H. B. Irving - Postcard, 1908
Title
H. B. Irving - Postcard, 1908
Date
4 May 1908
Description
Promotional postcard of H.B. Irving, starring in The Bells by Leopold David Lewis in 1908.
What's the story?
H.B. Irving starred as Matthias in The Bells, which ran at the Theatre Royal on 4 and 5 May 1908.
The Bells was a translation by Leopold David Lewis of the 1867 play Le Juif Polonais by Erckmann-Chatrian.
The Bells was first performed in 1871 at the Lyceum Theatre in London, starring the famous actor/manager Henry Irving in the role of Matthias. It was a play that was to dominate his career for the rest of his life. Irving performed the play at the Theatre Royal Nottingham in 1897. Please see link to playbill below.
H.B. Irving (Henry Brodribb Irving) was Henry Irving’s son. He used the name H. B. Irving to distinguish himself from his father.
After his father’s death in 1905, he set up his own theatre company, with his wife Dorothea Baird and toured plays, including playing Matthias in The Bells, the role and show most associated with his father.
During World War 1 he left theatre to pursue a career in the law.
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.
The Bells was a translation by Leopold David Lewis of the 1867 play Le Juif Polonais by Erckmann-Chatrian.
The Bells was first performed in 1871 at the Lyceum Theatre in London, starring the famous actor/manager Henry Irving in the role of Matthias. It was a play that was to dominate his career for the rest of his life. Irving performed the play at the Theatre Royal Nottingham in 1897. Please see link to playbill below.
H.B. Irving (Henry Brodribb Irving) was Henry Irving’s son. He used the name H. B. Irving to distinguish himself from his father.
After his father’s death in 1905, he set up his own theatre company, with his wife Dorothea Baird and toured plays, including playing Matthias in The Bells, the role and show most associated with his father.
During World War 1 he left theatre to pursue a career in the law.
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
