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The National Standard Theatre was built on the site of the Royal
Standard Public House and Pleasure Gardens, and first opened in 1837, it
was situated opposite the Eastern Railway Station.
The Theatre was rebuilt in 1844 by Messrs Johnson and Nelson Lee, who
was the former manager of the Pavilion Theatre, Whitechapel. They
demolished the old Standard Theatre and rebuilt it on a much larger
scale.
The new Standard Theatre opened in January 1845 and a few months later
the Illustrated London News reported on the Theatre in their 17th of May
1845 edition saying:- 'The East-enders have now their Amphitheatre, or
Cirque Olympique, for equestrian performances, which the proprietors of
the New Standard Theatre have just provided for, in a novel and
ingenious manner.
Johnson and Nelson Lee relinquished control of the Standard Theatre in
May 1848 at the end of the season. The new lessee and eventual owner was
Mr John Douglas, previously of the Marylebone Theatre, who remodeled and
redecorated the Standard Theatre during the recess from May to
September, and reopened it on September the 30th 1848. Johnson and Lee
Nelson later took over the lease of the City of London Theatre in
Bishopsgate.
The Standard Theatre was destroyed by fire a few decades later, on
October the 28th 1866, but was then rebuilt by John Douglas the
following year and it reopened in December 1867 with a seating capacity
of 3,000. The Building News and Engineering Journal reported on the soon
to be erected Theatre in their 5th of July 1867 edition saying:- 'The
foundation stone of a new theatre upon the site of the Standard Theatre,
burnt on October 28, 1866, took place yesterday afternoon.
Mr. John Douglass later purchased the freeholds of some adjoining
property, and thus obtains room enough to build a theatre larger than
any one in London, excepting Her Majesty's.
John T. Douglass (sic), manager of the Standard Theatre, wrote 'Joan
Eyre or Poor Relations in 1879, under the pseudonym 'James Williing'
(See below) Born
December 1842. John Thomas Douglas was killed in a German air raid on
13th January 1917. His father, born 1814, had 21 siblings,
including Thomas and George.
Mrs. John Douglas was born in 1850 in England as Amy
Steinberg. She was an actress, known for In Another Girl's Shoes (1917).
She was married to John Douglass (playwright, producer). She died in
November 1920 in London, England. Died: November, 1920 in London,
England, UK Birth Name: Amy Steinberg
John Douglass
(playwright, producer) (? - 13 June(1) 1917) (his death) (Amy's husband)
The Portman Theatre, which was in 1842 run by John Douglass,
was said to be able to hold around 2,500 people and prices for the
opening week were Boxes, 2s; Pit 1s; and Gallery, 6d.
John Douglass, one time of the little Tothill Fields Theatre and
afterwards of the Standard, Shoreditch
The Theatre
Royal, Marylebone, under John Douglas was quite a success, he put on
melodrama and pantomime there for 5 years until he retired in 1847.
The Second Marylebone Theatre had as lessee and manager, Mr
John Douglass c1842
In December 1878, the family became the owners of Park
Theatre, in Camden Town.
Among popular plays produced was A
passage in the Life of Grace Darling
John Thomas's son, (Samuel) Richard, moved his scenery painting
business in Islington when the Douglas family sold up in December 1888.
Stella Brereton was the wife of Richard Douglass. She was a
regular performer at The Park, Standard and Surrey Theatres.
Mrs. John Douglas was born on April 19, 1852 in Westminster,
London, England as Rachel Alice Koning. She was an actress, known for In
Another Girl's Shoes (1917). She was married to John Douglass
(playwright, producer). She died on November 5, 1920 in Hammersmith,
London. (Note possible conflct with suggestion John was married to
Amy Syeinberg)
There was an actual James Willing, known as James Willing
Junior, who was probably married to Isabella Douglass. He was son of
James Willing, founder of an advertising agency, who lived til nearly
90. However, there is a death notice for Mary Ann Powe, wife of
James Willing Junior of Rock Hall, Teddington, London, who died 9th March 1909.
Rev Henry Charles Douglass, who died 13 Aug 1916, was father of 3
daughters who performed in The Standard Theatre, London, and of
Dorothea (2), the tennis champion. He was the first Vicar of St Matthews
Church, Ealing Common, from 1884 -1916, formerly curate there. He was
educated at Corpus Christi, Cambridge.
Notes:
1. Or January 1917? 2. Dorothea,
known as Lambert Chambers,
was the 7-times Wimbledon champion. She was a grand-daughter of John and Amy.
3. Samuel Douglass, born 1783, may be a progenitor of this London
theatrical line of the Douglass family, He may or may not be connected
with: 4. James Douglas, "possibly
the son of David Douglas, one of the early managers of the Drama in
America", who was active, c1810, as a leader of a troupe of actors in the frontier
theatre in Canada (and America?) that came directly from the British provincial theatres of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries,
as indeed did many of the actors themselves, in
what is known today as the 'stock system'. 5. The above may
be: 1765 David Douglass arrives in Charleston with his theatrical
company.
1766 David Douglass opens the new Southwark Theater in Philadelphia.
1767 David Douglass produces The Prince of Parthia in Philadelphia, the first American drama
to be professionally produced on the American stage.
Sources
Sources for this article include:
Jane Eyre on Stage, 18481898: An Illustrated Edition of Eight Plays
The Standard Theatre of Victorian England, By Allan Stuart
Jackson
Arthur Lloyd
Any contributions will be
gratefully accepted
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