THE D'OYLY CARTE OPERA COMPANY

G. S. Bradshaw (1879-80)

[Born Marylebone 26 Oct 1844]

George S. Bradshaw (real name George Smith) first appeared before the public as a singer in 1861, on tour with "Professor" John Henry Pepper's "spectral entertainments." By 1871 he was a principal tenor and comedian who had played with Christie's Original Minstrels and various small opera companies.

Bradshaw joined the D'Oyly Carte organization in 1879 and played Sir Joseph Porter and Dick Deadeye in H.M.S. Pinafore on tour with Mr. D'Oyly Carte's "2nd London" Company from December 15, 1879, to February 21, 1880. It's unclear with the Mr. Bradshaw who was a member of the chorus of Trial by Jury at the Royalty and Opera Comique (March 1875 to May 1876) is the same gentleman.

His sister, C. Mercy Bradshaw, was for a time a pianist at the Opera Comique and, later, served in the Sorcerer and H.M.S. Pinafore choruses with the touring Comedy-Opera Company (1878).



Page modifed July 16, 2021 © 2001-21 David Stone