Who Do You Think You Are - Gareth Malone 10th Sep

[kiterunner]

On BBC1 at 9 p.m., and repeated next Wednesday on BBC1 at 11:35 p.m.

[Anstey Nomad]

Best of the series so far for me, although I suspect he may have known more about Dan Lowrey than he let on.

[kiterunner]

Episode synopsis:

Gareth Edmund Malone was born in London in 1975, the only child of James Malone, who worked in finance, and Shan White, a civil servant. James and Shan met doing amateur dramatics.

Gareth visited his parents in Bournemouth where they told him that his grandfather Edmund White's grandfather, Edmund Payne was an entertainer, often performing with George Grossmith jr. Shan had once heard a recording of Edmund on the radio, and had heard that there was a film of him but had not seen it. Sian gave Gareth a family tree which went back as far as Gareth's 4xg-grandfather Daniel Lowrey, a music hall impresario who started a theatre in Dublin. The tree showed that Gareth's great-grandparents were Harry Payne and Dorothy Harris, with Dorothy's father being John Harrill Harris and her mother being Hannah Lowrey, the daughter of Thomas Lowrey, Daniel Lowrey's son.

Gareth first looked at the Payne side of his tree, meeting a theatre historian who showed him a programme for a Royal Gala Performance in 1911 in which Edmund Payne and George Grossmith jr both appeared in "The Critics" by Sheridan. He was also shown a book which had some information about Edmund Payne and his work (he specialised in comic acting.) The book said that Edmund lived in Stoke Newington, near Clissold Park.

Gareth visited Clissold Park and met Lesley, a great-granddaughter of Edmund Payne, who showed him Edmund's parents' marriage certificate: Edmund Payne, a chairmaker, married Eliza Ince at St Leonard Shoreditch 8th Aug 1859. Lesley showed Gareth the 1881 census for the Payne family, with Edmund sr age 43 a chair maker employing 4 men, and with Eliza and seven children including Edmund jr, a Ticket Writer (i.e. he issued theatre tickets.)

Lesley showed Gareth a photo of Edmund Payne on a tricycle with some of his children, and gave him a disk of the film "The Gaiety Duet" featuring Edmund with George Grossmith jr. Gareth went to the British Library to listen to a recording of Edmund and George performing "The Bold Gendarmes" and then went back to Bournemouth to show the film to his parents and his grandfather, aged 94.

Gareth then turned to the Lowrey part of his tree. The family tree showed that Daniel Lowrey married Hannah Elteringham, so he looked for this marriage online and found their marriage certificate. Daniel and Hannah married in 1840 in Leeds, with Daniel's occupation shown as dyer and his father as Patrick Lowry, a weaver. Gareth looked at the 1851 census entry for Daniel and Hannah, where they were in Liverpool with three children, Hannah's mother, and a servant. Daniel's occupation was shown as "Singer at Concerts".

Gareth went to Liverpool to meet an expert in Victorian popular entertainment, who showed him a Liverpool trade directory from 1857 which listed Daniel Lowry as a victualler at 22 Cleveland Square. "The Era" newspaper from 1859 had an advert for Dan Lowrey's music hall in Liverpool with a list of performers including Dan Lowrey, Irish singer. A catalogue of music halls listed the Malakoff in Cleveland Square, and had a picture of the outside of it with a statue of Mr Lowrey. Gareth was also shown a photo of Dan Lowrey singing an Irish song, and the sheet music for one of the songs, "The Whistling Thief". Gareth went to Cleveland Square but the building no longer exists.

Gareth searched the British Newspaper Archive online and found some adverts for the New Malakoff Music Hall, and also a report in the Daily Courier dated 25 Oct 1870 on a rally held there for Daniel Lowrey, "the People's Candidate", who was standing as an independent in the Pitt Street ward in the town council election. Gareth went to meet a local historian who showed him a newspaper report on the election which showed that voting was close but Lieut Col Hamilton of the Conservative party won by 65 votes. It also gave the text of Dan's speech on losing.

