Do you recognise this man - John Allen McLeod aka Maurice De Verney 1848-1891?

Question

While doing research on the SS Nairnshire passenger manifest, which arrived in Western Australia in 1889 from England, I came across a Mr Maurice De Verney.

* Maurice de Verney was an actor involved in the London theatre scene, he appeared in the production of “The Lodgers” which was performed at the Globe Theatre in 1888. He also appeared at the Royal Lyceum Theatre, London, UK in the play “Much Ado About Nothing” in June 1887 Program for Much Ado About Nothing  (The New York mirror annual and directory of the theatrical profession for 1888, [https://archive.org/details/newyorkmirrorann00unse/page/n20 page 7] : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive & the Program for Much Ado About Nothing  https://ellenterryarchive.essex.ac.uk/shakespeare/event/186/much-ado-about-nothing )

He was “one of the original members of and for many years with the famous St. James's company under Messrs. Hare and Kendal, having been attacked by a consumptive malady, has, in order to save bis life, been advised by Sir Morell Mackenzie to spend a few years in Australia.” (1889 'Musical Notes.', The Week (Brisbane, Qld. : 1876 - 1934), 26 October, p. 11. , viewed 04 Feb 2023, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article186201190)

He died at the age of 43 in 1891 at his residence, Kennington Villa, Angelo-street, Hawksburn in Victoria, Australia, after having never returned to England. There are little or no details in the Victorian Australian death index however I did come across the following Newspaper notice

MAURICE DE VERNEY.— On the 15th December, at his residence, Kennington Villa, Angelo-street, Hawksburn, John Allen McLeod, professionally known as Maurice De Verney, aged 43 years. (1891 'Family Notices', Leader (Melbourne, Vic. : 1862 - 1918, 1935), 19 December, p. 46. , viewed 04 Feb 2023, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article197954667)

I'd like to add him to WikiTree but can't find further details about his origins. He would have been born circa 1848 but I'm not sure where. 

Answer 1

Hi Sandra. This is interesting: a John McLeod born in 1847 in Lancashire, with mother's birth name Allan.

<ref>[https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/ England & Wales General Register Office, GRO Online Index - Birth] (accessed 4 February 2023), database entry for Mcleod, John (Mother's maiden surname: Allan), GRO Reference: 1847 J Quarter in [https://www.ukbmd.org.uk/reg/districts/salford.html The Salford Union] Volume 20 Page 925.</ref>

On the other hand, the death record you mention says his father was also John Allen McLeod. But that could be a result of confusion on the part of the informant.

<ref>[https://www.bdm.vic.gov.au/research-and-family-history/search-your-family-history Victoria BDM] death registration number 17972/1891. Name: Jno Allen Mcleod; father: Jno Allen; mother: Unknown; place: S Y; age: 43. Accessed 4 February 2023.</ref>

Comments

See also:

<ref>AMUSEMENTS (1887, March 19). ''The Queenslander (Brisbane, Qld. : 1866 - 1939)'', p. 446. Retrieved February 4, 2023, from National Library of Australia Trove [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/19923457?searchTerm=Vernay 19923457]. "Three new comedies were produced in London within the limits of a week. ''The Lodgers," by Brandon Thomas and Maurice De Vernay, at the Globe Theatre on 18th January; "Modern Wives," adapted by that charming writer Ernest Warren from "Le Bonheur Conjugal" at the Royalty Theatre on 20th January; and "Dandy Dick," by A. W. Pinero, at the Court Theatre. All three appear to be outrageously farcical and to have hit the public taste, which just now in London seems to tend towards that particular class of entertainment..."</ref>

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This looks promising. I'll have to see if I can locate him in the Censuses before he comes out to Australia. That might help confirm his identity.

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It's worth bearing in mind that in Europe middle names became increasingly popular over the course of the nineteenth century. So plain John McLeod may have chosen to add his mother's maiden name, with varied spelling, as a middle name at some point in his adult life.

Good luck hunting for censuses, Sandra!

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Here are two newspaper advertisements for The Lodgers at the Globe Theatre:

• https://www.newspapers.com/clip/118188917/the-lodgers/
• https://www.newspapers.com/clip/118188989/globe-theatre/

Answer 2

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ESD18891001.2.16

At least we know why he died young...

Comments

Thanks Stephen,

It's interesting isn't it all the newspapers say almost the same thing that he came to Australia for the benefit of his health. I beginning to feel like a stalker. I haven't been able to locate him in the English Census under either his birth name or his stage name which is very frustrating as I was hoping to build him a profile on WikiTree, as my guess is that people researching his family of origin may not realise that he died in Australia.

I'll keep rummaging around until I can find something about his life in England or perhaps where he came from before he landed in England. It would be nice to add him to WikiTree.