Dame Ellen Terry and the Titheradge Connection

Smallhythe Place Home of Ellen Terry

 Smallhythe Place

Last month we visited the National Trust gardens of Sissinghurst Castle in Kent, former home of Vita Sackville-West. The gardens were beautiful and in full bloom. We finished our trip by early-afternoon so decided to fill the time with a visit to the nearby National Trust Property of Smallhythe Place. Smallhythe Place near Tenterden, in Kent, is a half-timbered house built in the late 15th or early 16th century.  It is a picturesque cottage surrounded by gardens. Its claim to fame is that it was the home of the famous Victorian actress Dame Ellen Terry. She lived there from 1899 until her death in 1928. On her death her daughter, Edith Craig, converted the house into a museum to commemorate her mother’s remarkable acting career. Today the house is owned by the National Trust, it is full of items connected to Ellen Terry and the theatre world of the late nineteenth / early twentieth century.

Ellen Terry

Ellen Terry was born in 1847 into a family of actors and she appeared on stage from an early age. She was an acclaimed actress who was one of the most popular performers on the stage. She made her name in both England and America. She became famous for her roles in Shakespearean plays, particularly in 1875 when she played Portia in The Merchant of Venice, a role she recreated many times throughout her career. Between 1878 and 1902 she was the leading lady for Sir Henry Irving. She continued to act on stage, and in some early films, until ill health led her to retire in 1925. In 1925 she was honoured for her work and given the rank of Dame.  Dame Ellen Terry died in 1928. She married three times, with none of the marriages lasting very long; she also had various other relationships.

One of the most stunning exhibits at her home in Smallhythe was her dress for the role of Lady Macbeth, it is a green silk dress decorated with iridescent beetle wings. The 1889 oil painting of Ellen Terry as Lady Macbeth by John Singer Sargent wearing this dress is a well-known painting, which can be viewed here.

There are several connections with Ellen Terry and the Titheradge family.

Madge Titheradge and Ellen Terry

On show in the Smallhythe Place, opposite the ticket desk, is a ring that was given by Ellen Terry to actress Madge Titheradge. It is a gold ring studded with a number of diamonds. After Madge’s death the ring passed to Madge’s niece, Primrose Joanna Harris nee Cochrane, then was donated to the National Trust by her great niece. The ring can be viewed here.

Also, in the Smallhythe Collection is a Chinese blue silk satin robe embroidered with flowers and butterflies. It was given to Madge Titheradge by Ellen Terry when she married Charles Quartermaine in 1910. Ellen was particularly fond of the Asian style of dress and loved to wear silk kimonos. This was also presented to the National Trust by Madge’s great niece. The robe can be viewed here.

At Madge Titheradge’s wedding to Charles Quartermaine one of the Bridesmaids was Beatrice Terry, Ellen Terry’s niece. Beatrice was the daughter of Charles Terry, Ellen’s brother. Among the guests at the wedding was Mrs Charles Terry, Ellen’s sister-in- law. In the accounts of the wedding in the Australian papers Ellen Terry and her brother Fred and sister Marion are also listed amongst the guests.

Ellen Terry and George Sutton Titheradge 

George Sutton Titheradge was Madge’s father and a famous actor. In 1877 he was near the start of his career and moved from the provincial theatres to London. His first role in London was in a play at Her Majesty’s Theatre called “The House of Darnley”.  He played the part of the Ellen Terry’s Lover. The play ran from October 1877 until January 1878. In February 1878 Ellen and George starred in another play, called "Victims", but this only ran for a short time.

It was 37 years later, in 1914, when Ellen Terry and George Titheradge acted together again. Ellen Terry was on a tour of Australia and George was President of The Actors Association. George was part of the group that welcomed her to Sydney, Australia in May 1914. In July there was benefit performance for Ellen Terry, with numerous performers. The show included the trial scene from "The Merchant of Venice". Ellen Terry played the role of Portia and George Titheradge played the role of Shylock.  This was one of George's last performances on stage and he died 18 months later in January 1916.

Alfred James Titheridge – Memorial Scroll

World War 1 Memorial Scroll

Searching the Internet

I often use Google to see if there are any new occurrences on the Internet of the Titheridge / Titheradge family name. A recent search enabled me to find, and buy, a World War 1 Memorial Scroll for Lance Corporal Alfred James Titheridge of the Royal Sussex Regiment.

It seemed such a shame that it had been separated from the family of Alfred, but somewhere along the line there was either no one to pass it on to or the person who inherited it did not find it interesting and worthy of keeping. I couldn’t bear to see it leave the family completely, so I bought it an added it to my collection of Titheridge / Titheradge family heirlooms and documents.

