Albert Forbes Sieveking

“ HOLLINGSHEAD, JOHN (1827–1904) , journalist and theatrical manager, born in Union Street, Hoxton, London, on 9 Sept. 1827, was son (by his wife Elizabeth) of Henry Randall Hollingshead. The father failed in business, and was confined in the debtors' prison of Whitecross Street, but became in 1847 clerk to the secretary of the Irish society for administering the Irish estates of the London corporation, retiring on a pension in 1872 and dying next year. ”

“ On 21 Dec. 1868 Hollingshead opened as manager the Gaiety Theatre in the Strand, which had been newly built by Charles John Phipps [q. v. Suppl. I] for Lionel Lawson. It was erected on the site once partly occupied by the Strand music-hall. A theatre and restaurant were now first combined in London in one building. At the Gaiety, Hollingshead made many innovations, including the system of 'No fees,' and inaugurated continual Wednesday and Saturday matinees. ”

“ Of tall and picturesque figure, handsome face, and chivalrous bearing, traits suggestive to friends of Don Quixote, he was wholehearted in his devotion to the science of arms, which he did much to rescue from neglect. ”

“ John Maddocks, who appreciated his work, and henceforward not only purchased many of his canvases himself (see Sale Cat. of Maddocks' collection, 30 April 1910) but made him known in Bradford and the north of England, where he established a lasting and profitable connection. From 1877 onwards he painted a good deal, first at Thorpacre near Loughborough, Leicestershire, and subsequently at South Halting, Petersfield, Sussex, where his subject pictures included 'Christening Sunday' (R.A. 1887) , now in the Manchester Corporation Art Gallery; the landscape 'The Lost Cap' (McCulloch collection) ”

“ Charles Dunphie was educated at Trinity College, Dublin, Coming to London, he studied medicine at King's College Hospital, where he was a favourite pupil of Sir William Fergusson, but soon took to literature and journalism. ”

“ In 1856 he became a contributor to the 'Train,' a shilling magazine founded and edited by Edmund Yates [q. v.] , and then joined his friend, William Moy Thomas [q. v. Suppl. II] , as part proprietor and joint editor of the 'Weekly Mail.' In 1857 he sent to 'Household Words,' then edited by Charles Dickens, a sketch of city life, called 'Poor Tom, a City Weed.' The article pleased the editor, whose sentiment and style Hollingshead emulated, and he joined the staff. ”

“ Between 1889 and 1895 he lived at Colnor House, Bosham, Chichester, where he painted 'Milking Time,' a sunny landscape with cattle (now in the Melbourne Art Gallery) , and 'Signing the Marriage Register' (R.A. 1895; now in Bradford Gallery) . In 1896 he moved to East Ashling House, Chichester, and engaged in pictures of rustic life. ”

“ Hollingshead helped to found the Arundel Club and the New Club, Covent Garden (My Lifetime, ii. 209) , and joined with zest in Bohemian society. He first turned theatrical manager in 1865. Although he did not abandon journalism, his main interest lay for nearly a quarter of a century in theatrical enterprise. ”

“ In 1907, after his death, some of his work was shown in the winter exhibition of the Royal Academy, and the sale of seventy-six of his remaining works at the Leicester Gallery produced about 3000l. In addition to the art galleries named, those of Warrington and Dublin also possess examples of his work. ”

“ He produced serious new plays by T. W. Robertson, W. S. Gilbert, H. J. Byron, Charles Reade, and Dion Boucicault; operas and operettes (in which Charles Santley, Cummings and Emmeline Cole sang) by Hérold, Hervé, Offenbach, Leeocq, and Suppé; while Shakespeare and old and modern English comedy were interpreted by, among others, Phelps, Charles Mathews, and Toole, Compton, Hermann Vezin, Forbes Robertson, Ada Cavendish, Mrs. ”

“ The receipts from the theatre, which contained 2000 seats, were, for fifteen years of his control, 1869-1883, 608,201l. The house was closed for only eighteen weeks in seventeen years. HoUingshead was responsible for 969 matinees in the period. In eighteen years Hollingshead made 120,000l. profit, after paying away about 11⁄4 million sterling. His salaries were on a high scale. He paid Phelps, Toole, and Charles Mathews 100l. ”