The Howson family was a show-business dynasty founded in Australia, several of whose members went on to further success in America, London and Europe.
16-545: Francis Howson (1794 – 13 April 1863) was an English pianist, arranger and voice coach. He married Sarah Sophie Tanner (1796 – 5 November 1839). Their children were given instruction in music and singing, with satisfactory results, particularly their daughter Emma and sons Frank and John. In 1841 his sons Frank , John , and Henry were recruited by theatre manager Anne Clarke , who needed talent for her theatre in Hobart , Tasmania, and together with Frank's wife Emma and child, left on
32-625: A new profession for women in the colony. The actors of her company somewhat became the pioneer Australian actor generation, many of whom moved on to careers in Melbourne and Sydney. She was highly commended for her work, credited by the press with introducing 'a better class of performer and a superior style of management' and for giving theatre, which was then regarded as somewhat dubious, a good name. In July 1842, she applied to Parliament for an official government license for her theatre, thereby separating it from other places of entertainment and making it
48-658: A part previously taken in Hobart by Cordelia Cameron. Clarke performed with the Camerons' theatre company in 1834–36 and with that of their rival John Meredith in 1836–40. In April 1840, she became the manager of Theatre Royal . Though Cordelia Cameron managed the theatre in Launceston in 1836 and was as such the first woman theatre director in Australia de facto , Cameron only did so as the proxy of her spouse during his absence, and Clarke
64-601: A progressive artist. Despite her critical and artistic success, Clarke was forced to retire in 1847. The colony was small and the theatre struggled financially. She was by then separated from her spouse, and her later life is unknown. In the 1860s her theatre was still regarded as the role model for theatre life in the colony. Howson family The Howson family was a show-business dynasty founded in Australia, several of whose members went on to further success in America, London and Europe. Francis Howson (1794 – 13 April 1863)
80-458: A respected institution: in September that year, the "Act for regulating Places of Public Entertainment and for punishing Persons Keeping disorderly Houses.", was passed. She is credited for having given the foundation for professional music life in the colony. The contemporary press credited her for her work developing the cultural life in the colony. She was regarded as an efficient businessperson and
96-599: The Theatre Royal, Hobart , in 1840–1847. Anne Remans and fellow-actress Dinah Rudelhoff were brought out to Tasmania from England in 1834 under a sponsorship scheme, and first appeared with J. P. Deane's company, which at the time was playing at the Argyle Rooms in Hobart . Deane was early criticised for unfairly monopolizing their services. This was just one year after the introduction of professional theatre in Tasmania by
112-639: The family's presentation of Handel's Messiah at the Theatre Royal, Castlemaine, Victoria in March 1863, died from exposure in Parramatta , New South Wales, a month later. Children of Francis and Sarah Howson include: Henry Josiah Howson of Campbell's Creek, married to Emily Jane Thomson 4 January 1854 There is no reason to include John Michael Howson , whose paternal grandparents were William Howson (1886 – 7 May 1937), and Gertrude Eileen Howson, née Stack; he
128-499: The ship Alfred from London to Sydney and Louisa for the last leg of the journey. In September 1857 Frank Howson, John Howson and Sarah Clelia Howson performed a concert of sacred music in a choir led by Anna Bishop at the Prince of Wales Theatre, Sydney Francis settled in Launceston , where, known as "Frank Howson, senior", he gave singing lessons. His advertisements made much of
144-538: The ship Alfred from London to Sydney and Louisa for the last leg of the journey. In September 1857 Frank Howson, John Howson and Sarah Clelia Howson performed a concert of sacred music in a choir led by Anna Bishop at the Prince of Wales Theatre, Sydney Francis settled in Launceston , where, known as "Frank Howson, senior", he gave singing lessons. His advertisements made much of the success achieved by his daughter Emma, known as Madame Albertazzi. He later became insolvent, clearing his debts in 1859. He took part in
160-440: The ship Sydney , arriving in Hobart on 28 January 1842. They were joined on 21 August 1843 by "W. Howson" and "A. Howson" on the bark Eamont The first has been identified as William Edwin and the second as Alfred , about whom nothing has been found. On 2 March 1844 they were joined by their father Francis , two youngest brothers Frederick and Walter , also a Miss (perhaps C.) Howson, yet to be identified. They travelled by
176-437: The ship Sydney , arriving in Hobart on 28 January 1842. They were joined on 21 August 1843 by "W. Howson" and "A. Howson" on the bark Eamont The first has been identified as William Edwin and the second as Alfred , about whom nothing has been found. On 2 March 1844 they were joined by their father Francis , two youngest brothers Frederick and Walter , also a Miss (perhaps C.) Howson, yet to be identified. They travelled by
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#1732876620853192-469: The success achieved by his daughter Emma, known as Madame Albertazzi. He later became insolvent, clearing his debts in 1859. He took part in the family's presentation of Handel's Messiah at the Theatre Royal, Castlemaine, Victoria in March 1863, died from exposure in Parramatta , New South Wales, a month later. Children of Francis and Sarah Howson include: Henry Josiah Howson of Campbell's Creek, married to Emily Jane Thomson 4 January 1854 There
208-573: The travelling company of Samson and Cordelia Cameron from England, and only two years after the first professional performance in Australia, at Barnett Levey 's Royal Hotel in Sydney in December 1832. making her one of the first professional actors active in Australia. In November 1834, by which time she had married Michael Clarke, she took part in Kotzebue 's The Stranger with Deane's company, as Mrs Haller,
224-440: Was a son of John Francis Howson (1853 – 2 June 1902), and Charlotte Howson, née Finch. The same argument applies to his cousin, the 20th-century Australian actor and filmmaker Frank Michael Howson . Anne Clarke (theatre manager) Anne Clarke née Remans (born 1806), was a pioneering actress, singer and theatre manager in Tasmania, Australia, significant as the first woman to manage an Australian theatre, being director of
240-458: Was an English pianist, arranger and voice coach. He married Sarah Sophie Tanner (1796 – 5 November 1839). Their children were given instruction in music and singing, with satisfactory results, particularly their daughter Emma and sons Frank and John. In 1841 his sons Frank , John , and Henry were recruited by theatre manager Anne Clarke , who needed talent for her theatre in Hobart , Tasmania, and together with Frank's wife Emma and child, left on
256-505: Was thereby the first woman to have formally been theatre director in Australia. She recruited new actors from England in 1841–42, composed of Jerome Carandini , Theodosia Stirling , John Howson and Frank Howson of the celebrated Howson family of entertainers. By importing professional actors, she is said to have established acting as a respectable profession for both sexes in Australia. By advertising for respectable women interested in becoming actors, and giving them training, she introduced
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