Ivan Patrick Gore

Ivan Patrick Gore's real name was Robert Thompson Gore de Vaux Balbirnie. He was born in 1881, the only son of Dr. John Patrick Balbirnie, of Staveley, and the grandson of Mr. Thomas Thompson, who had been clerk to the borough and county magistrates at Lancaster. Gore went on the stage when he was young and after a number of years acting, including under 'Miss Maude’s' management, he turned to playwrighting and journalism. Gore was the author of a number of plays including ‘The Mormon and The Maid’ (performed at the Grand Theatre, Lancaster, in 1912), and the short film 'George Barnwell, The London Apprentice' (1913). He also worked as a theatre manager, and a reviewer for the Stage's 'Cabaret and Film Gossip' section, alongside other roles. In summer 1915, Gore enlisted in the army, joining the 2/3rd H. C. Field Ambulance, R. A. M. C. under his real name Robert T. G. de Vaux. By the end of 1917 he had also served as a Second Lieutenant in the South Wales Borderers. A photo of him captioned 'No 14 Officer Cadet Battalion A Company No 1 Platoon - group photograph of 38 men taken around end of 1917' can be found in the Lives of the Great War database. According to his obituary in The Stage (28 April 1932) Gore was invalided back to England after being shot in the head. On returning to France as a Lieutenant he then became Acting Captain. He suffered further injuries when he was blown up and almost the whole of his left side was injured. The Stage speculated that there may have been a connection between these injuries and his premature death. In 1932 Gore was living at Great Newport Street, Westminster when he was taken ill and died at Charing Cross hospital on 24 April. His obituary in The Stage noted: 'It is with much regret that we have to record the loss of a valued contributor to these columns in the person of Ivan Patrick Gore, who died from an incurable complaint early on Sunday morning [24 April 1932] in Charing Cross Hospital. Gore, who was 51 years old, had had a varied career. [...] His loyalty to this paper is one of the many things for which one could admire him, while his friendship was something to value. Only last Thursday he was in the office, and though he could scarcely stand, he was willing to go anywhere or do anything which he thought duty might require. [...] He was a brave and gallant gentleman. Ah, well – “Ainsi soit-il.” The cremation will take place at 3.30 on Friday at Golder’s Green’. The administration (with will) of Gore's estate (effects £11 10s) was granted at London on 2 June 1932 to Ruhamah Catton, single woman. Ruhamah Catton was one of the three principal mourners at Gore's funeral (The Stage, 5 May 1932). A search on ‘Ruhamah Catton’ in the British Newspaper Archive brings up seventeen mentions of her as an actress between 1907 and 1913.