Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1894-01-31
ROSINA VOKES DEAD.
The W3iI-knOWl Coincidence Passes Alvey
in London After a Brief Illness.

III LUIIuJH. ~ O6l q OI I6I IilU6OO.
LONDON, Jan. 29.--Rosina Vokes, the.
talented actress, died to-day at her
home i'll this city after brief illness
Miss Vokes had been suffering from,
overwork in the United States, and
closed her tour and sailed for England
on December IS last. Prior to her leaa-~
ing New York Miss VOkes' health was
such as to seriously alarm her friends
At Chicago and again at Denver she was.
seriously Ill and was obliged to ring
down the curtain In her performances
her indisposition finally leading Cecil
Clay, her husband and manager, to alb
ruptly cancel her tour and hastily sail
Tor LOnuOn. MISS NUkes suffered rom
influenza and heart trouble.
The VOkes Family were L0ndo,n
merry makers, born and bred to- she,
feats and frolics of the stage. at the
time of their American debut there
were five Of them, including FaWdon.
who was not a member of the family ex--
cept in professional sense The four
others were Fred, the acrobatic dancer:
Victoria and Jessie, the dark-eyed sis
tiers, and the youngest and most popular
OF them all, ROsina. whose vim and
spirit set the pace for the others and
contributed in largest measure to clincTr
their success.
Rosina was the flower of the Vokes
family. Born in London in 1854, she
made her first appearance upon the
stage at the age of 6 months. when she
was cast for the role Of the infant in the
farce of Mr.. and Mrs. Peter White"
at the Surrey Theater Rosina during
her youth frequently took part in PLAYS
IN the Juvenile roles, finally becoming
known as a soubrette of great versa
tility.
On the 10th Of March, 1877, after hay
Ing been connected with the stage for
twenty-five years, and five years after
her first appearance in America, Rosipa
Vokes retired from the boards to be-
come the wife of Cecil Clay The cases
OF popular actresses who retire in their
prime and stay retired are as rare as
genuine four-leaf clovers Rosina Vokes
was not one Of the exceptions. At the
}eglnn1ng OF the theatrical season of
.SSo-,8 So she had organized a company
Tor an American tour, she being the star
OF 1t. Her American season began at
the Globe Theater, Boston, on October
D, 1886, the play selected being ''The
Tinted Venus and in the company ap--
pearing was Weldon Grossmith, Bran
con Thomas, Courtney Thorpe, and
Miss Carlingford. Ten weeks later Miss
Vokes began an extended engagement
at the Standard Theater, New York.
and the Wlseacres OF the stage did not
hesitate to predict her failure, but no
such result attended the engagement,
for she Immediately jumped again into.
popular favor, ecIipsing even her pre-
VlOuS successes.
Personally Miss Vokes was one Of the
most charming women on the stage.
nnSSnEcaG q n Of
sweetness, was a pleasing conversation
allst, and was exceedingly companion
able with all her acquaintances. She
was not pretty woman; on the con-
trarY, she was quite plain; and
III this particular she strongly. contra
dlcted the oft-repeated statement that
soubrette or ingenue must possess a
pretty face in order to succeed on the
stage. Miss Vokes' success was phe-
nomenal; everywhere, after her first sea-
son, Der temperance was marked by
crowded theaters, and her popularity
was exceeded by few women. AS a
wife she was a model Never was the.
slightest whisper of scandal breathed
against her, and she and her husband
were lovers to the last.
ROsina Vokes brought into vogue in
this country style of entertainment
peculiar to herself and one which no
one HAS SuCC0ouou III Initiating. 1oE
bill generally consisted Of three short
plays in which comedy and pathos were
mixed. Miss Vokes was a good singer
and her song, His Art was True to-
Poll" was one of the delights Of My
Milliner's Bill" She was a grace
full dancer, too, although in
late years she became rather
stout and her breath failed her.~
Whenevert he character would permit it
Miss Vokes allowed her lady-hke man
ners to shine and her refinement was
always apparent. She was New York
and Chicago favorite and devoted the
greater part Of late years to long en-
gagements at Days Theater in New
York and Hooley's in Chicago. She
appealed to the best class Of theater-
goers. Miss Vokes retained much OF
her youthful beauty and spirits to the
end.
One of Miss Vokes' brothers, Fred.
Vokes, married Bella Moore, daughter
of Pony" Moore, the minstrel man
ager, and father-in-law Of Charley
Mitchell, the defeated pugilist.