The historian also showed Gareth a newspaper ad for the new music hall which Dan opened in Dublin in 1871, leaving eldest son Thomas in Liverpool to run the Malakoff. Gareth went to Dublin and met a theatre historian who showed him a music hall programme from 1884 with a picture of the theatre, which was quite big, and photos of Dan Lowrey senior and "Dan Lowrey junior" (Thomas called himself Dan jr when he took over running the Dublin theatre.) Dan sr died in Dublin in 1889. Gareth went to see the theatre, which is now called the Olympia Theatre, and saw a portrait of Dan sr there.

[kiterunner]

Sorry to say I found this one very boring! It seemed that Gareth could have found all that out from his mum and his cousin, and there was much too much of Gareth singing and just "filler" stuff.

I notice that Daniel Lowrey's father's name was Patrick, so isn't it likely that the family did come from Ireland before they lived in Leeds? I'll see if I can find out...

[kiterunner]

Here is Daniel's baptism on ancestry:
http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/2972/40612_B0150700-00061/2600297?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.uk %2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fgst%3d-6&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults

At St Patrick's RC, York Road, Leeds: 11 Mar 1823, Daniel Laury, son of Patrick and Mary, sponsors James Connell and Jane Call.

[kiterunner]

FamilySearch has the marriage of Daniel Lowrey, son of Patrick, to Charlotte Summerfield, daughter of Benjamin Summerfield, in Liverpool 12 Mar 1857. (Lancs BMD says St Peter, Liverpool, but ancestry doesn't seem to have the images for St Peter for that period.) So it seems that Dan had a second wife - wonder why they didn't mention that in the programme? It was hardly so packed that they couldn't fit it in!

[Olde Crone]

I too found this boring and irritating - was it really necessary to show Gareth struggling to read the census? And was "the song" really worth performing once, let alone twice?

So many unanswered (and interesting!) questions. Such as - where did a young dyer raise the money to buy a pub? Was it his wife's money? We'll never know.

All the Lowrys (Lowery/Lowries, etc) I know of, come from Scotland!

OC

As Kate says, an awful lot of padding and not much content.

[kiterunner]

Here are the Lowry family in 1841:

1841 census on ancestry (http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/8978/WRYHO107_1342_1343-0518/12859692?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.u k%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fdb%3duki1841%26gss%3dangs-d%26new%3d1%26rank%3d1%26MS_AdvCB%3d1%26gsfn%3ddan *%26gsfn_x%3d1%26gsln%3dl*r*y%26gsln_x%3d1%26mswpn __ftp_x%3d1%26msbdy%3d1823%26msbdy_x%3d1%26msbdp%3 d5%26msbpn__ftp_x%3d1%26gskw_x%3d1%26_83004002_x%3 d1%26cpxt%3d1%26cp%3d11%26catbucket%3drstp%26MSAV% 3d2%26uidh%3dvm5%26gl%3d%26gst%3d%26hc%3d10%26fh%3 d10%26fsk%3dBEDmZmYIgAAjEgB5r5I-61-&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults)

Zion Street, Leeds
Daniel Lowry 15 Wool dyer Y
Hannah Do 15 Y
Thomas Do 7 weeks Y

(Don't forget, 15 on this census means 15-19.)

[kiterunner]

I can't find Patrick and / or Mary in 1841 at the moment but FamilySearch has details of two more of their children:

Thomas Lowry chr 24 Jul 1825 St Patrick's RC, York Road, Leeds, parents Patrick and Mary
James Lowry buried 26 Dec 1836 Leeds, parents Patrick and Mary

[kiterunner]

Here is Daniel and Hannah's marriage cert on ancestry:
http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/2253/32355_249415-01983/6751309?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.uk %2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fgst%3d-6&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults

Leeds parish church
Aug 22 1840 Daniel Lowry, Minor, Bachelor, Dyer, Wheeler Street, father Patrick Lowry, weaver
Hannah Elteringham, Minor, Spinster, East Queen Street, father William Elteringham, Miner
Both make their mark. Witnesses William Elteringham and Isabella Folson, also both make their mark.

