Maurice Willson Disher collection on Henry Irving and the Lyceum Theatre Company
Creator: Irving, Henry, Sir, 1838-1905
Call Number: D.181
Dates: 1880-1939
Physical Description: 6 boxes
Language(s): Materials are in English
Repository: Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation, River Campus Libraries, University of Rochester

Table of Contents:

Biographical/Historical Note
Scope and Content
Subject(s)
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Access
Use
Citation
Related Materials
Content List
Series I: Correspondence
Series II: Theaters
Subseries I: Lyceum Theatre
Subseries II: Theatre Royal Alexandria, Liverpool, September 1881
Series III: Tours
Subseries I: American tour, 1883-1884
Subseries II: American tour, 1884-1885
Subseries III: "Madame Sans-Gene" provincial tour, 1897
Subseries IV: Provincial tour, 1902-1903
Subseries V: American tour, 1903-1904
Subseries VI: Provincial tour, Summer 1904
Subseries VII: Provincial tour, Fall 1904
Subseries VIII: "Richard Lovelace" tour, May-December 1904
Series IV: Printed material
Subseries I: Miscellaneous material
Subseries II: Laurence Irving
Subseries III: Lady Irving
Subseries IV: Maurice Willson Disher
Subseries V: Henry Irving
Subseries VI: Clippings, pictures, etc.
Collection Overview
Title: Maurice Willson Disher collection on Henry Irving and the Lyceum Theatre Company
Creator: Irving, Henry, Sir, 1838-1905
Call Number: D.181
Dates: 1880-1939
Physical Description: 6 boxes
Language(s): Materials are in English
Repository: Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation, River Campus Libraries, University of Rochester

Biographical/Historical Note
Irving took over the management of the Lyceum Theatre in August, 1878, and was identified with that theatre until 1902. The Lyceum company toured the English provinces every autumn presenting plays from the London season. In October, 1883, the company made the first of eight American tours.

Scope and Content
The Maurice Willson Disher collection on Henry Irving and the Lyceum Theatre Company consists of material relating to the English actor Henry Irving (1838-1905) and the Lyceum Theatre company, assembled by Maurice Willson Disher (1893-1969), English critic and author. The bulk of the material, including correspondence, financial records, and memorabilia, survived a clearance of the Lyceum Theatre sometime after 1903. Disher purchased them at an auction.

The material in the collection pertains to the American tours of 1883-1884, 1884-1885, and 1903-1904, as well as provincial tours in 1881, 1897, 1902-1903, and 1904. In addition, there is correspondence and other records related to the provincial tour of Victorien Sardou's play, "Madame Sans-Gene," which Irving had produced in London in April, 1897, and toured in that autumn.

The collection also includes a group of materials related to Laurence Irving's tour of the play, "Richard Lovelace," from May to December, 1904. Laurence was the son of Sir Henry Irving.

The correspondence includes letters to Irving and his secretary Bram Stoker asking a variety of favors. Some ask that Irving contribute time or money to various charitable organizations; others ask for advances on salaries or for jobs as actors or scenery painters; some concern articles on drama Irving or Stoker were asked to contribute to magazines. There are also approximately 150 letters to George Alexander and Norman Forbes-Robertson regarding Irving's funeral.

The final section of the collections consists of printed material about Irving collected by Maurice Willson Disher, including newspaper and periodical clippings, prints, and photographs. Most notable are five original pen-and-ink sketches of Irving by an unknown artist, and portraits of Irving by Aubrey Beardsley and William Nicholson.

The souvenir programs were removed to the printed book collection (Box 6 includes duplicates) and the theatre programs and playbills were added to the Department's Theatre Program Collection.

Subject(s):
England
Theater
Theatrical companies
Correspondence
Financial records
Photographs
Drawings
Irving, Henry, Sir, 1838-1905
Stoker, Bram, 1847-1912
Alexander, George, Sir, 1858-1918
Forbes, Norman, 1858-1932
Lyceum Theatre (London, England)
Dramatists, English
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Purchased from George S. MacManus Co., June 1, 1983 on the Wilson Family Fund and subsequent purchases.Access
The Maurice Willson Disher collection on Henry Irving and the Lyceum Theatre Company is open for research use. Researchers are advised to contact Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation prior to visiting. Upon arrival, researchers will also be asked to fill out a registration form and provide photo identification.Use
Reproductions are made upon request but can be subject to restrictions. Permission to publish materials from the collection must currently be requested. Please note that some materials may be copyrighted or restricted. It is the researcher's obligation to determine and satisfy copyright or other case restrictions when publishing or otherwise distributing materials found in the collections. For more information contact rarebks@library.rochester.eduCitation
[Item title, item date], Maurice Willson Disher collection on Henry Irving and the Lyceum Theatre Company, D.181, Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation, River Campus Libraries, University of RochesterRelated Materials
See also: Letters from Henry Irving to E.Y. Lowne and others are housed in the "Theatre Manuscript Collection" file drawers; the Henry Arthur Jones Papers (D.228) includes the holograph manuscript of "The Shadow of Henry Irving," by Henry Arthur Jones

See also: Pearl Mary Teresa Richards Craigie Papers .


Administrative Information
Author: Finding aid prepared by Rare Books and Special Collections staff
Publisher: Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation, River Campus Libraries, University of Rochester
Address:
Rush Rhees Library
Second Floor, Room 225
Rochester, NY 14627-0055
rarebks@library.rochester.edu
URL:


Content List