and Anita Leslie (Lady Randolph Churchill: The Story of Jennie Jerome). Neither biographer, however, describes Lady Randolph's theatrical ventures in detail, and neither relates those activities properly to the movement to establish a National Theatre in Great Britain.
1 Englewood Cliffs, N.J., 1969.
2 New York, 1969.
3 Asquith, Margot, An Autobiography (New York, 1920), I, 131Google Scholar.
4 Cornwallis-West, Jennie, The Reminiscences of Lady Randolph Churchill (London, 1908), p. 278Google Scholar.
5 She had been interested in the theatre since her girlhood when her father Leonard Jerome built a theatre in their New York mansion at Madison Square and 26th Street, said to be the only private theatre then connected with a New York home. Putnam's Magazine, VI (09, 1909), 767Google Scholar.
6 Martin (II, passim) describes in great detail Mrs. West's management of the Anglo-Saxon Review.
7 Anglo-Saxon Review, IV (03, 1900), 223–242Google Scholar.
8 Fyfe's association with the Committee is detailed in Fyfe, Henry Hamilton, My Seven Selves (London, 1935), p. 70Google Scholar.
9 As a vociferous Member of Parliament, Lyttelton proved invaluable to the Committee, especially “when he took the chair and steered the discussions of one of the most excitable collections of people ever flung together by differing interests.” See Lyttelton, Edith, Alfred Lyttelton: An Account of His Life (London, 1917), p. 381Google Scholar.
10 “Shakespeare Memorial,” The Standard, 16 May 1908, p. 9Google Scholar.
11 “Shakespeare Memorial,” The Standard, 19 May 1908, p. 9Google Scholar.
12 “Shakespeare Memorial: A National Theatre,” Daily Telegraph, 20 May 1908, pp. 11–12Google Scholar.
13 Another thought that His Majesty's Theatre under the management of Tree qualified as a Shakespeare Memorial Theatre. See “The Shakespeare National Theatre,” The Times, 31 May 1910, p. 12Google Scholar.
14 “Shakespeare Memorial,” Daily Telegraph, 19 May 1908, p. 7Google Scholar.
15 New York, 1908. A list of supporters, including Irving, Bancroft, Barrie, Helen D'Oyly Carte, Henry Arthur Jones, and Pinero, was prefaced to this proposal. Mrs. West's name does not appear because only professional theatre people are listed. Martin says (II, 343) that Mrs. West helped to write this proposal; his evidence is not cited. On the other hand, she was not noticed among the great throng at the Lyceum (Daily Telegraph, 20 May 1908, pp. 11–12), but that spring Mrs. West was assisting Winston, both in the elections at Manchester and Dundee and in his engagement to his future wife.
16 “A National Theatre,” The Standard, 20 May 1908, p. 10Google Scholar.
17 They included S. H. Butcher, Sidney Colvin, Sidney Low, Sir Sidney Lee, Tree, Israel Gollancz, Hare, and Gosse. For an indication of the internal rivalries, see Shaw, G. B., Bernard Shaw's Letters to Granville Barker, ed. Purdom, C. B. (London, 1956), pp. 128, 139, 143Google Scholar.
18 “The National Theatre,” The Era, 9 December 1911, p. 19Google Scholar.
19 The Times, 23 March 1909, p. 14Google Scholar.
20 The industrious Mrs. McCarthy raised another £70,000 from a wealthy Canadian, but legal intricacies prevented their receipt. See Shaw, pp. 154–55.
21 Shaw, p. 152. The letter is dated 8 April 1909.
22 The Times, 23 October 1909, p. 10. Also see Martin-Harvey, John, “Verbatim Report of An Appeal for a Shakespeare Memorial National Theatre,” The Book of Martin Harvey (London, n.d.), p. 70Google Scholar.
23 Leslie, Seymour, The Jerome Connexion (London, 1964), p. 52Google Scholar. Leslie is the source of the speculation that Meyer's money was kept in trust for over five decades and applied to the endowment of the National Theatre (1963).
24 London County Council, “General Purposes Committee Papers,” 31 (14–28 June 1909), Item 10, 15 June. Citations of the London County Council hereafter employ L.C.C.
25 Ibid.
26 The deputation included Lyttelton, his wife, Onslow, Lytton, Forbes-Robertson, Gollancz, Barker, Carr, Meyer, Archer, Butcher, Low, Calcutt, and Philip Carr. See L.C.C, “Minutes of Proceedings: Report of the General Purposes Committee,” 5 July 1909, pp. 384–385Google Scholar. Also see “The National Theatre,” Daily News, 6 July 1909, pp. 4, 7Google Scholar.
27 “Shakespeare Memorial,” Daily Telegraph, 6 July 1909, p. 14Google Scholar.
