THE D'OYLY CARTE OPERA COMPANY

Margaret Cockburn as Yum-Yum in The Mikado

Margaret Cockburn (1887-89, 1891-94, 1896)

[Born West Hartlepool 28 Nov 1857, died York 1934]

Soprano Margaret Jane Cockburn trained at the Royal Academy of Music, then appeared on various concert and oratorio stages between 1881 and 1886. In 1885 she married Captain Frederick Fitzpatrick of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers. When she joined the D'Oyly Carte organization in 1887, her husband toured with her as a chorister for at least portions of the next two years.

Miss Cockburn had several stints as principal soprano with D'Oyly Carte touring companies in the 1880s and 90s. Her first engagement was as Yum-Yum in The Mikado with Mr. D'Oyly Carte's "A" Company in February 1887. She then toured with Carte's "C" Company from March to November 1887 as Rose Maybud in the First Provincial production of Ruddigore, before joining a Carte Repertory Company that toured Germany and Austria from November 1887 to February 1888. On that continental tour, she appeared as Yum-Yum in The Mikado (a role she shared with Ada Bemister), and also played Josephine in H.M.S. Pinafore and Patience in Patience. She returned to England and, after a brief stint with Company "B," moved to Carte's "C" (now a Repertory) Company in July 1888, playing Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance, Yum-Yum in The Mikado, and Patience in Patience through October. On November 1, 1888, "C" Company gave the First Provincial production of The Yeomen of the Guard in Manchester, with Miss Cockburn as Elsie Maynard, and played Yeomen exclusively until she left the Company in November 1889.

After a year-and-a-half away for the D'Oyly Carte, she returned to Company "C" in May 1891, replacing Rose Hervey as Yum-Yum in The Mikado, Elsie in The Yeomen of the Guard, and Gianetta in The Gondoliers, until Miss Hervey returned in July.She again replaced Miss Hervey in December 1891 and remained with Company "C" for the next three years. During this period she played Yum-Yum, Elsie, Gianetta, and Phyllis in Iolanthe for the duration. She also appeared as Hollee Beebee in The Nautch Girl, (January to July 1892), Patience in Patience (from August 1892 to December 1894), Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance (May 1893 to December 1894), and Josephine in H.M.S. Pinafore (January to December 1894).

She left the Company again in December 1894, but returned to Company "C" for one final brief engagement in May 1896. From May to July of that year she replaced Esme Lee in all the principal soprano roles: Aline in The Sorcerer and Princess Ida in Princess Ida, plus Josephine, Mabel, Patience, Phyllis, Yum-Yum, Elsie, and Gianetta.

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