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Samuel “Richard” Douglass (b. March 17, 1844, Lambeth, Surrey, England)
was a celebrated scene painter, theatre manager, and comedian. He was
the son of John Douglass Sr. (1814–1874) and Jane Isabella Goodwin
(1816–1881). The couple, who married in 1835, had several children, many
of whom pursued theatrical careers. The Douglass family’s theatrical
lineage extended to Richard's uncle, William Douglass, a gas engineer
who tragically died in a gas explosion at Covent Garden Theatre in 1828.
Richard's father managed the National Standard Theatre in
Shoreditch, where the Douglass children gained theatrical training. By
1861, the family resided in Hackney, Middlesex, with 16-year-old Richard
listed as a scholar. By age 20, Richard’s scenic artistry was garnering
attention, particularly his landscapes and woodland scenes, inspired by
his training under William Telbin (1815–1873).
In 1870, Richard
advertised his scenic painting services while managing a large painting
room. That year, he married his first wife, Marie Armstrong. The couple
welcomed a son, Ernest Leslie Law Goodwin, in 1871, but Marie died the
next day. After the death of his father in 1874, Richard married Laurina
Campland Brook, an actress known as Stella Brereton. The couple had two
sons: Walter (1876–1877) and Bertie Richard Campland Douglass (b. 1878).
The 1880s saw Richard’s theatrical and personal life flourish.
Laurina made headlines in 1880, and the 1881 Census listed the family
living in St. Pancras, London. Richard continued his scenic artistry and
expanded into performing and writing. He gained acclaim as an actor,
notably playing the Old Man of the Sea in *Sinbad* at the Grand Theatre,
Glasgow, in 1889. That same year, he authored “The Clown’s Story: Told
in the Prompter’s Box.”
Despite a new occupation listed as
"Picture Restorer" in the 1901 Census, Richard remained active in the
arts. He lived with Laurina and their two adult sons, Ernest (insurance
agent) and Bertie (electrical engineer). Richard Douglass passed away on
July 22, 1911, at the Finchley home of his son Ernest. The 1911 Census
recorded the household as including Richard, Ernest, and Ernest’s wife,
Margaret. His contributions to the theatrical world remained a lasting
legacy.
See also:
•
The Douglas family of the Standard Theatre
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Source
Sources for this article include:
Wendy Waszut-Barrett (Drypigment.net) |