Daniel and Hannah in 1851:
1851 census on ancestry (http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/8860/LANHO107_2177_2177-1189/11499750?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.u k%2f%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fgss%3dangs-g%26new%3d1%26rank%3d1%26msT%3d1%26gsfn%3ddaniel%2 6gsln%3dlowrey%26MSAV%3d1%26msbdy%3d1823%26msbpn__ ftp%3dLeeds%252c%2bYorkshire%252c%2bEngland%26msbp n%3d88992%26msbpn_PInfo%3d8-%257c0%257c0%257c3257%257c3251%257c0%257c0%257c0%2 57c5292%257c88992%257c0%257c%26msfng%3dpatrick%26m smng%3dmary%26mssng0%3dhannah%26mssns0%3delteringh am%26mssng1%3dcharlotte%26mssns1%3dsummerfield%26c p%3d11%26catbucket%3drstp%26cpxt%3d1%26pcat%3dROOT _CATEGORY%26h%3d11499750%26recoff%3d5%2b6%2b70%26d b%3duki1851%26indiv%3d1%26ml_rpos%3d4&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnRecord)
Great Orford St, Liverpool
Daniel Lowrey Head Mar 25 Singer at Concerts Yorkshire Leeds
Hannah Do Wife Mar 29 Do Do
Thomas Do Son 10 Scholar Do Do
Jane Do Daur 7 Do Do Do
Ann Do Do 5 Do Do Do
Jane Elligan Mother in Law Mar 67 Durham
Kinney Williams Servant U 18 Servant Wales Llanfair

Daniel and Charlotte in 1861:
1861 census on ancestry (http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/8767/LANRG9_2673_2676-0110/8829696?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.uk %2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fgst%3d-6&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults)
22 Cleveland Sq, Liverpool
Daniel Lowrey Head Mar 38 Publican Leeds Yorksh
Charlot Do Wife Do 25 Lpool
Thomas Do Son Do 20 Assist Leeds
Ann Do Wife Do 22 Ireland
Mary J Do Dau Do 18 Leeds
Wm Hy Do G Son 2 Lpool
Mary Barry Serv Un 25 Servt Ireland

Daniel and Charlotte in 1871:
1871 census on ancestry (http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/7619/LANRG10_3774_3776-0573/15931829?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.u k%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fgst%3d-6&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults)
16 Hanover St, Liverpool
Daniel Lowrey Head Mar 48 Licd Victr Leeds
Charlotte " Wife Do 35 Liverpool
Hannah Sweeney Relative Wid 72 Nottingham
Kate Hutchinson Serv Unm 21 General Servant Liverpool

[Margaret in Burton]

Dave and I found this one fascinating. It so reminded us of the struggle to find anything on my grandfathers brother George Newey. He too was 'on the stage'. I have found articles about him in The Stage magazine but we still don't know what happened to him after 1912 when he returned from the USA

[kiterunner]

There is a Patrick Loury death Apr-Jun 1839 Leeds and a Mary Lowry death Oct-Dec 1840, also in Leeds, which could explain why I can't find them on the 1841 census.

Here is Patrick's burial:
West Yorkshire records on ancestry (http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/2254/32355_249404-00216/8220999?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.uk %2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fdb%3dwyorkcoeburial%26so%3d2%26pca t%3d34%26gss%3dangs-c%26new%3d1%26rank%3d1%26MS_AdvCB%3d1%26gsfn%3dpat *%26gsfn_x%3d1%26gsln%3dl*r*y%26gsln_x%3d1%26msbpn __ftp_x%3d1%26msddy%3d1839%26msddy_x%3d1%26msddp%3 d1%26msdpn__ftp_x%3d1%26msgpn__ftp_x%3d1%26msypn__ ftp_x%3d1%26msfng_x%3d1%26msfns_x%3d1%26msmng_x%3d 1%26msmns_x%3d1%26mssng0_x%3d1%26mssns0_x%3d1%26ms cng0_x%3d1%26mscns0_x%3d1%26cpxt%3d1%26cp%3d11%26M SAV%3d2%26uidh%3dvm5&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults)
Patrick Lowry, Married Man, Wheeler Street, 21 May St Mary's, 46 yrs.

[Guinevere]

I really enjoyed this one. I agree there was too much padding but, on the other hand, I'm fed up with military stuff.

[Ann from Sussex]

I thought it was really interesting. Wish I could find something out about the "theatrical agent" in my own tree but his census entry is all I know about his work. Gareth and his family undoubtedly knew a lot about Dan Lowry and Edmund Payne but they probably didn't know all the detail and I enjoyed seeing the story unfold.

