Difference between revisions of "Lady Anne Barnard"
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| − | (1750-1825). Socialite and cultural commentator. | + | (1750-1825). Socialite and cultural commentator. Wife of [[Andrew Barnard]], the secretary to two British Governors (Sir [[George Yonge]] and Macartney) during the first British occupation of the Cape (1797-1806). |
| + | == Biography == | ||
| + | Born Lady Anne Lindsay, daughter of the Earl of Balcarres, in Scotland, she met and married Andrew Barnard in London. She obtained an appointment as colonial secretary at the Cape of Good Hope for her husband from Viscount Melville and they arrived there in March 1797, Lady Anne remaining at the Cape until January 1802, when the Cape was taken by the French. | ||
| − | + | Her letters, journals and drawings, published in 1901 under the title ''South Africa a Century Ago'', are an important source of information about the people, events and social life in Cape Town at the turn of the 19th century. She is also remembered as an accomplished socialite, known for entertaining at the Castle of Good Hope as the official hostess of Earl Macartney. | |
| − | + | In 1806, when the British had retaken the Cape, Barnard returned as colonial secretary, though Lady Anne remained in London. Barnard died in Cape Town in 1807, Anne in London on 6 May 1825. | |
| − | + | A number of plays, poems and books have been written about her and her times, including ''[[Lady Anne Barnard and her Friends]]'' by [[Cecil Lewis]] (1920s) and ''[[The Lady Anne gets her Bath]]'' by [[Dennis Rhodes Granger]] (1951). | |
| − | + | Her journals, never intended for publication, have been edited by by A.M. Lewin Robinson, with Margaret Lenta and Dorothy Driver, and published by the Van Riebeeck Society as ''The Cape Journals of Lady Anne Barnard 1797-1798''. | |
| + | |||
| + | ==Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance== | ||
| + | |||
| + | Her value for theatre studies is her interest in theatre and her comments on the building of the [[African Theatre]] and the performances of the time. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Her comments on the first performance of [[Samuel Foote]]'s ''[[Taste]]'' in the [[Barracks Theatre]] in 1800 (under the guidance of [[Dr Somers]]) are considered to be the first "[[review]]" of a play in Cape Town. She also left a sketch and poem about the theatre. | ||
| + | |||
| + | In her letters she also refers obliquely to some verses she had written and submitted anonymously for use in the last performances of the temporary [[Barracks Theatre]] in the Hospital (the "[[Sea-line]]" as [[Mrs Somers]] rather grandly insisted on referring to it). Apparently they were performed to some acclaim as part of the evening's play and there was wide speculation about who the author might be. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Later she came to love the [[African Theatre]], though opposed to the idea initially. **[TH] | ||
== Sources == | == Sources == | ||
| Line 21: | Line 33: | ||
[[Jill Fletcher]]. 1994. ''The Story of Theatre in South Africa: A Guide to its History from 1780-1930''. Cape Town: Vlaeberg: pp.21-28 | [[Jill Fletcher]]. 1994. ''The Story of Theatre in South Africa: A Guide to its History from 1780-1930''. Cape Town: Vlaeberg: pp.21-28 | ||
| + | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_Anne_Barnard | ||
Go to the [[ESAT Bibliography]] | Go to the [[ESAT Bibliography]] | ||
Revision as of 06:10, 2 October 2016
(1750-1825). Socialite and cultural commentator. Wife of Andrew Barnard, the secretary to two British Governors (Sir George Yonge and Macartney) during the first British occupation of the Cape (1797-1806).
Contents
Biography
Born Lady Anne Lindsay, daughter of the Earl of Balcarres, in Scotland, she met and married Andrew Barnard in London. She obtained an appointment as colonial secretary at the Cape of Good Hope for her husband from Viscount Melville and they arrived there in March 1797, Lady Anne remaining at the Cape until January 1802, when the Cape was taken by the French.
Her letters, journals and drawings, published in 1901 under the title South Africa a Century Ago, are an important source of information about the people, events and social life in Cape Town at the turn of the 19th century. She is also remembered as an accomplished socialite, known for entertaining at the Castle of Good Hope as the official hostess of Earl Macartney.
In 1806, when the British had retaken the Cape, Barnard returned as colonial secretary, though Lady Anne remained in London. Barnard died in Cape Town in 1807, Anne in London on 6 May 1825.
A number of plays, poems and books have been written about her and her times, including Lady Anne Barnard and her Friends by Cecil Lewis (1920s) and The Lady Anne gets her Bath by Dennis Rhodes Granger (1951).
Her journals, never intended for publication, have been edited by by A.M. Lewin Robinson, with Margaret Lenta and Dorothy Driver, and published by the Van Riebeeck Society as The Cape Journals of Lady Anne Barnard 1797-1798.
Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance
Her value for theatre studies is her interest in theatre and her comments on the building of the African Theatre and the performances of the time.
Her comments on the first performance of Samuel Foote's Taste in the Barracks Theatre in 1800 (under the guidance of Dr Somers) are considered to be the first "review" of a play in Cape Town. She also left a sketch and poem about the theatre.
In her letters she also refers obliquely to some verses she had written and submitted anonymously for use in the last performances of the temporary Barracks Theatre in the Hospital (the "Sea-line" as Mrs Somers rather grandly insisted on referring to it). Apparently they were performed to some acclaim as part of the evening's play and there was wide speculation about who the author might be.
Later she came to love the African Theatre, though opposed to the idea initially. **[TH]
Sources
F.C.L. Bosman, 1928. Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel I: 1652-1855. Pretoria: J.H. de Bussy. [1]: pp. 40-109
De Beer 1995
Jill Fletcher. 1994. The Story of Theatre in South Africa: A Guide to its History from 1780-1930. Cape Town: Vlaeberg: pp.21-28
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_Anne_Barnard
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