THE POLLARDS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2896, 15 September 1909, Page 69

THE POLLARDS.

STORY OF A CLEVER FAMILY. (By F. W. D.) In the year 1860 there arrived in Hobart, Tasmania, an organ-builder and pianofortetuner named Janve* Joseph Pollard. He had served his time in England the firm of Collard and Collaid, and, like many other young mei>, he emigrated to the colonies to make a start in life for himself. He eventually re-ached Launceston, where he settled down, got married, and became a worthy citizen of that prosperous city. There was hardly ever an empty cradle in the Pollard household, as every year for 17 years another arrow was added to the Pollard quivor. When I first joined them Mr and Mrs Pollard and 17 children used to pit down to meals. As the children grew up they were taught music thoroughly, both vocal and instrumental, the latter including reed, string, and brass — each of them being proficient on several instruments. So strict was the father with them that two hours' practice was compulsory before breakfast. The outcome of this training was a family of clever musicians, which, during the middle seventies, became known as "Pollard's Orchestral Union." Balls, parties, and theatrical orchestras were supplied, while the production of amateur opera was also a feature of their programme. In 1880 Mrs G. B. Lewis originated a juvenilo opera company, and produced •'Pinafore-" at the Bijou Theatre, Melbourne. Mr Pollard, on hearing of her success, decided oh following suit, and, with his own family and the assistance of a host of local talent, he also staged the Gilbert and Sullivan work. To make assurance doubly sure he imported from Melbourne several of Mrs Lewis's principals, including Amy Brookes, Julia Simmons, Lena and Herbert Salinger, and the Osmonds (Cornie and Dick). The success of the production was so great that a visit to Hobart was decided upon, which was also a success. At that time- I was doing advance work for the firm of Dunning and Reynolds, who at that period were running the New Zealand circuit. Mr Dunning afterwards bocame lessee of the Opera House, Melbourne, and it was he who originally brought to the colonies "Boccaccio," "Rip .Van Winkle," "The . Black Cloaks," "Manola," and "The King's Dragoons." Mr Walter Reynolds was a well-known -English actor and author, and is still running companies in the English provinces. As we were running short of attractions it was decided that Mr Reynolds should visit Australia. He did so, and seeing "Pinafore" in Melbourne he tried to get Mrs Lewis to tour New Zealand, but failed. Hearing of "The Pollards' " success in Tasmania he- went over there, saw the show, and secured the company for a six months' tour of this Dominion. It was thus that the first "Pollard Lilliputian Opera Company" was launched on its professional career. I met the company at the Bluff in February, 1881, and we opened at Sloane's Theatre, Invercargill,. on March 2. Theoriginal cast was: Sir Joseph, Maud Pollard; Josephine, May Pollard; Buttercup, Olive Pollard; Cousin Hebe, Lena Salinger; Rackstraw, Connie Osmond; Captain Corcoran, Herbert Salinger; Dick Deadeye, Dick Osmond; Boatswain, Joe Sheehan ; Bobstay, Arthur Godwin; Midshipmite, «■#, Poilard ; and the Black Cook, Uillie Pollard. J. Pollard, jun., was conductor, Charlie Pollard leader Fred Pol- «» fll ? te '- Harry Pollard double bass, Alice Pollard piano, and Nellie Pollard organ, while Tom Pollard was stago manager. The tour was one tiiumphunt success, and the six months' contract terminated in Auckland. Mr Pollard then decided on touring on his own account, and I threw in my lot with him. It became necessary to get new pieces, so hearing that the late Dick Stewart, father of "Our Nellie." had returned from England, and had brought with him a score and scrip of "Les Cloches de Cornville," negotiations were entered into, and the rights of this charming work were secured. Being short "of dangers a well-known ballet-n. aster, Fred Darbj shire was engaged, and "Les Cloches" was first produced in the Lome Street Hall, Auckland, new a coach factory. A return tour was made, and then seasons were played in Melbourne, Sydney, and Adelaide. Queensland was ;ilso wsited. By this time we had added "Madame Angot," "The Princess of Tr<?bi 7 onde," "Fatinitza," and The Little Duke" f> the repertoire. New faces had been added to the company including an Auckland girl, "Flo De Lorme" -tho possessor of a glorious voice — poor little Violet Varley, and two clever comediennes in Ruth Wallace and Marion Norman. In 1883 a tour of the East was decided upon, and we sailed from Townsville on June 6in the ill-fated s.s. Quetfca. After \isitirtfr Java, fhe Straits Sefctlo-rtwints, and Burmali, we opened in Calcutta in October, and played right through the exhibition season of fiTO months, showing a profit of £12,000. We played several times under th© patronage 3f their Royal Higbnc^cs the Duke and Duchd-s of Connaught. At one big function his Royal Highness in his speech said that the hast colonial exhibit at the Calcutta Exhibition was " Pollard's Lilliputians." Mr Pollard, having developed dropsy, a Teturn wa& made to Australia, and we arrived in Townsville in June, 1884. Hero Mr Pollard died. The company then worked south, and lasted for over a year, but dissension amongst the family caused disbandment. Of that company " The Salingers " went to America, Violet Varley and May Pollard joined the Royal Comics, Eva Stanfield went to England, and several others became popular favourites. There was no Pollard Company in existence from '85 till '91. In February of that

