William Elton

William Elton (fl 1870s-1880s) was an actor and musician

At times simply referred to simply as Mr Elton

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

In 1875 he was a member of a company recruited in England by Frank Weston on behalf of Disney Roebuck,

As a bandleader he formed an “Ashantee Dance and Chorus” from “a band of coloured boys picked from the street” (also referred to as “street Arabs”) and participated in a performance entitled Brown and the Brahmins at the Bijou Theatre, Cape Town in 1875. This under the auspices of Disney Roebuck. (Fletcher, 1994)

November 15, 1876: Elton acted in Disney Roebuck's United Service Dramatic Company's production of Blow For Blow at the Theatre Royal in Port Elizabeth and played the part of Charlie Spraggs.

Eastern Province Herald's Theatre Critic, Henry J Vickers, charges Elton

On Friday, December 8, 1876, William Elton appeared in the Port Elizabeth Magistrate's Court before Regional Magistrate A C Wylde charged with contravening the 18th section of Ordinance 25, 1847, by wrongfully and unlawfully using threatening language against Henry J Vickers, the Eastern Province Herald's theatre critic, "in the public place, calculated to provoke a breach of the peace". Vickers stated: "About 12 o'clock on Tuesday I received a message saying Mr Elton wanted to see me at the Theatre.

"I replied that I was busy at the time, and he then said I was to go round to the theatre after rehearsal, as Mr Elton wanted to see me particularly.

"I replied I was always in the office, and should be happy to see him there at any time.

"About 1.30 I went down to the Phoenix (Hotel) to luncheon.

"As I was going down the avenue towards the door Mr Elton came up to me.

"I said,'Oh, Mr Elton, you want to see me. What can I do for you?'

"He said, 'I want to know whether you wrote that notice of the Dramatic Company in the paper this morning?'"

His Worship interjected at this point and said "The criticism?"

"Yes," replied Vickers.

(Under Construction)

Sources

Eastern Province Herald, December 1976.

D.C. Boonzaier, 1923. "My playgoing days – 30 years in the history of the Cape Town stage", in SA Review, 9 March and 24 August 1923. (Reprinted in Bosman 1980: pp. 374-439.)

F.C.L. Bosman. 1980. Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel II, 1856-1916. Pretoria: J.L. van Schaik: pp.

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