Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-06-07
England HOnOrs Her Memory
TRIBUTE WILL BE PAID MRS. sIDDoNs.
BY JAMES WALDO FAwCErT

TN the history Of the British stage
there L. probably no other name
about which the bright light Of
i fame burns with more brilliant or
enduring intensity than It does
about that Of Sarah Kemble Siddons.
as long as the English tongue Is spoken
in a theater she will be remembered
for the greatness Of her art, the pro-
fundity of her influence and the essen
tial nobility Of her character. In spite
Of constantly changing conditions in
the profession which she adorned, 1t
Is dificult to realize that 1t In q full
century since she died. Her career in
this world closed on June Q. 1881. In
tomorrow, and some echo OF apprecta-
ton will be heard in America.
Mrs. Siddons was born at the Shout
der Of Mutton tavern In High street,
Brecon, July 5, 1855. The building Is
still standing-a wine shop, much re-
modelled She was baptized At st.
Marys Church, Brecon, nine days later.
Her father was Roger Kemble, COM
edian and strolling manager. We are
down at-heel beings, Seedy and servile,"
but 1t is admitted that he was mot
much Of an actor" A man Of placid,
pleasant manners" and Of Q healthy and
sound mind, ne had been q barber or
wigmaker in his youth at Hereford,
but he believed-perhaps rightly-that
blue blood ran in his veins.
Member Of Fathers Company
Mrs. Kemble was Sarah, the daugh-
ter Of John Ward, an actor who had
played with Betterton and with Peg
Warrington, later a stFolling manager
OF varied fortunes. She was born at
Clonmel, ireland, in 1735. Roger KEN
BILE was q member Of her fathers COM
pany and there Is q story to the effect
that when Roger first began to be at
tentive to his daughter, Ward very hotly
opposed. With complete understanding
of the hardshipS Of an actors lot. he
had planned that Sarah should wed
man of some other profession. But
when Sarah followed the dictates Of her
heart and became engaged to Roger,
her father, bravely enough, covered his
disappointment with the remark: We'll,
my dear child, you have not diSobeyed
me, for the devil himself could not make
an actor Of Roger Kemble." The mar
rage took place at Cirencester in 1888.
Was First Of Dozen Babies.
Sarah was the first of the dozen
babies born to the strolling manager
and his wife. -Four of the IL died in
infancy; of the eight surviving to ma
turtty four followed their parents on
the stage. 1T Is noticeable" says one
Of Mrs. Siddons' biographers, that the
tndtSputable genius was the eldest, the
next in talent the second-an instance
to be cited in opposition to those
theorists who maintain that the star
Of large family always comes in mid
way in the list" But not only heredity
was operative in the Kemble tribe;
environment surely had its influence.
Sarah Kemble was bred for the stage
as well as born for it. Her nursery was
the improvised green room Of the barn;
careSsed or ignored her were players;
as soon as she could commit to mem
DRY, recite or drop curtsey. she was
led down the boards by her mother
that she might help TO boil the family
pot by her baby gTaces"
Mrs. Kemble was determined that
her children should have all the ad-
vantages possible. mo dragger-up" Of
sons and daughters was she, but a
vigorous. purposeful" woman not ILL
equipped to guide and teach. She in
stilled into Sarah her own clear-cut
articulation: she taught her singing
and the harpsichord" and in every
other way within her power endeavored
to develop the latent capacities of the
child.
Formal Education Slight.
OF more formal education Sarah had
little, but what she did receive was of
high quality. She was given lessons
for time by Mrs. Harris Of Thorn
lea House, Worcester, a lady who was
sufficiently interested in her to be will
ing to instruct her without charge. At
10 years Of age, we are told, she
poured over Millions Paradise Lost"
and she remained a devoted admirer of
Milton as long as she lived. At IL
she was juvenile lead in the family
company at Worcester We know that
she played Ariel in the Kemble pro-
duction of THE Tempest" in 1857.
And 1t was at this date that William
Siddons came into the story Of her
life.
Siddons was the son of the keeper
Of the London Apprentice, a public
house at Walsall. Born in 1744 in
that town, he had been a BARRIERS
apprentice. Amateur theatricals at
tracted him, and he gave up his razor
and shears to become o member of
Roger KembleS trOuDe He was II