Edit to say: I did wonder how they knew which of the two voices on the recording was Edmund's.

[tenterfieldjulie]

Some of my Cornish family from the Lizard area had combination's of Lawry/Lory etc

[kiterunner]

I've only just realised that Gareth's mother's maiden name was White, not Payne! Will go back and edit my synopsis... but I'm confused.

[kiterunner]

If my internet wasn't going so slow, I would rewatch the beginning of the episode to get a good look at that family tree, but from looking at BMD indexes, it looks as though Gareth's grandfather was born a Payne but then his mother married Harry White in 1932? Or am I getting something wrong somewhere?

[Ann from Sussex]

If my internet wasn't going so slow, I would rewatch the beginning of the episode to get a good look at that family tree, but from looking at BMD indexes, it looks as though Gareth's grandfather was born a Payne but then his mother married Harry White in 1932? Or am I getting something wrong somewhere?

I noticed the discrepancy last night Kite. Gareth's mother was Sian White, his grandfather was Edmund White, can't remember the name of his father but think it was Payne and the music hall performer was also Edmund Payne. It didn't show that Gareth's grandfather was the son of a Payne daughter so I was left wondering how they ended up being called White.

[kiterunner]

Okay, I have managed to watch on the iPlayer and pause on the close-up of the family tree, and it shows Edmund Payne (1864-1914) married Emily Saxon (1864-1899) in 1888, with son Harry Payne born in 1898 (I think, the picture was a bit fuzzy.) Harry is shown as marrying Dorothy Harris (born 1897) in 1920, with their son Edmund born 1921, and then Dorothy marrying a William White in 1927. Presumably Edmund took his stepfather's surname. It shows Harry's date of death as 1964.

So, a few things to check there...

[kiterunner]

Births Jan-Mar 1921
Payne Edmund J, MMN Harris, Greenwich 1d 1744

[kiterunner]

This is the 1901 census entry for the Paynes, in Stoke Newington:
1901 census on ancestry (http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/7814/LNDRG13_206_207-0187/2581355?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.uk %2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fdb%3duki1901%26gss%3dsfs28_ms_db%2 6new%3d1%26rank%3d1%26msT%3d1%26MS_AdvCB%3d1%26gsf n%3dharry%26gsfn_x%3d1%26gsln%3dpayne%26gsln_x%3d1 %26msbdy%3d1899%26msbdy_x%3d1%26msbdp%3d2%26msbpn_ _ftp_x%3d1%26msrpn__ftp_x%3d1%26msypn__ftp_x%3d1%2 6msfng%3dedm*%26msfng_x%3d1%26msfns_x%3d1%26msmng_ x%3d1%26msmns_x%3d1%26msbng0_x%3d1%26mssng0_x%3d1% 26mssns0_x%3d1%26mscng0_x%3d1%26MSAV%3d2%26uidh%3d vm5&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults)

16 Clissold Rd, Stoke Newington
Payne Edmund Head M 37 Actor London Hackney
" Alice Wife M 18 " St Giles
" Emily Daur S 12 Blackpool
" Alice " 11 Bristol
" Edmund Son 6 London N
" Harry " 2 " N

[kiterunner]

The 1911 census entry for the Paynes:
1911 census on ancestry (http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/2352/rg14_01017_0023_03/2159485?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.uk %2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fdb%3d1911england%26gss%3dangs-d%26new%3d1%26rank%3d1%26msT%3d1%26MS_AdvCB%3d1%26 gsfn%3dharry%26gsfn_x%3d1%26gsln%3dpayne%26gsln_x% 3d1%26msbdy%3d1899%26msbdy_x%3d1%26msbdp%3d2%26msb pn__ftp_x%3d1%26msrpn__ftp_x%3d1%26msypn__ftp_x%3d 1%26msfng_x%3d1%26msfns_x%3d1%26msmng_x%3d1%26msmn s_x%3d1%26msbng0_x%3d1%26mssng0_x%3d1%26mssns0_x%3 d1%26mscng0_x%3d1%26MSAV%3d2%26uidh%3dvm5%26gl%3d% 26gst%3d%26hc%3d10%26fh%3d40%26fsk%3dBEDmZmYIgAAJM AHjBpU-61-&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults)