28 L.C.C, “Minutes of the General Purposes Committee,” 12 July 1909, pp. 408–409; 19 July 1909, pp. 430–32; 26 July 1909, p. 453Google Scholar.
29 This good fortune did not go unnoticed by the press. See “Round the Theatres,” Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News, 24 July 1909, p. 884Google Scholar.
30 Leslie, p. 53.
31 “His Borrowed Plumes,” The Athenaeum, No. 4263 (10 July 1909), p. 53;Google Scholar“His Borrowed Plumes,” The Bystander, 21 July 1909, pp. 127–129;Google Scholar“His Borrowed Plumes,” Daily Chronicle, 7 July 1909, p. 7;Google Scholar“His Borrowed Plumes,” Daily Express, 7 July 1909, p. 5;Google Scholar“A Society Matinee,” Daily Graphic, 7 July 1909, p. 10;Google Scholar“Borrowed Plumes,” Daily Mail, 7 July 1909, p. 5;Google Scholar“Borrowed Plumes,” Daily News, 7 July 1909, p. 7;Google Scholar“His Borrowed Plumes,” Daily Telegraph, 7 July 1909, p. 9;Google Scholar“Round the Theatres,” Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News, 17 July 1909, p. 844;Google Scholar“Dramatic and Musical Notes,” Modern Society, 17 July 1909, p. 18;Google Scholar“His Borrowed Plumes,” The Standard, 7 July 1909, p. 8Google Scholar.
32 Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News.
33 Ibid. Also the Daily Telegraph.
34 Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News. Daily News; The Star, 7 July 1909, p. 2Google Scholar. With respect to this criticism, Mrs. West said, “Some of my scenes I know are more melodramatic than the vogue is, but I admit to being old-fashioned in these matters … so I just did my best to be dramatic in the old-fashioned way.” Daily Chronicle, 8 07 1909, quoted in Martin, II, 328–329Google Scholar.
35 Daily Telegraph, The Standard, Athenaeum.
36 Athenaeum, Daily Telegraph.
37 Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News, Daily News, The Standard.
38 Daily News, Putnam's Magazine.
39 Daily Chronicle, Daily News, The Standard, Athenaeum.
40 Daily Chronicle, 8 July 1909, quoted in Martin, II, 335Google Scholar.
41 Cornwallis-West, Jennie, Reminiscences, pp. 286–287Google Scholar.
42 “His Borrowed Plumes,” The Standard, 7 July 1909, p. 8Google Scholar.
43 “Social and Personal,” Daily Chronicle, 10 July 1909, p. 4Google Scholar.
44 “His Borrowed Plumes,” Daily Express, 7 July 1909, p. 5Google Scholar.
45 Ibid., p. 7.
46 “His Borrowed Plumes,” The Times, 7 July 1909, p. 8Google Scholar.
47 Ibid. Mrs. West's interest in the National Theatre was also remarked by Max Beerbohm. See Around Theatres (New York, 1954), p. 556Google Scholar.
48 “His Borrowed Plumes,” The Bystander, 21 July 1909, p. 129Google Scholar.
49 Martin-Harvey, John, The Autobiography of Sir John Martin-Harvey (London, 1934), p. 379Google Scholar.
50 “Shakespeare Memorial Theatre,” The Times, 14 March 1910, p. 10Google Scholar.
51 “Shakespeare Memorial Theatre,” The Times, 6 May 1910, p. 6Google Scholar.
52 “The Shakespeare Memorial National Theatre,” The Playgoer and Society Illustrated, N.S. II (1910), 96–97Google Scholar.
53 “Shakespeare Memorial Theatre,” The Times, 25 July 1910, p. 10Google Scholar.
54 The Playgoer, II, 96–97Google Scholar.
55 “Shakespeare Memorial Theatre,” The Times, 6 May 1910, p. 6Google Scholar.
56 “The Shakespeare Ball,” The Times, 23 April 1910, p. 17Google Scholar. See also “Shakespeare Memorial,” The Standard, 7 April 1910, p. 10Google Scholar.
57 L.C.C., “General Purposes Committee Papers,” 37 (23 January-27 March 1911), Item 13, 27 February.
58 L.C.C, “Minutes of Proceedings,” 14 February 1911, p. 242.
59 L.C.C., “General Purposes Committee Papers,” 37, Item 8c, 6 March 1911. See also “The Shakespeare Memorial Theatre,” The Times, 15 February 1911, p. 14Google Scholar.
60 L.C.C, “Minutes of Proceedings: Report of the General Purposes Committee,” 13 March 1911, pp. 131–32.
61 L.C.C., “Minutes of the General Purposes Committee,” 27 March 1911, pp. 160–61.
62 Op. cit., 8 May 1911, p. 214.
63 L.C.C., “General Purposes Committee Papers,” 37, Item 8b, 6 March 1911.
64 “The Shakespeare Ball,” The Times, 22 March 1911, p. 8Google Scholar.
