Constance Loseby

Constance Loseby (1842–13 October 1906) was a leading British actress and singer of the late Victorian era best remembered for performing in the early works of W. S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan, including Robert the Devil (1868) and Thespis (1871).

Constance Loseby in 1875

Born in Nottingham in 1842, Loseby's theatrical appearances included Raimbault in Robert the Devil (1868); creating the role of Prince Raphael in the London premiere of Offenbach's La princesse de Trébizonde (1870);[1] Princess Veloutine in Hervé's "operatic extravaganza" Aladdin the 2nd (1870) starring Nellie Farren and J. L. Toole;[2][3] Paris in La Belle Helene (July 1871);[4] Belazza in the opéra bouffe Cinderella the Younger (September 1871),[5] and Nicemis in Thespis (December 1871),[6] all at the Gaiety Theatre. During a recess at the Gaiety Theatre in 1870 she had a brief singing engagement at The South London Music Hall in Lambeth.[7] One of her most popular songs was 'Sally In Our Alley'.[8]

Further appearances included a comic opera version of Cinderella at the Holborn Theatre (1874-1875);[5] in La Poule aux Oeufs D’or (1878–1879); Dolly in The Sultan of Mocha (1876); reprising the role of Prince Raphael in La princesse de Trébizonde (1879); as Marguerite in Mefistofele (1880) with Lizzie St Quentin in the title role and Fred Leslie as Faust and Lionel Brough as Valentine;[9][10] Jeanneton in Lacôme's Jeanne, Jeannette et Jeanneton (1881),[11] and the title role in The Black Crook (1881–1882), the latter all at the Alhambra Theatre in London.[12]

In 1864 in London she married John Caulfield (1839-before 1891),[13] a Professor of Music. Their daughter was Constance Elizabeth Louisa Caulfield (1871-1956).[14] By 1891 Loseby had retired from the stage and owned the Victoria Hotel in Aldershot in Hampshire for a period.[15] At the time of her death in 1906 she was a widow living in the Red Lion Hotel in Milford in Surrey. In her will she left £1,648 8s 9d to her daughter.[16]

References
Loseby, possibly in The Black Crook (1882)
  1. Simpson, Adrienne, Alice May: Gilbert & Sullivan's First Prima Donna Routledge (2003) - Google Books pg 103
  2. Traubner, Richard Operetta: A Theatrical History Routledge (2003) - Google Books pg 22
  3. "Alfred Thompson (1831-1895) Alfred Thompson Costume Designs- Houghton Library, Harvard College Library". Archived from the original on 2014-07-03. Retrieved 2014-07-27.
  4. Loseby on the Picture History website Archived 2014-08-10 at the Wayback Machine
  5. List of plays based on Cinderella on the Theatre History website
  6. Anthony Baker and Timothy Henty, Thespis Or The Gods Grown Old - A New Performing Version Elton Grove Press (2009) - Google Books pg viii
  7. Loseby on The Music Hall and Theatre History Website
  8. 'Sally In Our Alley' on the Lyrics of the Music Hall website
  9. Mefistofele on the Operetta Research Center website
  10. Mefistofele in the Theatre Collection of the University of Kent website
  11. Simpson, pg 115
  12. Loseby on the Theatricalia website
  13. Constance Loseby in the England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1837-1915 - Ancestry.com (subscription required)
  14. 1871 England Census for Constance Caulfield - Ancestry.com - pay to view
  15. 1891 England Census for Constance Caulfield - Ancestry.com - pay to view
  16. England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1966 for Constance Caulfield - Ancestry.com - pay to view
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