4 Glebe Place, Clissold Park, London N
Edmund Payne Head 46 Married Actor Hackney Ln
Alice Payne Wife 28 Married 10 yrs, 3 children, 3 living Holborn Ln
Alice Payne Daughter 21 Single Bristol
Harry Payne Son 12 Stoke Newington Ln
Mary Payne Daughter 9 Stoke Newington Ln
Leslie Payne Son 6 Stoke Newington Ln
Nora Payne Daughter 4 Stoke Newington Ln
Rose Phillips Cook 51 Widow Islington Ln
Ethel Hasler Servant 20 Single Housemaid Edmonton London
Edith Creswell Servant 17 Single Nursemaid Stoke Newington Ln


TNA's catalogue does have an entry for the divorce of a Harry Frederick Payne and a Dorothy Violet Payne in 1926 but I don't know whether they are the right couple.

[kiterunner]

Found a birth registration for Harry Albert F Payne Jul-Sep 1898 Hackney (the district which included Stoke Newington).

[kiterunner]

John Harrill Harris (father of Dorothy Harris) comes up on FamilySearch as dying Jul-Sep 1929 Rathdown, Ireland, age 78, and as marrying Apr-Jun 1886 Dublin South. There is a matching marriage entry for Hannah Lowrey. And there is a birth reg for Dorothy Violet Harris Apr-Jun 1897 Dublin South, so I think that divorce in post #22 probably is the right couple. Phew.

[kiterunner]

And now I know I should be looking in Ireland, these marriages come up on the Irish Civil Registration Indexes:

Harry F Payne / Dorothy Violet Harris marriage Apr-Jun 1920 Rathdown, Ireland

William Morgan White / Dorothy Violet Harris marriage Jul-Sep 1927 Rathdown, Ireland

[Shona]

Who was it who suspected that Gareth might have known more than he was letting on? Anyway, if Gareth had done a bit of Googling, he would have discovered an entire website dedicated to Edmund Payne.

http://www.edmundpayne.co.uk/index.asp

It seems that Edmund was also a competitive cyclist. Info about the family background as well.

I also read an article from a Scottish newspaper which stated that Gareth believed he got his passion for music from his father James, who was born in Glasgow.

[Shona]

There's a lot about Daniel Lowrey on various websites. It appears he had interests in Belfast, too.

The Alhambra Theatre, Belfast

The Alhambra Theatre was first built by Stevenson in 1871 as a Music Hall but didn't open as planned because certain people in Belfast didn't want it to be run as a Music Hall and paid the manager, James Moss, compensation to keep it closed. The Theatre was then rebuilt and eventually opened in 1873, and was said to have been designed by the well known Irish Comedian Dan Lowrey, but was later destroyed by fire. Lowrey then rebuilt the Theatre but let it go in 1879 when he went to run the Star Theatre, Dublin.

Then there is this...

Dan Lowrey 1879–92

The best known, and most popular of the Dublin music hall proprietor/managers were the two Dan Lowreys. Dan Lowrey the first was born in Roscrea in 1823. His parents then emigrated to England, By the time he was thirty he owned a tavern in Liverpool where he also entertained his patrons with songs and stories in addition to serving food and drink. Some time later Lowrey returned to Ireland and opened the Alhambra in Belfast before coming to Dublin in 1878 to purchase the site of an old military barracks in Crampton Court in Temple Bar. This had also been the site of a tavern, and the so-called Monster Saloon Music Hall. On Monday 22 December 1879 his Star of Erin opened to the public. This was a genuine music hall, charging admission (as opposed to the ‘free-and-easies’ which provided entertainment free and made their money from the sale of drink). Licensing regulations prohibited Lowrey from putting on plays, or even sketches involving two people, but he could provide music. The entertainment provided was quite broad, and strictly for men only.

In 1881 Dan assigned the running of the Star of Erin to his son, also Daniel, who changed the name to Dan Lowrey’s Music Hall. John Findlater funded the enterprise through a mortgage on the properties; the decorations etc cost £121 [€20,000], S. H. Bolton the builder received £414 [€43,700] and new ‘sittings’ were supplied by James S. Lyon of High Holborn, London. John kept Daniel in funds by various cash advances to meet specific bills. It seems to have been quite a job keeping both George West and Daniel solvent. In 1882 John was picking up the costs of George West’s dishonoured cheques and paying the costs of the assignment of Daniel Lowrey’s insurance policies.

