2003
1903
1865
2020

Fanny Moody - Postcard, 1910

Title

Fanny Moody - Postcard, 1910

Date

2 May 1910

Description

Promotional postcard of Fanny Moody, appearing in Moody Manners Opera Company's touring production of Richard Wagner's Tannhouser in 1910.

What's the story?

Madame Fanny Moody appeared in Moody Manners Opera Company’s production of Tannhouser , which ran at the Theatre Royal from 2 May 1910.
Singer Fanny Moody was working for Carl Rosa Opera Company, when she met Charles Manners, who she married and together they later formed the Moody Manners Opera Company.
The company was to prove very successful, at one time running two touring companies and extensive work overseas.
Moody was born in Redruth in Cornwall and became known as ‘the Cornish Nightingale’. She was presented with a tiara with the Cornish coat of arms picked out in diamonds, which can be seen on this image. During World War Two, she donated this tiara for auction, with proceeds going to the Red Cross.

This postcard forms part of a large scrapbook collection donated to the Theatre Royal archive by Diane Meadwell from Sandiacre. Her great grandfather was Bernard Hill, the former landlord of The Sun Inn on Parliament Street and who later became the Stage Door Keeper at the Theatre Royal. Bernard’s daughter Edith also worked at the Theatre Royal as an usherette.
Whilst in his stage door job, Bernard collected a large number of postcards of the numerous artists who performed at the venue, many of which he got them to autograph, as well as writing the date and if necessary the show on the reverse, making the future archivist’s job that little bit easier. We have then been able to cross-reference this information with the list of Theatre Royal shows being compiled by volunteer researcher Lynn Whitley.
We are grateful to Diane for sharing her family memories with us and for donating such a valuable resource to the archive.

Type

Postcard

Location of item

Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall Nottingham

Rights

Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall Nottingham

Contributor

Researchers: David Longford / Lynn Whitley