THE D'OYLY CARTE OPERA COMPANY

Siddie Symons (1884-88)

[Born Launceton, Cornwall c.1857, died Southampton Dec 1911]

Soprano Siddie (real name Sarah) Symons took her first role in a D'Oyly Carte program in October 1884, filling in for Esme Lee in as Princess Ida with Mr. D'Oyly Carte's "D" ("Princess Ida" No.1) Company in October 1884. She was almost certainly a chorister with the Company before then as she married fellow-chorister Wallace Brownlow in March of that year.

She likely remained a chorister and understudy with Company "D" until August 1886 when she took over the role of Peep-Bo in The Mikado. She filled in briefly as Yum-Yum in October 1886, and held onto Peep-Bo until April 1887, when the tour ended and she joined Carte's newly-formed "B" Company as principal soprano:Rose Maybud in Ruddigore. For the next fourteen months Miss Symons toured as Rose and (from December 1887) Yum-Yum as well. When Company "B" was disbanded in June 1888 it appears her D'Oyly Carte career ended.

After leaving the D'Oyly Carte she was principal girl in a Glasgow pantomime, toured in the title role in Cellier's Dorothy, returned to panto in 1891, then sued Brownlow for divorce. By 1901 she is in a Hampshire workhouse, and in 1911 she had moved to an insane asylum where she shortly died.

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