65 “Shakespeare Ball: Mrs. George Cornwallis-West and the Memorial Theatre Scheme,” Daily Chronicle, 15 June 1911, p. 1Google Scholar.
66 “Albert Hall as Tudor Garden,” Daily Express, 20 June 1911, p. 5Google Scholar.
67 “Shakespeare Ball,” Daily Chronicle, 20 June 1911, p. 1Google Scholar.
68 “Shakespeare Ball,” Daily Chronicle, 13 June 1911, p. 4Google Scholar.
69 “Shakespeare Ball,” Daily Chronicle, 20 June 1911, p. 1Google Scholar.
70 “Society and the Shakespeare Ball,” Daily Chronicle, 6 June 1911, p. 8Google Scholar.
71 For description of the costumes, see “Shakespeare Ball,” Daily Chronicle, 13 June 1911, p. 4;Google Scholar“Shakespeare Ball,” Daily News, 21 June 1911, p. 1;Google Scholar“Juliets, Romeos and Othellos,” Daily Express, 21 June 1911, p. 1Google Scholar.
72 “The Coronation: The Shakespeare Ball,” The Times, 4 April 1911, p. 8Google Scholar.
73 “The Shakespeare Ball,” Manchester Guardian, 21 June 1911, p. 7Google Scholar.
74 “In Town and Out,” The Tatler, No. 520 (14 June 1911), p. 286Google Scholar.
75 “The Shakespeare Ball,” Daily Telegraph, 19 June 1911, p. 13Google Scholar.
76 The Tatler, No. 522 (28 June 1911), pp. 346–348Google Scholar.
77 Both the Daily Telegraph (p. 11) and the Daily Chronicle (p. 4) announced on 19 June 1911 that the King and Queen would attend, but they determined that their guests would enjoy themselves more without the royal presences.
78 The Tatler, No. 520 (14 June 1911), p. 286Google Scholar.
79 An unidentified clipping in the author's possession.
80 Ibid.
81 “Concerning Society,” The Playgoer and Society Illustrated, N.S. IV (1911), 128Google Scholar.
82 “Shakespeare Ball: A Dazzling Picture,” Daily Telegraph, 21 June 1911, p. 13Google Scholar.
83 Daily Express, 21 June 1911, p. 1Google Scholar.
84 “Shakespeare Ball,” Daily News, 21 June 1911, p. 1Google Scholar.
85 “A Brilliant Pageant,” Daily Chronicle, 21 June 1911, p. 1Google Scholar.
86 “Theatrical Gossip,” The Era, 8 July 1911, p. 14Google Scholar.
87 “Shakespeare Memorial Theatre,” The Times, 6 October 1911, p. 5Google Scholar.
88 “Court Circular,” The Times, 14 October 1911, p. 9Google Scholar. An excerpt of Fyfe's description of the Ball is quoted in Martin, II, 342–44.
89 The Warne Company has one of the few extant copies of this booklet, but it failed to respond to a request to examine it.
90 Barnes, Kenneth R., Welcome, Good Friends (London, 1958), p. 81Google Scholar.
91 “Our Captious Critic: At Earl's Court,” Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News, 8 June 1912, p. 680Google Scholar.
92 Sweeter, M. F. and Ford, Simeon, How to Know New York, 4th ed. (Boston, 1887), pp. 85–86Google Scholar. I am indebted to Prof. Edward J. Feidner of the University of Vermont for calling my attention to this exhibition.
93 MrsCornwallis-West, George, “Shakespeare's England,” Daily Graphic, 10 May 1912, p. 4Google Scholar.
94 Hussey, Christopher, The Life of Sir Edwin Lutyens (London, 1953), p. 193Google Scholar.
95 Only one newspaper reference suggests that Lutyens was connected with the Shakespeare Ball. “The Magnificent Shakespeare Ball at the Albert Hall,” The Tatler, No. 522 (28 June 1911), pp. 346–348Google Scholar.
96 L.C.C., , “Minutes of the Theatres and Music Halls Committee,” 23 (1912), 111Google Scholar.
97 Ibid. 201.
98 Ibid., 331–32.
99 Ibid., 370–71.
100 Ibid., 398–99.
101 Ibid., 493–94.
102 Ibid., 517–19.
103 The sum, according to Martin (II, 346), was £40,000.
104 Cornwallis-West, George, Edwardian Hey-days: A Little about a Lot of Things (London, 1930), p. 163Google Scholar.
105 “On Dit,” The Wednesday Era, 1 May 1912, p. 3Google Scholar.
106 “As in the Days of Good Queen Bess,” Daily Graphic, 8 May 1912, p. 13Google Scholar.
107 “The Master Mind and Finishing Touches,” Daily Graphic, 9 May 1912, p. 3Google Scholar.
