Killed By A Pin

The Nottinghamshire Guardian 22 December 1900
The British Library Board

Infant mortality reached its peak in England and Wales in the 1890s. Although water and sanitation were improving and compulsory vaccinations had begun there were no antibiotics. Death in infancy affected most families and wealth provided little protection. As one of George Harvey d'Egville's descendants Minnie was likely to have been born into straitened circumstances.

The Invisible George

After George Harvey d'Egville relocated to Atherstone his presence in the archives becomes almost invisible. Louis, Sophie and James are apparent in their many column inches of advertisements and publicity. I'd attributed this to the destruction of the smaller circulation local newspapers but I'd begun to wonder whether he did anything other than father a large number of children.

This substantial advertisement that appeared in the Northampton Mercury is not unusual so far as dancing academies are concerned and it is difficult to establish who is really really a d'Egville. I'd consigned it to file of possibly fraudulent dancing teachers but I've reconsidered it because it might be George.

George certainly was a dancer at the Opera House although I'm unaware of any records associating him with the Royal Academy in Paris. One thinks of Atherstone being isolated but Lutterworth is only eighteen miles away on a direct route along Watling Street.

The Northampton Mercury 21 November 1829
The British Library Board

Sophie d'Egvilles Last Appearance In London

To date I haven't found an appearance by Sophie on the London stage much later than this extravaganza by James. This heroic pantomime cost Drury Lane some £7,000 to produce.

You will notice that Miss d'Egville appears twice on the billing. While admitting the possibility of other explanations it seems likely that these are Sophie and Fanny. This is three years after Peter d'Agueville's auction was forced by relocation from Ipswich in 1792.

The capitalisation is copied directly from the magazine so it is interesting that while Georges' name appears in small capitals neither of the Misses d'Egville merit this billing. Perhaps it was almost time to try something new for Sophie.

It is worth reading some of the other articles in the Freemasons' Magazine for February 1795 because they give a real sense of the instability in the Europe for which Sophie was shortly to embark. A good analogy might be that one decides to go and get a job in Paris some time after Dunkirk in 1940.

Feb. 12. The long-expected heroic Pantomime of D'egville's—"Alexander The Great, or, The Conquest OF Persia," made its entre at Drury-laneTheatre.

In this Ballet, which certainly exceeds every thing of the kind ever exhibited on an English Theatre, the magnificent splendour of scenery and decorations are happily and ingeniously blended with all that strength of interest which fine action must ever excite. The characters are as follow:

MACEDONIANS.

Alexander, - - Mr. J. D'Egville.

Hephestion, - - Mr. Aumer.

Clytus, - - Mr. Dubois.

Perdiccas, - - Mr. Fairbrother.

Parmenio, - - Mr. Phillimore.

Ptolemy, - - Mr. Caulfield.

Attalus, - - Mr. Benson.

Eumenes, - - Mr. Bland.

Philip, - - Mr. G. D'Egville.

Officers, Guards, Attendants.

AMAZONS.

Thalestris, - - Mrs. Fialon,
Miss Collinse, Miss Heard, Miss D'Egville, Miss Redhead, Miss Stagledoir. Miss Stuart, Miss.Tidswell, Mrs. Bramwell.
PERSIANS.
Darius, - - Mr. Fialon.

Son of Darius, - - Master Menace.

Oxathres, - - Mr. Boimaison.

Memnon, - - Mr. Webb.

Arsites, - - Mr. Maddocks.

Spithridates, - - Mr. Banks,

Raesaces, - - Mr. Lyons.

Sysigambes, - - Mrs. Coyler.

Parisatis, - - Mrs. Hedges.

Artemisia, - - Mrs. Butler.

Statira, - - - Miss J. Hillisberg.

High Priest of the Sun, Mr. Roffey.

Satraps.

Mr. Kelly, jun. Mr. Evans, Mr. Brady, Mr. Caulfield, jun. Mr. Powel, Mr. Creed,

Attendant Females.

Miss Brooker, Miss Phillips, Miss Daniels, Mrs. Harris, Mrs. Hasley, Miss Chatterley, Miss Grainger, Mrs. Jones, Miss Menage, Miss D'Egville.

 Priests and Persian Army.

Prejudiced By A Mistake?

This statement appeared in The Morning Post on Saturday 13 December 1823. It interests me for two reasons.

Firstly, James confirms that the George Harvey d'Egville living in Atherstone is indeed his brother. It's the first firm evidence that I've found and it shifts an assumption to a fact. I'd a lurking suspicion that the George of Atherstone might not be a connection of the famous James and less famous George at all. We do know that there were other Harvey d'Egvilles in the United Kingdom at the time and their connection, if any, is a mystery.

