OBITUARY. .
ME, HAROLD ASHTON. Mr. Bert Royle, representative in Now Zealand for J. 0. Williamson, Ltd., has recoived cabled advice to the effect, tli.it Mr. Harold Ashton; the theatrical manager, who was formerly very well known in New Zealand, has died in Molbburne. The cause of death was cancer of tho throat. Mr. Ashton was aii associate-direc-tor of the firm of J. C. .Williamson, Ltd., and ono of the bost-kiiown. and most genuinely popular managers throughout Australasia. Ho was born in Adolaido about sixty years ago, being then Harold Jordan. He was educated in Adelaide, and after his school days he was for a timo n teacher. Tiring of teaching, he sought other fields of industry, and 1 became a repprtor on tho Adelaide "Register. He then went to Melbourne, and had not been there long when ho felt fate push!iug him , towards the theatre, with, which he had always been sympathetic. Hugo's Buffalo Minstrels' wore then m th'e height of their popularity, Mr. Ashton niade himself known, and was engaged as advance agent, and as such remained with the company for. two. years, rapidly learning what to hirh was a new business. Ho next joined Frank ji. Clark's Silk Stockings Company, then playing at the Victoria Hall, ■Melbourne, as manager, press agent, and came to the front'as a brilliant advertisement writer. • About this time he married Miss- Ruby Clifford, pianist and reciter. Later he left the Clark Company and inaugurated-Moore and Ashton'B Minstrels. Later still he went' on tour as advance manager for JUtecerald's Circus. After touring Australia with that successful show .forsorao years, he joined tho firm of Williamson, Garner, and Husgiove, and Stayed right on as tho firm; changed its name to Williamson., and Musgrovo and finally to J..& l™i am6OU - Wf Some'ten years ago ho became chief advance manager and confidential aaviser to the firm. He secured the lease of Her Majesty's Theatre in Brisbane, and through him tho theatre- of the same name in Melbourne,was secured by the .firm on lease. His good work, did much to make tho success of Miss TitteV Bruno, and later, when sent to America to select attractions, ho made no mistakes. Among ifcb people be sent out were: p. The Squaw Man" and "The, Virginian . SI Jane Humphreys, Mrs. W.ggs of the Cabbage Patch" ; Margaret Angun, "Potor Pan"; William CoUior and new "romid for tho firm in South Africa, and had tho bad luck to have to open m tho middle o the tag^t, Ktriko tho country had. known. Mr. Ashton himself was sworn iri as » •special coristahlo, and had to do patrol dutv Jα Johannfesburg. . The company he had under his wing at the.tune was the Gilbert and -Sullivan Repertoire Opera. Company which subsequently visited New Zealand. He returned to Australia ,n 1915, and was mndo an associate-director of tho firm, ; n which capacity he again went to America for attractions. During ■«» a sence of Mr. Hugh W«d he occupied tho managing director s chair.- He was an 'able press agent a : S | lre wd business wn who knew. theatrical husiness from top to bottom, and was a prince ot good felloes.
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Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3063, 26 April 1917, Page 7
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524OBITUARY. . Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3063, 26 April 1917, Page 7
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