108 “Shakespeare's England: Queen Alexandra's Visit,” Daily Telegraph, 10 May 1912, P. 9Google Scholar.
109 “In Town and Out,” The Tatler, No. 568 (15 May 1912), p. 174Google Scholar. See also “On Dit,” Wednesday Era, 15 May 1912, pp. 3, 9Google Scholar.
110 From the Daily Express, 27 May 1912Google Scholar, quoted in “Shakespeare's Day Revived by An American Woman,” Literary Digest, XLV (6 07 1912), 18–19Google Scholar.
111 “Chit Chat,” The Stage, 16 May 1912, p. 17. The side-shows were not opened officially until 15 May under the management of John C. BrownGoogle Scholar.
112 “Shakespeare's England,” Daily Telegraph, 3 May 1912, p. 7Google Scholar.
113 “New Earl's Court,” Daily Express, 18 May 1912, p. 7Google Scholar.
114 “Savages from the Philippine Islands in London,” Manchester Guardian, 8 May 1912, p. 7Google Scholar.
115 “A Walk Round ‘Shakespeare's England’,” Wednesday Era, 8 May 1912, p. 7Google Scholar.
116 “Shakespeare's England: Re-opening of Earl's Court,” The Stage, 9 May 1912, p. 21Google Scholar.
117 “Shakespeare's England: Garden Dances,” Daily Telegraph, 18 May 1912, p. 17Google Scholar.
118 “The Scenery at Earl's Court,” The Era, 11 May 1912, p. 11Google Scholar.
119 The Era, 8 June 1912, p. 10Google Scholar.
120 “Ong Dee,” Wednesday Era, 12 June 1912, p. 3Google Scholar.
121 “The Globe Playhouse,” Daily Sketch, 27 May 1912, p. 6Google Scholar.
122 “The Shakespeare Exhibition,” The Academy, 25 May 1912, p. 663Google Scholar.
123 “Shakespeare's England,” The Stage, 9 May 1912, p. 21Google Scholar.
124 “The Globe Players,” Daily Sketch, 27 May 1912, p. 6Google Scholar.
125 “Shakespeare's England: A Second Impression,” The Era, 18 May 1912, p. 15Google Scholar.
126 Neal, Mary, “Folk Art,” The Shakespeare Revival and the Stratford-upon-Avon Movement, by Binkley, Reginald R. (London, 1911)Google Scholar.
127 “Merrie England,” Daily Graphic, 24 June 1912, p. 8Google Scholar.
128 “Shakespeare's England,” The Stage, 9 May 1912, p. 21Google Scholar.
129 “Shakespeare's England,” Daily Telegraph, 24 May 1912, p. 7Google Scholar.
130 “Shakespeare's England: Empire Concert at Earl's Court,” Daily Telegraph, 13 May 1912, p. 16Google Scholar.
131 Wood, Henry J., My Life of Music (London, 1938), p. 349Google Scholar.
132 “Shakespeare's England: Saturday Promenade Concerts,” Daily Telegraph, 27 May 1912, p. 7Google Scholar.
133 Wood, p. 350.
134 Ibid.
135 “The Shakespeare Garden Dances,” Daily Sketch, 9 May 1912, p. 3Google Scholar.
136 “Floral Dances,” Daily Graphic, 30 May 1912, p. 9Google Scholar.
137 “Shakespeare's England: Garden Dances,” Daily Telegraph, 18 May 1912, p. 17Google Scholar.
138 “Elizabethan Tourney,” Daily Telegraph, 29 June 1912, p. 9Google Scholar.
139 “Chit Chat,” The Stage, 11 July 1912, p. 17Google Scholar.
140 “Shakespeare's England: The Coming Tourney,” Daily Telegraph, 8 June 1912, p. 15Google Scholar.
141 “Earl's Court Tourney,” Daily Graphic, 6 June 1912, p. 13Google Scholar.
142 “The Great Elizabethan Tourney,” The Tatler, No. 577 (17 July 1912), pp. 71–73Google Scholar.
143 The animals belonged to the Horse Guards and behaved admirably.
144 Daisy, , Princess of Pless, Private Papers, 1873–1914, ed. Chapman-Huston, D. (London, 1950), p. 277Google Scholar.
145 Cornwallis-West, p. 164.
146 “ ‘Shakespeare's England’ Indeed!” Wednesday Era, 29 May 1912, p. 7Google Scholar.
147 “Ong Dee,” Wednesday Era, 5 June 1912, p. 3Google Scholar.
148 “The Lady Showman,” The Star, 7 June 1912, p. 1Google Scholar.
149 Cochran, Charles B., The Secrets of a Showman (London, 1925), p. 180Google Scholar.
150 Ibid., p. 182.
151 Ibid.
152 “Chit Chat,” The Stage, 10 October 1912, p. 21Google Scholar.
153 Leslie, p. 52.