The Memorial Scroll is shown in the picture. After World War 1 the family would have received a Memorial Plaque as well as the scroll.

 Memorial Plaque

During World War 1 the government decided to issue plaques and scrolls to commemorate those who had died in the World War in order to acknowledge their extreme sacrifice. The small plaque was made of bronze and was about 11cms in diameter. It was issued to the next of kin of the casualty as a memorial to their loved one. The design contains the symbolic figure of Britannia, holding a laurel wreath in her left hand over a box inscribed with the name of the deceased soldier. In Britannia’s right hand is a trident and at her feet is a lion.  Two dolphins facing Britannia represent Britain’s sea power. The inscription reads “He died for Freedom and Honour”. The round shape and coin-like appearance earned the plaques the nicknames Dead Man's Penny, Death Penny, Death Plaque and Widow's Penny.

Memorial Scroll

As well as receiving the plaque the family also received a Memorial Scroll. This is what I now own for Alfred. The scroll is printed on high quality paper, size 11 x 7 inches. The text is printed in calligraphic script beneath the Royal Crest followed by the name of the commemorated serviceman giving his rank, name and regiment individually written in calligraphic script. When it was being designed the committee found the choice of words very difficult. These are the poignant words that were eventual chosen:  

He whom this scroll commemorates was numbered among those who, at the call of King and Country, left all that was dear to them, endured hardness, faced danger, and finally passed out of the sight of men by the path of duty and self-sacrifice, giving up their own lives that others might live in freedom.

Let those who come after see to it that his name be not forgotten.

Production and Distribution of Plaque and Scroll

The production of the plaques did not start until the late autumn of 1918 because of problems with setting up the manufacture of the bronze plaques, with the supply of the metal difficult to obtain in wartime. The production of the high quality Memorial Scrolls was begun in January 1919. They were printed from a wood block by artists at the London County Council Central School of Arts and Crafts.

From 1919 and for several years following there were over 1,000,000 plaques and scrolls sent to next of kin in commemoration of their soldiers, sailors, airmen and a few hundred women who died as a direct consequence attributable to service in the Great War. The “next of kin” in a serviceman's Service Record was sent a form to complete, to confirm all the living next of kin of that serviceman and the person to whom the plaque and scroll should be sent. 

The scrolls and plaques were sent separately each with a cover letter with a message from the King. It read:  

Buckingham Palace

I join my grateful people in sending you this memorial of a brave life given for others in the Great War.

George R.I.

With over a million produced the plaques are still common today, although the scrolls are less likely to have survived. The one I have just acquired is a little tatty around the edges and is showing its hundred year age. I now own two scrolls but am yet to see a family related death plaque.

 About Lance Corporal Alfred James Titheridge

My Memorial Scroll commemorates Lance Corporal Alfred James Titheridge. Alfred came from Southwick, near Brighton in Sussex. He was the son of Albert James and Catherine Titheridge.  He was in the Royal Sussex Regiment 2nd Battalion. He lost his life on 25 September 1915 at the Battle of Loos and is remembered on the Loos Memorial. His story has already been told on a previous blog please click here to read his story.

Alfred was descended from the Titheridges of Cheriton and you can find his family tree at this link

Are you related to Alfred? If so please get in touch.

If you have a Titheridge /Titheradge Memorial Scroll or Plaque, please get in touch.

Alan Courtney Tytheridge - Part 4 Alan Remembered 1945 – 1959

By Ann Titheradge and Jenny Stroud

Alan Tytheridge's Grave in
Foreign Cemetery Yokohama, Japan
Published by kind permission of Jenny Stroud

Life after WW2 1945 - 1959

For me the surprise is that both Alan and Eric wanted to stay in Japan after the treatment they received at the hands of the Japanese. Alan obviously loved the country, the civilian Japanese, his Japanese friends and the way of life. He later told a New Zealand friend he regarded Japan as his permanent home and would never leave unless forced to do so by the Japanese authorities.

During his internment Alan's property had been sold by the Japanese government to various owners, but somehow, he was able to return to his house once he was released. Eric was not so lucky as his house was in possession of other people and in October 1945 he wrote to authorities to say he was living in a room at Alan’s home but wanted to return to his own place as soon as possible. He eventually moved to a new house further out of Tokyo, on a beach looking across at Mount Fuji.

