THE D'OYLY CARTE OPERA COMPANY

Freda Bevan (1882-85)

[Born Bath, Somerset 1855, died Fulham, London 1949]

Freda Bevan, real name Florence Bruton Wilkins, toured with two D'Oyly Carte Companies between 1882 and 1885. From May 1882 to September 1883 she played Kate in The Pirates of Penzance with Mr. D'Oyly Carte's "B" (later known as "Pinafore" and "Pirates") Company. When that Company disbanded, she moved to Carte's No. 2 "Iolanthe" Company (later "E" Company) as Leila, also playing Mrs. Frumpington in the companion piece A Private Wire. She also filled in as the Lady Saphir in Patience in February 1885, and as the Queen of the Fairies in Iolanthe in May of that year, her last month in the programme. "E" Company took up The Mikado later that month and Miss Bevan, if she remained, would have been in the chorus.

B Index  |  "Who Was Who" Homepage