s year, Mr W. Williamson sent for Tom Pol3 lard, ard a company was organised, known r as Williamson's Juvenile Opera Company. 1 Among the original member^ 'were Williei Percy, Harry Quealy, Charlie Albert, Alf. i and Lily Stephens, Lily Everett, Edie Zeig3 ler, Nellie Wilson, Gerfcie Campion, and i many others New Zealand was visited, and the Beattys — Maud and May — wer.e " dis- ! covered " in ChTistchurch, Alarion Mitchell ; and Cissy Samuels in Wellington, and Charlie Carter in Napier. A comprehensive Australian tour was carried out, and then, '■ as Mr Williamson had so many enterprises on. hand, he transferred the company to ' Tom Pollard, and the old name was reJ verted to. Most plaj goers ara familiar with * the series of unbroken successes that followed. Year after year the company g-rew biggci and better. The repertoire was extended until it was Mr Pollard's boast that he could play 32 pieces in as many n : ghts, without a prompt book or a rehearsal, and it did not ma.tter who left oi was ill, there was a competent substitute. The company attained its zenith in 1900. when the Perry Sisters and William Paull were brought . j over for "The Geisha" and Albert W'helan s for " The Belle of New York." About this i time Cupid began to let fly his never-failing arrows, with the result that seveial. of the leading girls got married, and made exceli lent matches ( It speaks -volumes as to the thoroughness i of the Pollard training when we find that, . out of this company, May Beatty is prinl oipal boy at the Theatre Royal, Manchester; Nellie Wilson, principal boy at the Theatre > Royal, Newcastle-on Tyne ;" Maud Beatty, ; leading woman at the American Theatre, San Francisco; Wilmot Karkeei, leading woman with the Bandmann Comedy Company, India; Charley Carter, singing principal tenor in " Lohengrin " with the-Moody-Manners Opera Company at Covcnt Garden. London ; Alice Pollard, with one 1 of the George Bd'wardes companies ; W. S. Percy, Dave O'Connor, Eddie Nable with ; " The Firm," and more than holding their own with th© imported article. This is a record to be proud of, and is a standing advertisement for this Dominion, for it was 1 here that they learned their business. The present company was organised in August, '97, and bids fair to be af popular and turn out as many first-cla^ artists as its predecessors. During the last 28 years thousands of youn& people have graduated in the " Pollard " ranks, and " made good" (to use an Americanism), in no matter what position they have been placed. One American manager once said that there was no school in the world fo« aspirants to footlight fame l : ke " The Pollards.'' The name has oeep a considerable advertisement for the colonies, as for years past Charlie Pollard has been running a company of young colonials ir America, while his sister Nellie has also a company in the East. New Zealand is inid-ebted to '" The Pollards " for many excellent performances in the past, and it is to be hoped that there will be more records broken in the future.