It took Alan until August 1948 to reclaim his rights to his home and property which had been claimed by the Japanese government during his internment. The restoration of Alan’s property was dealt with by the Americans from the General Headquarters of the Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces. Ironically while the Americans were helping him get his property back in Japan, in the USA the  government were beginning proceedings to confiscate his bank account with the City Bank of New York. It was in 1950 that the American Attorney General announced in “The Register” that “people viewed as the enemy were to have their assets seized". The “Trading with the Enemy Act” meant Alan was considered as a resident of Japan and a national of a designated enemy country. His American assets were seized by the government and “used for the benefit of the United States.” The amount of money lost is unknown.

At some point after the war both Alan and Eric returned to teaching, the job they both loved.

In 1949 Alan revised the English / Japanese book he wrote in the 1920s with  T. Sagara, “Colloquial English Conversations in Practical and Applied Forms”.  In the newly published version he wrote a hand written preface which says
"About twenty-five years have passed since the first addition of this book appeared. A whole quarter of a century! How historical those words make one feel! Many events have occurred during that time, transforming the world and the lives of us all. One of the changes has been that the acquirement of a knowledge of the English Language, from being an interesting but not specially important accomplishment, has grown to be an absolute necessity for hundreds of thousands of people in this country. 
Proficiency in colloquial American speech is particularly essential at the present time, and it is therefore thought that a re-issue of this book in a completely revised and, it is believed, a greatly improve form, should meet with a favourable reception from the English-learning public of Japan. 
Alan Tytheridge March 1949"

Some time around 1952 or 1953 Alan made a return trip to New Zealand. His last known return trip to New Zealand had been in December 1919 soon after the death of his father

Death of Alan 1959

On 30 October 1959 Alan was at Tokyo station on his way home when he suffered a heart attack. He was transported to hospital but did not survive the heart attack. He was 70 years old. Five Japanese newspapers reported his obituary (Asahi, Mainichi, Yomiuri, Nihonkeizai and the Japan Times), so obviously he was a well-respected foreigner.  He was not a religious man and his New Zealand will stated “that my body be cremated and the ashes scattered and this shall be done without religious ceremony of any kind”. His funeral was conducted at Yokohama Christ Church on 4 November and he was buried at the Foreign Cemetery in Yokohama. This is a beautiful, wooded, hilly area. The grave is shown in the pictures and the Japanese researchers who took the photograph left flowers at Alan's grave.

Alan and Eric’s lives had followed a very similar path and therefore it is fitting to add that Eric Bell died 5 years after Alan and he too is buried in Japan.

Memories of Alan following his death

Alan had made many friends in Japan and he appears to have been a popular man. This tribute was found in an Alumni magazine of the University of Commerce, Tokyo where Alan had lectured for the latter years of his life. It was an article with the reminisces of an ex-student at the University. This is the English translation of what he wrote about Alan “I would like to add, before finishing my article, my memory of Mr Alan Tytheridge. He was a poet and teacher of English Literature. Sadly, he passed away at Tokyo station without warning and rests in peace at the foreign cemetery in Yokohama. I never fail to visit and pay respect to his grave there, and wish his happiness in the heavens always”

While teaching in Numazu, Eric taught a musical prodigy Takaoki Sugitani who began his violin studies aged 10 in 1949. He went on graduate in Music. He later moved to America where he became Assistant Concert Master of the St. Louis Symphony and taught at the St. Louis Conservatory of Music. When interviewed by one of Eric’s relatives he recalled his early days of playing his violin in Alan’s home in Chigasaki, with Alan accompanying him. He added that Alan was a gifted sight reader of music and could play anything on the piano. “a remarkable pianist”. “I recall Alan as a very dignified tall and slim built man.”.

The Tytheridge Travelling Scholarship

In New Zealand Alan had left a will relating to his New Zealand assets, which showed he had property in the Christchurch area, shares in the New Zealand Farmers’ Cooperative Association Canterbury and money in a Trust Account. He left everything in Trust to Canterbury University College to establish a travelling scholarship. The Tytheridge Travelling Scholarship in Arts is offered every four years. It is a 2-year scholarship for $20,000 per annum (approximately £10,000) plus grants for fees and travel. It is for honours students of the University of Canterbury in the arts or music to give the scholar an opportunity for further study or  to carry out research work at some approved institution. The scholarship is still in existence today 60 years after his death. It is a fitting legacy.to Alan and his love of travel, music and the arts.

Add Alan Tytheridge's Grave inForeign Cemetery Yokohama, Japan
Published by kind permission of Jenny Stroud

Alan Tytheridge's Grave in
Foreign Cemetery Yokohama, Japan
Published by kind permission of Jenny Stroud