Richard D'Oyly Carte (1844 - 1901)

Born 3 May 1844 in Soho, London, England, United Kingdom

Ancestors

Husband of Blanche Julia (Prowse) Carte — married 1870 in St Pancras, Middlesex, England, United Kingdom

Husband of Susan Helen Couper (Black) Boulter — married 12 Apr 1888 in London, England, UK

Descendants

Died 3 Apr 1901 at age 56 in Strand, London, England, United Kingdom

Problems/Questions Profile manager: DJ Swaner [send private message]

Biography

Richard was born in 1844. Richard Carte ... He passed away in 1901.^[1]

Richard D’Oyly Carte, (born May 3, 1844, London, Eng.—died April 3, 1901, London), English impresario remembered for having managed the first productions of operas by Sir W. S. Gilbert and Sir Arthur Sullivan, for elevating his era’s musical taste, and for contributing to the development of theatre technology.

Carte was born at his parents' house in Greek Street, Soho, in the West End of London on 3 May 1844; he was the eldest of six children. His father, Richard Carte, was a flautist, and his mother was the former Eliza Jones who had eloped to be married, to the disappointment of her father, Thomas Jones, a clergyman.

Carte was married twice. His first wife was Blanche Julia Prowse (1853–1885), the daughter of William Prowse, a piano manufacturer, music publisher and booking agent. As a teenager, she had participated in amateur theatricals with Carte. They married in 1870 and had two sons, Lucas (1872–1907) and Rupert. Unfortunately Blanche died of pneumonia in 1885, and in 1888, Carte married his assistant, Helen Lenoir. Their wedding took place in the Savoy Chapel, with Arthur Sullivan of Gilbert & Sullivan fame as the best man.

His partnership with Gilbert and Sullivan and the success of their operas allowed D'Oyly Carte to build the Savoy Theatre as a home stage for future Gilbert and Sullivan works. The ever-popular Mikado was first staged at the Savoy in 1885. His D'Oyly Carte Opera Company was a professional light opera company that staged Gilbert and Sullivan's Savoy Operas nearly year-round in the UK and sometimes toured in Europe, North America and elsewhere, from the 1870s until 1982.

Carte died at his London home from dropsy and heart disease in 1901, just short of his 57th birthday. He is buried in the churchyard of St. Andrew's church in Fairlight, East Sussex, near his parents' graves. A memorial service was held at the Chapel Royal of the Savoy, where a memorial stained glass window was later dedicated to him.

Census

• 1851 England Census: Name: Richard D Carte; Event Place: Saint Mary In The Castle, Sussex, England; Registration District: Hastings; Residence Note: Priors Cottages; Gender: Male; Age: 6; Relationship to Head of Household: Visitor; Birth Year (Estimated): 1845; Birthplace: St Giles, Middlesex

Thomas W Jones Head M 43 Higham, Suffolk

Eliza Carte Visitor F 37 St Giles, Middlesex

Richard D Carte Visitor M 6 St Giles, Middlesex

Emily Winkworth Visitor F 30 Hanwell, Middlesex

• 1861 England Census: Name: Richard D Carte; Event Place: St Pancras, Middlesex, England, United Kingdom; Ecclesiastical Parish: St John The Baptist; Registration District: Pancras; Residence Note: Dartmouth Park Road; Gender: Male; Age: 16; Marital Status: Single; Occupation: Scholar; Relationship to Head of Household: Son; Birth Year (Estimated): 1845; Birthplace: St Andrews West, Middlesex

Richard Carte Head M 53 Silchester, Hampshire

Eliza Carte Wife F 47 St Giles, Middlesex

Richard D Carte Son M 16

Blanche Carte Daughter F 15 St Pancras, Middlesex

Viola Carte Daughter F 13 St Pancras, Middlesex

Rose Carte Daughter F 7 St Pancras, Middlesex

Henry W Carte Son M 5

Eliza Carte Daughter F 1 St Pancras, Middlesex

William Jones Visitor M 42 Switzerland British Subject

• 1871 England Census: Name: Richard D Carte; Event Place: St Martin in the Fields, Middlesex, England, United Kingdom; Sub-District: Charing Cross; Gender: Male; Age: 26; Marital Status: Married; Occupation: Musical Agent; Relationship to Head of Household: Lodger; Birth Year (Estimated): 1845; Birthplace: London, Middlesex