In 1889 the theatre’s name was changed again, to Dan Lowrey’s Palace of Varieties. In July 1890 Dan senior died at the age of sixty-six in his cottage in Terenure and was buried in Glasnevin Cemetery.

Dan, or Daniel, the second continued to run the music hall, despite continuing sniping from the official patent-holders, notably Michael Gunn who made strenuous attempts in the late 1880s to have the Star closed down on the grounds that it was infringing his patent. The entertainment was cheerfully lowbrow: there was the male impersonator Vesta Tilley, the Christy Minstrels, and Mr and Mrs Johnson ‘unclothing in the flickering limelight of La Studio’, there was ‘the daring young man on the flying trapeze’ (or at least there was until one appalling night when John Lilly of Leeds leapt from rope to rope 25 feet above the stage and missed the bar of the trapeze. He crashed to the ground, cracking his skull. He died soon after being carried to Mercer’s Hospital). Occasionally there were boxing matches, with the popular Jem Mace, ex-Champion Bareknuckle Fighter of the World.

The 1892/3 reconstruction

In his new year address to the city in 1892 Daniel Lowrey announced plans for the reconstruction of the Star. He also declared his intention to update the acts by including sketches and dramatic items, and he resolved to secure the rights to produce opera and short musicals. Adam was on hand to help put the finances together in order to attract the kind of stars the theatre needed. The borrowings were again secured on the properties in Crampton Court.

The board of directors of the new company, the Star Theatre of Varieties Company (Limited), was: Adam in the chair; John J. Farrall, architect; Thomas Ritchie, wine merchant; and Daniel Lowrey, managing director. For his interest, Lowrey received £19,000 [€2.2m]; of this £14,000 was in cash, and £5,000 in deferred shares. He further agreed to accept no interest on these until a dividend had been paid to the buyers of ordinary shares, although he did receive a salary as managing director. Out of the cash Lowrey received, he had to pay off all debts and mortgages on the premises (amounting to over £7,000). ‘My father was a fool in business,’ says Norah Lowrey. Her story is that the Lowrey family was against the sale to the syndicate, but that Daniel was blinded by the lure of the big money and sold his birthright for a seat on the syndicated board.

The new-look Star, which now seated 1,600 people, was ready for the Dublin international season, Horse Show Week, and was opened to the public at a cost of £3,000 [€370,000]. On Saturday 20 August 1892, the invited guests who attended the grand re-opening admired the many changes that had been made.

Daniel was now a popular Dublin character. His name was a byword in Dublin, even inside Trinity. The goodwill of the College was one of his great assets. Infinity Variety records:

'On the night following a Rugby match, especially if the College won, team and followers would descend upon The Star to celebrate and Dan, on the lookout for mischief- makers, often prowled through the House disguised in an old coat and tweed cap. The students’ favourite sport was ‘prigging’ – swiping mirrors, jugs, tankards, juggler’s balls, wigs, greasepaint, notice boards, ‘right under the nose of Dan’ – trophies for their rooms. Norah relates ‘we had a very comfortable lounge in the theatre, with nice armchairs, carpet, a fire in winter and a coal box. One night my father noticed five students leaving with a hunchback amongst them. He said: ‘Just a moment, Gentlemen!’ and found the coal box in the hump. This was going too far. He decided to call the Police. They pleaded, he gave in, gave them a severe telling off and let them go. Years later a clergyman appeared in his office. ‘I was the hunchback’ he said, ‘you were kind to me that night, Mr Lowrey, and saved my career.’

Cinématographe 1895

One of Dan Lowrey’s great talents was the ability to predict what novelties would prove attractive to his audiences, and so it was with the advent of cinema in Dublin. The motion picture finally became a reality when Auguste Lumière of Lyons, France, patented his first projection machine for the large public showing of celluloid film on 15 February 1895. He called the whole contraption Le Cinématographe. Thanks to Dan and Adam’s efforts, the very next year the cinématographe arrived at the Star Theatre in Dublin less than two months after it was first seen in England. Unfortunately, the first night was not a success. The audience sat expectantly, but for a long time nothing happened. Then, periodic sparks of light lit up the screen, but nothing could be made out. For a brief moment, the image of two prize-fighters graced the screen, but then the machine broke down.

