THE D'OYLY CARTE OPERA COMPANY

D. S. Jeffrey (1884-91)

[Born Bilston, Wolverhampton 26 Oct 1859, died London 27 Jan 1904]

Daniel Smith Jeffrey was a tenor chorister whose first known appearance was with the D'Oyly Carte organization was with Mr. D'Oyly Carte's "D" ("Princess Ida" No. 1) Company from February to December 1884.

He had two engagements with D'Oyly Carte Opera Company in America.He was a chorister with Carte's First American Mikado Company in New York and Boston (August 1885-April 1886), deputizing for Courtice Pounds as Nanki-Poo in October 1885.After a tour of the European Continent as a chorister with another Carte company (June 1886-January 1887), Jeffrey returned to America as one of the ghosts in Ruddygore (Sir Desmond Murgatroyd) with Carte's First American Ruddygore Company at New York's Fifth Avenue Theatre (February-April 1887).

He may well have remained with the Carte organization thereafter, for he is known to have been in the chorus of D'Oyly Carte Opera Company "E" in the spring of 1888.In January 1889 he filled in as Colonel Fairfax in The Yeomen of the Guard with Company "E."A year later he was appearing in small tenor roles with D'Oyly Carte Opera Company "B."He played Leonard Meryll in Yeomen (shared with A. Leonard in 1890) and Francesco in The Gondoliers (March-December 1890).He remained with Company "B" through 1891, though his roles are unclear.Rollins & Witts do not indicate who played Leonard or Francesco in 1891, and The Nautch Girl was added to the repertoire in December of that year.

After leaving the D'Oyly Carte he had one role on the London Stage:that of Harold Dundas in the musical play H.M.S. Irresponsible (Strand and Globe Theatres, 1901). He was married to D'Oyly Carte chorister Ada Newell.

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