Winifred Emery (1862-1924)

Winifred Emery (1862-1924)

Winifred Emery was born in Manchester on 1st August, 1862. She was descended from a line of eminent actors, her father Samuel Anderson Emery, grandfather John Emery, and great-grandfather Mackie Emery were each famous performers in their day. Her mother Clara (Tellett) had also been an actress, and she was the neice of Sir Charles and Lady Crutchley, who were good friends of W. S. Gilbert.

Like so many others born into a theatrical family, Winifred first appeared on stage as child, playing the child 'Geraldine' in "The Green Bushes" at the Liverpool Ampitheatre before she was eight years old. She first appeared on the London stage as a twelve year-old playing 'Happy New Year' in the pantomime "Beauty and the Beast" at the Princess's theatre over christmas of 1874.

She made her adult debut at the Imperial Theatre in London on 14th April 1879 in "The Man is Not Perfect". She then joined eminent actor Wilson Barrett's company at his newly built Grand Theatre in Leeds opening in W. S. Gilbert's play "Charity". With Barrett she would gain an early grounding in the different theatrical disciplines, appearing in the tragedy "Jane Shore", the drama "East Lynne" and the comedy "London Assurance" by Dion Boucicault. She accompanied Barrett back to London later that year to appear with him at the Court Theatre playing 'Amanda' in the French drama "Fernande". She played several roles there over the couple of years, sometimes playing alongside the eminent Polish born actress Madame Helena Modjeska, to whom she became understudy.

Winifred had learned her craft well and was by now a respected actress although still mostly in supporting roles. In 1881 she was engaged by Sir Henry Irving at the Lyceum opening as Annette in "The Bells". She would spend much time with Irving over the next few years, both at the Lyceum and on tour. In 1884 she accompanied Irving to the USA playing 'Olivia' in "Twelfth Night", 'Hero' in "Much Ado About Nothing", 'Jessica' in "Merchant of Venice" and others. On returning to England she took up the role of 'Sophia' in the play "Olivia", later taking over the title role.

With bigger and better parts coming her way, Winifred's future as an actress was by now assured and she was kept constantly in work. She accompanied Irving to The USA again in 1887/88 and on her return married fellow actor Cyril Maude. The couple had a child almost immediately, Margery Maude, who was born on 29th April, 1889. Professionally, Cyril Maude was most at home in comedy, whilst Winifred was a recognised dramatic actress, so at first they would find few opportunities to work together and over the next few years their careers progressed separately. Then, in October 1897, Maude entered into partnership with Frederick Harrison in management of the Haymarket Theatre. His first production their was the romantic play "Under the Red Robe" in which he cast his wife as the Comtesse de Candalle, himself playing the part of Captain Larolle. Winifred then appeared with her husband in his next three productions "A Marriage of Convenience", "The Little Minister" and "The Maneuvers of Jane".

Following her appearances in the latter production in 1897, she was absent from the stage for three years due to illness. She made a successful comeback as 'Muriel' in "The Second in Command" opening in July 1901, but after also appearing "There's Many a Slip" and "Caste" she was forced into another extended absence, again due to illness. Her comeback on this occasion, as 'Beatrice' in "Much Ado About Nothing" at His Majesty's from January 1905, was her first appearance in some years without her husband, and over the next few years their professional careers would again follow separate paths.

In 1905 Cyril Maude quit the Haymarket to take over The Avenue Theatre on his own account. He was having the building demolished and rebuilt when disaster struck on 5th December 1905 and the roof of the adjoining Charing Cross Station collapsed and wrecked that building. Still he forged ahead with his plans, taking over temporary management of The Waldorf until his new theatre, renamed The Playhouse, was ready to open in January 1907. During this time Winifred joined her husband for a short time at The Waldorf taking the title role in "The Superior Miss Pellender". Following this, she embarked on a provincial tour with her own company playing 'Olivia' in the play of the same name, then produced a new play entitled "Her Son" in which she played 'Dorothy Fairfax'.

Over the next few years the couples careers continued to follow largely separate directions, Cyril being deeply involved in promoting his Playhouse theatre whilst Winifred was seen in a number of leading roles across London. Their daughter Margery made her acting debut at the Playhouse when she apperared as 'Hesta' in "The Toymaker of Nuremberg", with her father in the title role, opening in March 1910. Winifred at the time, was playing 'Peg Woffington' in "The Dressing Room" at The Hippodrome.

In 1911, Winifred was present at the unfortunate death of the great W.S. Gilbert, the surviving half of the Gilbert and Sullivan operatic writing partnership (Sullivan had died some years previously). Gilbert had invited Winifred (whom he new through his close friendship with her uncle and aunt) and her young protege to his country home Grim's Dyke on Harrow Weald to swim in the lake there. Gilbert collected the ladies in his motor car and on their arrival at Grim's Dyke the two ladies duly changed and went swimming. Unaware that the lake became deep further out, Winifred's young companion found herself out of her depth and cried out for help. Winifred called to Gilbert who gallantly rushed into the water and swam out strongly to the young lady's aid. He instructed her to put her hands on his shoulders and not panic, but when she did he sank under and did not resurface. The young lady survived, but for Gilbert, at age 74, the effort had been too much and the last spoken line of his last play ("Hooligan") proved strangely prophetic - "Dead. Heart Failure".

Winifred's career continued unabated until the outbreak of the Great War. By now she had acted with most of the important leading men and their companies during her career. She excelled in Shakespearean roles and and in Oscar Wildes gentle comedies and had played many of the female leads in these plays. Her most memorable portrayals were 'Beatrice' in "Much Ado About Nothing" and 'Mistress Ford' in "The Merry Wives of Windsor" (Shakespeare) and 'Lady Windermere' in "Lady Windermere's Fan" and 'Lady Babbie' in "The Little Minister" (Wilde).

From 1914 her continued stage appearances were few and far between. In June 1915 she played 'Matilda Dean' in "Mater" at the Playhouse shortly before her husband terminated his lease there. She was not seen again on stage until March 1917 when she appeared in a benefit at The Colloseum portraying 'Mrs Tompkins' in Jerome K. Jerome's "The Passing of the Third Floor Back". She made only a handful of further stage appearances before her death on 15th July, 1924.

She had enjoyed a successful stage career spanning over forty years, encompassing even that of her daughter who retired from her own highly successful career following her marriage in 1917. Winifred had borne three children, of whom only Margery ever took to the stage. At the height of her career, Winifred was considered to be one of the most talented, versatile and popular female actors of her period. She was first and foremost a comedienne, but could portray pathos with a truth and tenderness that would have her audience in tears. She was also a beautiful woman of great charm who adorned every part she played, and her early passing was a sad loss to the acting profession.