After consultation with the Lumière brothers, the cinématographe was booked again for the first week in October 1896, and this time everything ran smoothly. Seven thousand people thronged through the doors at Crampton Court and Sycamore Street for the first week of the pictures.

On 1 January 1897, from his office at Sycamore Street, Daniel Lowrey issued what was to be his last address to the public:

'Since the time when, seventeen years ago, I took possession of its site and year by year have striven—and succeeded too—in raising it from the slough in which it then in the eyes of the public stood to the proud position it now occupies–a financial colossus patronised by the elite standing in the very front rank of the foremost theatres and now it has been a matter of notoriety that the accommodation of the theatre is now inadequate for the enormous patronage. I intimated my intention of having it enlarged to double its present capacity and having a grand main entrance from Dame Street. Already the work of rebuilding is greatly advanced, and when the Star Theatre is reopened, the eyes of the public will also be opened to the finest amusement palace inside or outside London. A structure of beauty worthy of the city of Dublin and of the generous support with which its citizens have always upheld my efforts in catering for their healthy enjoyment.'

However, financially Lowrey was in trouble, as he now had to finance the theatre in Cork, and his share of the Empire in Belfast and the Empire Palace in Dublin. He thus mortgaged all his leases and properties including his home, Roslyn Park in Sandymount. Everything rested on the success of the new theatre.

Daniel Lowrey dies, 1898

On 16 August 1898 Daniel Lowrey died from a brain tumour. Newspaper obituaries mourned the passing of Lowrey. As the Irish Figaro wrote: ‘It is generally agreed that he was the father of the profession’.

[Shona]

Another website says this:

...as a boy, Lowrey, a native of Tipperary, had emigrated to England with his parents.

[Olde Crone]

Thankyou Shona, that was far more interesting than the programme, lol!

Seems the producers cleaned up the past and just showed us the nice bits, which is okay...but it's not real, is it?

OC

[kiterunner]

But since Dan gives Leeds as his birthplace on the censuses, and was baptised in Leeds, I suspect those articles are wrong about him being born in Ireland. I should think his parents came over to England before he was born.

[Shona]

Poss his parents were from Rosecrea in Tipperary?

[Jen Red Purple]

Loved this one. Got a theatre bloke in OH's
Tree who also knew Ellen Terry, Henry Irving etc.

[Jen Red Purple]

Oh and a pre-Labour MP in my own tree who probably knew the Lowreys.

[Shona]

Info on the funeral of Daniel Lowrey from the Freeman's Journal, Saturday 21 August 1897.

THE LATE MR. DANIEL LOWREY.
THE FUNERAL.
Yesterday, the remains of Mr. Daniel Lowrey,
mananging director of the Star Theatre of Varie-
ties, were interred in the Mount Jerome Cemetery.
The funeral cortege started from his late residence
Roslyn Park, Sandymount, where the remains
rested since Thursday morning, having been con-
veyed from Buxton, where the death took place on
the 16th inst. There was a large and representa-
tive attendance of mourners testifying to the
popularity enjoyed by Mr. Lowrey.
The starting of the funeral cortege was also
witnessed by a large number of people assembled
inn the neighbourhood of Roslyn Park. The
coffin - a massive heavily-moulded one, bore the
following inscription -

DANIEL LOWREY
DIED
AUGUST 16th. 1897.
AGED
56 YEARS.

A number of beautiful wreathes were sent. The
remains were received at Mount Jerome Ceme-
tery by the Chaplain, the Rev Benjamin Gibson,
and the Rev. Davidson-Houston officiated at the
grave.
The chief mourners were - Mr. Daniel Lowrey,
son; Master Willie Lowrey, grandson, Mr J H
Harris, son-in-law; Mr Thomas Dunbar, nephew.

[Then there is a huge list of names of those attending.]

