J. Davies

J. Davies was a Lance-Corporal in the North Lincolnshire Regiment of Foot when the Regiment was sent to the Eastern Frontier of the Cape Colony (now the Eastern Province, South Africa) between 1860 and 1862, shortly after the Xhosa cattle-killing movement and famine (1857-1858). The regiment was based in Grahamstown and Keiskama Hoek. (Modern spelling: Keiskammahoek.)

Lance-Corporal / Corporal J. Davies, later referred to as Private J. Davies. (December 10, 1862, page 261) and then to simply J. Davies.

Davies acted in 50 productions during his stay in the Eastern Frontier.

J. Davies was an extremely active member of the Dramatic Club, and performed with of the Officers of the Regiment, with nine of the The Sergeants' productions and with the Amateurs of the Band.

He was in particular demand to play female roles in which he excelled and was called upon to portray women, both young and old, on 37 occasions.

(North Lincoln Sphinx, Vol 1, No 14, Keiskama Hoek, December 10, 1862, page 270.)

Biography

He was one of the Amateurs of the Band who produced shows for the entertainment of the troops and nearby civilians.

Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance

July 21, 26 & 27, and August 3, 1860: Acted in The Serjeants production of The Lady of Lyons, or Love and Pride. (Pauline Deschappelles).

(North Lincoln Sphinx, Vol 1, No 2, Grahamstown, September 15, 1860, page 16.)

July 29, 1860: Acted in The Sergeants three-act drama production of Wallace, the Hero of Scotland. (Helen Mar).

(North Lincoln Sphinx, Vol 1, No 2, Grahamstown, September 15, 1860, page 18.)

September 20 1860: Acted in the Band of Amateurs produced one-act farce, The Dead Shot. (Louisa Lovetrick, niece to Captain Cannon and in love with Frederick Thornton).

(North Lincoln Sphinx, Vol 1, No 3, Grahamstown, November 1, 1860, page 30.)

August 29, 1860: Acted in The Sergeants performance of Mark Lemon's one-act farce, The Camp at Chobham. (Fanny).

(North Lincoln Sphinx, Vol 1, No 2, Grahamstown, September 15, 1860, page 18.)

(North Lincoln Sphinx, Vol 1, No 3, Grahamstown, November 1, 1860, page 30.)

October 8, 1860: Acted in The Officers first performance with Sheridan's five-act comedy The Rivals, (Julia Melville).

(North Lincoln Sphinx, Vol 1, No 3, Grahamstown, November 1, 1860, page 30.)

October 12, 1860: Acted in The Sergeants production of William Shakespeare's Tragedy of Macbeth. (Young Siward, the Earl’s son) & (the First Witch).

(North Lincoln Sphinx, Vol 1, No 3, November 1, 1860. Page 31.)

October 29, 1860: Acted in the Sergeant’s Dramatic Club rendition of the farce, My Son Diana. (Diana, Culpepper's daughter).

(North Lincoln Sphinx Vol. 1, No 3. Grahamstown, November 1st, 1860. Pages 31 - 32.)

April 5, 11 & 19, 1861: Acted {under the stage name of Miss Pauline Davies} in the Officers of the Regiment second play, Stirling Coyne's one-act farce, Urgent Private Affairs, (Mrs Dentatus Dotts).

(North Lincoln Sphinx, Vol 1, No 6, April 25, 1861. Page 75.)

May 27, 1861: Acted in The Sergeant’s Dramatic Club two-act drama production of Talfourd’s Macbeth Travestie. (Lady Macbeth).

(North Lincoln Sphinx, Vol 1, No 7, June 13, 1861. Page 92.)

May 27, 1861: Acted in [[The Sergeant’s Dramatic Club[[ production of John Dobbs. (Mrs Chesterton).

(North Lincoln Sphinx, Vol 1, No 7, June13, 1861. Page 92.)

June 13 & 17, 1861: Acted in The Sergeant’s Dramatic Club three-act romantic drama, adapted from Walter Scott’s poem, The Lady of the Lake. (Blanche of Devon, a wandering maniac) & (Ellen, the Lady of the Lake).

(North Lincoln Sphinx, Vol 1, No 8, September 30, 1861. Page 108.)

June 13 & 17, 1861: Acted in The Sergeant’s Dramatic Club production of W. Blanchard Jerrold's one-act farce, Cool as a Cucumber. (Miss Jessie Honiton).

(North Lincoln Sphinx, Vol 1, No 8, September 30, 1861. Page 108.)

September 9th & 12th, 1861: Acted in the Officers of the Regiment production of Crinoline, set in London in 1856. (Bella, the commercial gentleman's niece, aged 19).

(North Lincoln Sphinx, Vol 1, No 8, September 30, 1861. Page 108.)

September 9th & 12th, 1861: Acted in the Officers of the Regiment production of Only a Halfpenny. (Bridgit).

