Arthur Rosebery

Allardyce Nicoll, English Drama 1900-1930, lists Arthur Roseberry [sic - actually Rosebery] as the author of eight plays between 1910 and 1925. The 1891 census return shows Arthur Rosebery, aged 25 and born in London, unmarried, a ‘sketch and variety artist’, a visitor (with Maud Rosebery, aged 20 and also born in London, unmarried, and a ‘sketch and variety artist’) in a household in Everton, Liverpool. Arthur Rosebery, aged 38 and a ‘manager’, son of Alfred Arthur Rosebery (deceased), a Lieutenant RN, married Annie Holden, aged 20, daughter of Andrew Holden, a gentleman, after banns on 26 March 1904 in the parish church, South Shore, Lancashire. Arthur Rosebery, born 26 December 1904, son of Arthur, a theatrical manager, and Annie Rosebery, was baptised on 23 August 1905 at St Oswald’s, London. The 1911 census return shows Arthur Rosebery, aged 45 and born in London, ‘Theatrical Business Manager, at present Press and Advertising Manager, Lyceum Theatre’, for the Brothers Melville, living at 14 Cornwall Grove, Chiswick Lane, Chiswick with his wife Annice [sic], aged 26 and born in Blackpool, and son Arthur, aged 6 and born in London. Annice had been married for seven years and had one child who was still living. The Stage, 16 February 1928, published Rosebery’s obituary: ‘We regret to record the death of Mr. Arthur Rosebery, manager of the Elephant and Castle, who passed away after a long illness on Friday [10 February 1928] at the Middlesex Hospital, Isleworth. For several years he acted as publicity agent to leading companies in the provinces, later on acting in the same capacity for Messrs. Walter and Fred Melville at the Lyceum. He then took up the post of manager at the King’s, Hammersmith, for the late J. B. Mulholland, a position he efficiently filled for a long period. Mr. Rosebery was also a playwright, his plays “Sweethearts and Wives” and “The Silent Watch” being successful productions. In the earlier part of his career he was a lieutenant in the Royal Navy, and took part in the bombardment of Alexandria and the Battle of Tel-el-Kebir (1882). The funeral is at Acton Cemetery to-day (Thursday)’. An obituary in Reynold’s Newspaper, 12 February 1928, commented that ‘Arthur Rosebery had a very wide experience of popular drama, and had an unending fund of good stories. Very few people connected with the theatre were more popular in Fleet-street, for he had a very likeable personality’.