Secondly, the man who was wrongly hanged for murder in Barbados has either taken or was given the forenames that were current in the Harvey d'Egville family. We know that there was a Peter Hervez d'Aigueville who married at Portsea in the 1770s and a family who were active in East Anglia a little while afterwards. While the statistical odds of two people who share the same name meeting at a party are much less than one might think these names are quite rare.

I'm uncertain whether from what we know of James' character that we should believe this is a credible denial.

The Morning Post Saturday 13 December 1823
The British Library Board

Blackbeard's Servant

Frontispiece Black Beard - Courtesy of Paul Douglass

Paul Douglass is Professor of English and American Literature at San Jose State University and includes British Romanticism (Byron Studies) among his research interests.  He and Frederick Burwick of the University of California, Los Angeles maitain the Romantic-Era Songs website. It was here that I found the treasure of Blackbeard; or, The Captive Princess (Longman and Broderip, 1798) composed and adapted for the piano by John Sanderson (1769-1841), scenario and songs by John Cartwright Cross (d.1810?).

This "grand ballet spectacle" was performed at the Royal Circus where Caesar, Blackbeard’s servant is described a pantomime role played by Mr. d’Egville. Given George's later reputation as a pantomimic actor it is perhaps he rather than James or Louis who appeared as Caesar.

In 1972 characters and scenery cutouts from Blackbeard the Pirate; or, The Jolly Buccaneers, was reprinted by Pryor Publications (Whitsable, Enland). It seems that the original was probably published in the 1830s by Pollocks’ Toy Theatres Ltd, of London. According to Douglass, "the imagery is consistent with other depictions of the costumes and sets in the original production." So, the cutout character of Caeser (far right, first row below) may represent Mr. d'Egville.

Back cover of Blackbeard the Pirate; or, The Jolly Buccaneers
Courtesy Paul Douglass

Synopsis of Black Beard downloaded from the Romantic-Era Songs website. 

THE Piece commences with the carousal of Black Beard and his Crew in the Pirate’s Grand Cabin, they descry a Sail bearing the Mogul's Colours, conveying the Princess Ismena and her Lover Abdallah – they are taken. Black Beard becomes enamoured of the Princess, and separates them: – They steer towards the Straits of Madagascar, where he has deposited his Riches in the Care of Orra, his Wife, to whom, on his landing, he introduces the Princess. Orra watches her with a jealous Eye, but dreading her Husband’s ferocious Disposition, with seeming Complacency receives her. In the Interim he gives Orders that Abdallah shall be dispatched – the Commands are received by William and his Sweetheart Nancy, the affectionate Female, who had followed his Fortunes in Disguise, and when taken by Black Beard, both became reluctantly Pirates. William recognizes in Abdallah, a Friend who had redeemed him from Slavery, and gratefully in return, aids his Escape – the jealous Orra seduces lsmena, under a Promise of Freedom, to a sequestered Spot, where she attempts her Murder, but is prevented by Black Beard, who plunges the Dagger, intended for the Princess, in his Wife's Heart – her Lover, wandering near the Spot, is wounded by Caesar (Black Beard's faithful Negro) in endeavouring to rescue his Mistress, who is conveyed once more for Safety on-board the Pirate. Her wounded Lover meets with Lieutenant Maynard, (Commander of the Pearl) who, being in Search of the Pirate, learns the Inlet where he has anchored, and determines to attack him – mean Time BlackBeard endeavours, by every Art, to seduce Ismena – but is interrupted by the Apparition of his murdered Wife – he views her with Horror, but has scarce Time to reflect, when he learns his Ship is about being boarded by the British Captain, he gives lsmena to the Care of Caesar, commanding him to lodge her in the Powder-Magazine, and should the Captain be victorious, set Fire to it, and blow them all up together, which he is on the Point of accomplishing, when his Hand is arrested by Abdallah. The British Captain, after an obstinate Engagement, plunges the piratical Monster into the Sea. Abdallah is restored to his faithful Ismena, and British Valour and Humanity conspicuously triumphant.

From “The Songs, Duets, Glees, Chorusses, [sic] &c. In the popular grand Spectacle of Music, Dance, and Action, called, Black Beard; or, The Captive Princess: As performed upwards of 100 nights, at the Royal Circus, last season; and Revived with new Songs, Scenery, Dresses, &c. On Wednesday, May 15, 1799,” ( London: T. Burton, 1799), 5-6.

Paul Douglass is author of Lady Caroline Lamb: A Biography (Palgrave Macmillan, 2004) and a selection of Lady Caroline Lamb's letters, The Whole Disgraceful Truth (Palgrave Macmillan, 2006).

A Kind Granny

Emma Jane Grew nee Degville

A few years ago, following the death of my husband's aunt we visited her husband. As we walked down the garden path we smelt the smoke from a bonfire behind the house.