Wreaths and floral tributes were sent by the
following - A magnificent wreath from the mem-
bers of the family; from Masters Willie Lowrey,
the Misses Harris, Mr. Lowrey's grandchildren,
Belfas

[Bentley]

Hi I have just joined this forum because of this thread in particular.
I have just come across the page regarding Edward Payne and generally the WDYTYA episode last week. I'm fascinated that you found a divorce for Harry Payne and Dorothy Violet Payne (nee Harris). I had quite a shock last week watching the programme because when we had a quick glance at the family tree, the name of John Harrill Harris glared out at me. My great great grandfather was John Harrill Harris senior and my great grandmother, obviously, John Harrill Harris (junior)'s sister. My great great grandfather was a baptist minister who was in Northern Ireland between 1872 and 1887 where he married my great grandparents. There was a family falling out at sometime between him and his sons because it was only when I started doing my family tree I found their existence. Harris senior was strictly teetotal and temperance and I wonder whether he fell out with his son when he married Hannah Lowery, daughter of Daniel Junior. Then I discovered that Daniel Lowery Jr's second wife was Edith Mary Adams, daughter of Hildebrand Adams who was a friend of "my" Harris family. It really is a tangled web and one I won't find an answer to! By the reckoning of Ancestry.co.uk, Gareth Malone's mother is my 3rd cousin. One thing the programme did for me was sort out all the various Daniel Lowerys and clear up the confusion that Dan Jr was born Thomas. Apparently Dan Senior always made out that he was born in Roscrea in Ireland although he was born in Leeds - claiming Irish birth helped his street cred in 19thC Liverpool ( which by sheer coincidence is my homeland!)

[Margaret in Burton]

Hi Bentley and welcome to this forum.

It's always nice when a family member finds something on google that brings them to us. I've had a couple of distant cousins find me in this way. It's also interesting when relatives of the people on WDYTYA find the link through this forum too.

[Bentley]

Thank you for your welcome. I've been researching my family tree for about 10 years and always watch WDYTYA. I have known some of the historian experts on there in the past (I am a (mature!) PhD student) but to see a member of my family tree on there gave me quite a start! My professional research interests involve 19th social history and I have built a number of family trees to substantiate casebook studies for my thesis. I hope that I might .be able to use the forum at sometime for reference and information.

[Shona]

Hello Bentley and welcome to the forum.

The expertise of members of GF is substantial and wide-ranging. If you have any sticking points or brick walls in your research, you could try posting in the Research Questions section.

Good luck with your PhD and family history research.

[Guinevere]

Welcome to the forum, Bentley.

[Barnesyard]

At http://www.igp-web.com/IGPArchives/ire/dublin/photos/tombstones/1headstones/mt-jerome67.txt

No.9900
In | Loving | Memory of | CHARLOTTE LOWREY | the beloved wife of |
DANIEL LOWREY | Died 16th September 1882 | aged 46 years | "Her end
was peace" | "Gone but not lost" | MARY JANE DUNBAR | Died 12th April
1889 | "Loved by all" | Also In Loving Memory of | DANIEL LOWREY |
Late Managing Director | Star Theatre | The beloved husband of | EDITH
LOWREY | Died Aug. 16th 1897 | aged 96 years | And their infant son |
REGINALD MAURICE | Died Feb. 14th 1897 aged 4 months | "Until the day
breaks"

Bit confusing because of the age of Edith. Seems Daniel Lowrey snr had a 3rd wife? Daniel Junior married secondly 1890 Edith Mary Adams after Annie Maguire died - he was 49 a widow, and she 21

in connection with Who Do You Think You Are - Gareth Malone 10th Sep

[kiterunner]

I expect Edith's age has been mistranscribed.

[Barnesyard]

Yes - agreed but is this a third wife of Daniel Snr?

[kiterunner]

Oh, rereading it, the age given (96) is Daniel's, not Edith's, isn't it? Daniel sr died in 1889, aged 66, so it isn't him. There is a Daniel Lowrey death registered Jul-Sep 1897 Chapel en le Frith registration district (England), age 56. And the Liverpool Mercury 18 Aug 1897 has the following announcement:
The death has taken place at Buxton of Mr Dan Lowrey, the well-known Irish music hall proprietor. Mr Lowrey, who had been ailing for some months past, was managing director of the Star Music Hall, Dublin, the Empire Theatre of Varieties, Belfast, and a similar place of amusement recently opened in Cork.

So I guess the age has been mistranscribed from that inscription, and should say 56.