The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-02-18
Eosina Nokcs.

NV earliest thcatrical ItHci'N'' -.
Of the pantomime Humpty Duinp.s,
the Lyceum Theatre Irvine Volos
,ninx of IN i'm 1868 when hosiiA ~ IN
- tor,fher with her DrotHeIS al"
sisters. her London DEBUT for
-, -, IL YEAS not her debut, Tor so lar
hack as 1854, being then but SD iio''nS
old she had been carried on 10 'ne s'"se
Of the Surrey Theatre, as tne paoy "
.Afr. and Mrs Peter White. SUM
times think that the actor IKE .ne
,oet e horn. not made. so many OF the
80, are horn I'm the purple. Porphyro-
genita Rosina Vokes certainly was. her
father was a maker OF uniforms In Gov
ont Garden who occasionally ola n niue
theatrical costuming: this brought MIN
into contact with Cresgick. the trasedlan'
who was at that time, manager OF the
surrey Theatre. The Nokes' children
were allowed the privilege OF playing
| about behind the scenes. 30 mat liOln
| the time when their memory ran "V'
TO the contrary they were iah'iidr VIZ"
the boards. 49, ,,,o,a q
| ,o,,sic-teacher. who taught them sing
inc and dancing, and in due time pro
| cured them an engagement 10 play III
,,a,tornirne at Plymouth. Rosina at TINS
time was nearly SIN. nc
,rheir success was immediate, ana as
"rbe Nokes Children" they soon became
rrovincial favorites: as the elders grew
nm this was changed 10 the Nohes
! family" a name familiar wherever INC
English language is spoken. go
an Roxing night. December 70, leoS'
they appeared together for the hrst
time in London. and thereafter for many
wears the pantomime of the season was
that wherein 1.-The NOkeS' played. l
shau never forget what adorable twins
in THE Babes in the WOOD victoria
and Rosina Vokes made, especially no
sina. Her mischief was so spontaneous
and her delight in It so catchlhg' anu
then-and always-her laugh Inc pan
tomime only ran, alas from Nnil nc,
until Lent; and during me fess % -
wear the "Vokes family" toured Ill ,he
so,.,rcos nroducing one after another
those famous and diverting farces' Inc
tsaues Of the Kitchen" Fun in Fog,
"T-he Right Man in the Wrong Place.
etc I'm which they made 50 great d
success when they first appeareu' APP II
n. 1872. at the Union Square Iheatie III
this city. 81, ..o tho
first Of these. THE Bellies OF the Ni.0n,
on Of which Rosina was the NE anu
soul and the others were cooheu up
among the merry family, VINO olleh
tbeir yagabond life TO account in theiH'
ON Nav TO- 1871 Rosina Nohes was
married TO Cecil Clay, London balrls-
ter and retired from the stage thousii
che occasionally appeaed as an amateur
put financial troubles befell the Gays
, and she turned again TO her profession
In 1885, she returned to TINS country az
the head of her own coinpahy' anu
brought with her new form OF enter
,ainment-the now popular triple bill
WIN he clever companions. she made an
Instantaneous hit. and the pantonhme
: reheasal my Milliners Bill, me l'Ousn
diamond" THE Circus Rider, are Toe
familiar 10 every pIay-goer to need more
Z than mention. Season after season De-
fore ever larger audiences, she sang aho
danced whit is sad TO think-eNer-lh-
creasing pain and difficulty.
In spite Of the persuasion Of her nus
/, band and DOCTORS she returned at th'
y beginning Of the present season to keel
C. her engagements with the managers anC
4 bcr company. IF ] can stand. I'll act,
y she said: and this indOmitable plucf
u carried her through. The worst came u
California: and she may be SAID 10 have
killed herself i'm her endeavor 10 carr,
( her company back to New YORK. Playin'
[ in only one piece an evening she strus
- cled on as far as Washington, where OF
l., ! December =. 1870, Sho stVVV i'f h' iaS
n time on the boards which had been he
q playground as a toddling child.
q They brought her to New York, an
+ carried her home 10 II ngland 10 he
v children. for whom she had worked $
" bravelv and there on Saturday. Januar
18th, she died.
:" She was all Sind-heartedness and I'm
. selfshness. The story Of that last tel
Il rible season f. the story of her life The
IS say that in the last few years she ha
given $4,000 to professional charities
a and she died poor. Her epitaph Nigh
Is we'll be written as she sang so often:
IS mo matter what you do,
+ If your art be only true,
- And 'er art was true
M -Harpers Weekly