Her son and his wife were incinerating his mother's belongings, personal things collected over a lifetime. Precious to her, rubbish to them... What affected me profoundly, was the sight of photos being tossed into the flames, curling with the heat, blackening and rising as ash with the smoke.

"Why are you burning  photos, " I asked.
"We don't know who half of them are," came the reply.

Like most people I've 'inherited' photos from deceased parents or grandparents.They're stored in boxes at the bottom of the cupboard, occasionally looked at. Some I can identify, others I think I maybe know, but many are 'before my time' and unfortunately there's no longer an older generation to ask.

But even these nameless ones are part of my past and have a connection to the present through me. So, usually on long winter nights out they come and I name who I know or add something such as "my mum's cousin" and give a choice who it might be.

Why bother you might think, who will care? Very recently, my cousin Gill and I were looking through a file of paperwork.

"Who's this?" She asked. There she was, Emma Jane Grew nee Degville, our great grandmother, George Degville's granddaughter. Our direct link to George. The person from whom had come the stories.

So he wasn't the dashing fencing master fleeing the revolutionaries, but nor was he the pauper in the workhouse, but it was those stories that incited the urge to discover our ancestry.

I don't remember from whom the photo came or when I got it, but fortunately I'd named her and we were looking at her heavy lidded eyes and wavy hair, and recognising her familiarity. In my dad's words, "My kind granny."

Maybe a future generation will look at an old photo from a box passed down, see a vaguely familiar face, turn it over and discover their past.

Marilyn

James, Joe, George and Pan

Joseph Grimaldi

In September 1805 the Theatre Royal Drury Lane opened for the season without a ballet master. James Byrne (1756-1845) had left at the close of the previous system and it was agreed that James Harvey d'Egville would succeed him.

The Honey Moon was advertised as the play for the second night, but in the absence of a ballet there was no one to arrange the dance in the piece. It was too late to change the bills but it seemed that the programme would have to be changed.

After a discussion with the stage manager, Wroughton, Joseph Grimaldi was offered an extra two pounds per week if he would arrange the dance and choregraph other pieces. Grimaldi was also given permission to hire dancers. This seems an ill considered by both Wroughton and Grimaldi as d'Egville would soon be joining the company.

Despite this there seems to have been no disagreement between Grimaldi and d'Egville after he had taken up his post. Grimaldi was cast in the role of Pan in d'Egvilles new ballet Terpsichore's Return. This was performed five times before Grimaldi walked away from the Theatre Royal Drury Lane forever.

On the 26 October, Grimaldi drew his salary and found that the additional two pounds was no longer to be paid although it seems the treasury still had the change to his contract made by the manager, Graham, on file.

There is an incisive footnote comment in a footnote to the incident in Grimaldi's memoirs.

The management of Drury Lane, in their desire of novelty, had engaged M. Joubert, and Mademoiselle Parisot, from the King's Theatre for the season. On October 24, it was underlined in the bill of the day, tliat she would appear for the first time, on that stage, on Monday, the 28th, in a new ballet, composed by M. D'Egville, entitled "Terpsichore's Return;" it was, however, "owing to the indisposition of a principal performer," deferred a few days—till November 1. In this ballet, Grimaldi had a great part, that of Pan, in which he fell in love with Terpsichore, who, after favouring his pretensions, jilted him; this allowed Joe full latitude of display, and the applause the ballet obtained had never been exceeded on the production of any drama or piece in that, or any other theatre. The ballet was performed the fifth tine, on Saturday, November 9, on which night Grimaldi quitted the theatre, and never afterwards was within its walls. "Terpsichore's Return" was performed a sixth time, on Monday, November 25, and Pan was personated by George D'Egville, a pantomimist, and brother to James D'Egville, the ballet-master. George D'Egville had performed with great eclat the part of Caliban, at the Haymarket, in a similar ballet, derived from Shakspeare's "Tempest," and as his engagement was possibly on the tapit for Drury Lane, (Pan apparently having been designed for him,) Joe fancying that two suns could not shine in the same sphere, broke the terms of his engagement, and left the course clear to his successor.

Memoirs of Joseph Grimaldi 1853 With Notes and Additions, Revised by Charles Whitehead

As for George Harvey d'Egville, he took the opportunity to act the goat,

Nov. 1.— Terpsichore's Return—a ballet, composed by Mr. D'Egville, as an introduction for Mademoiselle Parisot, who certainly astonishes as an attitudinarian, but does not afford much delight as a dancer. To give something like incident to the dance, Pan is called in to make love to Terpsichore. The constitutional warmth of this Deity is well known, and, on the stage, his amours are generally rendered offensively coarse, by the grimace and gestures of the performer. The Goat, too, was disgusting. Such exhibitions reflect disgrace on the stage.

The Monthly Mirror for November 1805

Otherwise Terpsichore's Return seems to have been applauded so perhaps this criticism is not representative of the public or critical response to the performance.

Rose Parisot