J.S. Brougham

J.S. Brougham was a soldier and amateur performer.

Possibly the same person referred to simply as Brougham when a supporting actor for Disney Roebuck and his company in 1878.

Biography

He served with the North Lincolnshire Regiment of Foot when the Regiment was posted to the Eastern Frontier of the Cape Colony between 1860 and 1863, shortly after the Xhosa cattle-killing movement and famine (1857-1858). He came to the Cape Colony as a Private soldier. At first, the Regiment was posted to Grahamstown but was later transferred to Keiskama Hoek (Keiskammahoek) in 1862.

Private Brougham was a member of the Dramatic Club which was called the Band of Amateurs and acted in four productions during his three-year stay on the Eastern Frontier.

F.C.L. Bosman (1980) also refers to a person referred to simply as Brougham, who visited Cape Town, Grahamstown and Port Elizabeth in 1873-4, as part of Disney Roebuck's first touring company to visit the country. He may be the same person, who started on a career in theatre after his tour of duty. according to Bosman, he started out in small supporting roles, playing figurants[1], and gradually progressed to more substantial roles, e.g. in Caste (Robertson) on 16 and 17 February 1874.

Contribution to SA theatre

December 28 & 30, 1861: Acted in the Officers of the Regiment performance of Edward Stirling's one-act comic drama, A Lucky Hit (also wrongly referred to as The Lucky Hit) which is set in Versailles. (1st Gentleman of the Court).

August 30, September 11 & 19, 1862: Acted in the adaptation to the stage from Mrs Moodie’s beautiful tale in a three-act drama by members of the Dramatic Club, 2nd Battalion 10th Regiment and presented for the first, The Royal Quixote. (Prince Otho of Mecklenburgh)

August 30 & September 11 & & 19, 1862: Acted in the one-act farce with Members of the Dramatic Club in the production, The Ugly Customer. (Frank Topham).

(North Lincoln Sphinx, Vol 1, No 14, December 10, 1862, page 261.)

August 30, September 11 & 19, 1862: Acted in John Maddison Morton's one-act farce, Don't Judge by Appearances. (Frank Topham).