(North Lincoln Sphinx, Vol 1, No 8, September 30, 1861. Page 108.)

October 14 & November 4, 1861: Acted in the Amateurs of the Band production of John Maddison Morton’s one-act farce, Slasher and Crasher. (Miss Dinah Blowhard).

(North Lincoln Sphinx, Vol 1, No 9, November 13, 1861. Page 125.)

October 14 & November 4, 1861: Acted in the Amateurs of the Band production of William Barnes Rhodes's one-act burlesque tragic opera, Bombastes Furioso. (General Bombastes).

(North Lincoln Sphinx, Vol 1, No 9, November 13, 1861. Page 125.)

November 4, 1861: Acted in the Amateurs of the Band production of Thomas J. Lynch's two-act drama, The Rose of Ettrick Vale or The Bridal of the Borders. (Albert, Old Adam’s adopted son).

(North Lincoln Sphinx, Vol 1, No 9, November 13, 1861. Page 125.)

November 4, 1861: Acted in the Amateurs of the Band’s production of The Spectre Bridegroom, or A Ghost in Spite of Himself. (Georgiana Alswinkle).

(North Lincoln Sphinx, Vol 1, No 9, November 13, 1861. Page 125.)

December 25, 1861: Acted in the pantomimic ballet of Don Juan, staged by the Amateurs of the Band. (Don Juan).

(North Lincoln Sphinx, Vol 1, No 10, Christmas Supplement, 1861.)

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. (Baroness de Ville Blanche).

(North Lincoln Sphinx, Vol 1, No 10, Christmas Supplement, 1861, page 146.)

December 28 & 30, 1861: Acted in the Officers of the Regiment performance of J. M. Morton's one-act comedy, Dying for Love, set in Abergavenny. (Mrs Lorimer).

(North Lincoln Sphinx, Vol 1, No 10, Christmas Supplement, 1861, page 146.)

December 28 & 30, 1861: Acted in the Officers of the Regiment performance of Edward Morton's one-act farce, The Eton Boy. (Sally, Fanny’s servant).

(North Lincoln Sphinx, Vol 1, No 10, Christmas Supplement, 1861, page 146.)

January 20, 1862: Acted in the Officers of the Regiment performance of Lieutenant R. Annesley's farce, Two Years in Paris. (Selina Diana Montgomery).

(North Lincoln Sphinx, Vol 1, No 11, January 28, 1862, page 163.)

January 20, 1862: Acted in the Officers of the Regiment performance of J. R. Planche's one-act serio-comic, bombastic, operatic interlude, Amoroso, King of Little Britain. (Amoroso, King of Little Britain).

(North Lincoln Sphinx, Vol 1, No 11, January 28, 1862, page 163.)

January 20, 1862: Acted in the Officers of the Regiment performance of Othello, Scene II, Act III. (Desdemona).

(North Lincoln Sphinx, Vol 1, No 11, January 28, 1862, page 163.)

May 28, 1862: Acted in the Amateurs of the Band production of a “serio-comic, bombastic, operatic Interlude, in one act" by J.R. Planché, Amoroso, King of Little Britain. (Amoroso, King of Little Britain).

(North Lincoln Sphinx, Vol 1, Supplementary Number, Keiskama Hoek, August 12, 1862, page 240.)

May 28, 1862: Acted in the Amateurs of the Band production of a one-act farce, The Omnibus or A Convenient Distance, (Mrs Dobbs).

(North Lincoln Sphinx, Vol 1, Supplementary Number, Keiskama Hoek, August 12, 1862, page 240.)

May 28, 1862: Acted in the Amateurs of the Band production of The Irish Tutor. (Rosa, in love with Charley).

(North Lincoln Sphinx, Vol 1, Supplementary Number, Keiskama Hoek, August 12, 1862, page 240.)

June 5, 1862: Acted again in the Amateurs of the Band production of The Spectre Bridegroom or A Ghost in Spite of Himself. (Georgiana Aldwinkle).

(North Lincoln Sphinx, Vol 1, Supplementary Number, Keiskama Hoek, August 12, 1862, page 240.)

June 5, 1862: Acted in the Amateurs of the Band production of a “laughable interlude,” Poses-De-Vaux. (Miss Polly Hopkins).

(North Lincoln Sphinx, Vol 1, Supplementary Number, Keiskama Hoek, August 12, 1862, page 240.)

June 5, 1862: Acted in the Amateurs of the Band production of the one-act farce, Slasher and Crasher. (Mr Christopher Crasher).

(North Lincoln Sphinx, Vol 1, Supplementary Number, Keiskama Hoek, August 12, 1862, page 240.)

June 19, 1862: Acted in the Amateurs of the Band production of a two-act "melo-drama", Robert Macaire, or The Two Murderers of Lyon. (Marie).