Richard D Carte Lodger M 26 London, Middlesex

Blanche J Carte Lodger's Wife F 18 Hornsey, Middlesex

• 1881 England Census: Name: Richard D Carte; Event Place: St Pancras, London,Middlesex, England; Registration District: Pancras; Residence Note: Dartmouth Park Road; Gender: Male; Age: 37; Marital Status (Original): Married; Occupation: Theatrical Manager; Relationship to Head of Household: Son; Birth Year (Estimated): 1844; Birthplace: London, London, Middlesex, England

Richard Carte Head M 73 Silchester, Hampshire, England

Eliza Carte Wife F 67 London, London, Middlesex, England

Richard D Carte Son M 37 London, London, Middlesex, England

Rose Carte Daughter F 27 St Pancras, Middlesex, England

Henry W Carte Son M 25 St Pancras, Middlesex, England

Eliza Carte Daughter F 21 St Pancras, Middlesex, England

Lucas D Carte Grand Son M 9 Norwood, Middlesex, England

Rupert W Carte Grand Son M 4 St Pancras, Middlesex, England

Hilda M Beccon Servant F 27 Lucerne Brittish Subject

• 1891 England Census: Name: Richard D Oyly Carte; Parish: St Martin In The Fields; Ecclesiastical Parish: ST MICHAELS; Registration District: Strand; Gender: Male; Age: 46; Marital Status: Married; Occupation: Theatre Proprietor & Manager; Relationship to Head of Household: Head; Birth Year (Estimated): 1845; Birthplace: London, England

Richard D Oyly Carte Head M 46 London, England

Helen Carte Wife F 32 Scotland

Nicholas J Mockett Servant M 31 Kent, England

Emily J Creed Servant F 32 Somersetshire, England

• 1901 England Census: Name: Richard D'O Carte; Event Place: St Martin in the Fields, Middlesex, England, United Kingdom; County: London, Middlesex; Civil Parish: St Martin In The Fields; Ecclesiastical Parish: St Michael'S; Sub-District: St Martin In The Fields; Registration District: Strand; Gender: Male; Age: 56; Occupation: THEATRE PROPRIETOR & MANAGER; Relationship to Head of Household: Head; Birth Year (Estimated): 1845; Birthplace: Soho, London

Richard D'O Carte Head M 56 Soho, London

Helen D'O Carte Wife F 42 Scotland

Rupert D'O Carte Son M 23 Highgate, London

May C Montserrat Servant F 27 Ireland

Maria L Ransome Servant F 34 Wandsworth, London

Nicholas J Mocketo Servant M 41 Northbourne, Kent

Emily J Creed Servant F 41 Quern Camel, Somersetshire

Rhoda Hole Servant F 31 Bayswater, London

Laura Hole Servant F 27 Pimlico, London

Ellen Keller Servant F 22 Dummer, Hampshire

Arthur Sullivan Servant M 18 Colchester, Essex

Sources

1. ↑ A source for this information is needed.

• https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/indexes_search.asp CARTE, RICHARD D'OYLY; Mother’s Maiden Name: JONES; GRO Reference: 1844 J Quarter in STRAND UNION Volume 01 Page 377
• "England and Wales Census, 1851," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:SGJJ-8VF : 9 November 2019), Richard D Carte in household of Thomas W Jones, Saint Mary In The Castle, Sussex, England; citing Saint Mary In The Castle, Sussex, England, p. 56, from "1851 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO HO 107, The National Archives of the UK, Kew, Surrey.
• "England and Wales Census, 1861," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M7RP-TB2 : 24 October 2019), Richard D Carte in household of Richard Carte, St Pancras, Middlesex, England, United Kingdom; from "1861 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO RG 9, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey.
• "England and Wales Marriage Registration Index, 1837-2005," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2D2V-5KJ : 13 December 2014), Richard D'Oyley Carte, 1870; from "England & Wales Marriages, 1837-2005," database, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : 2012); citing 1870, quarter 3, vol. 1B, p. 60, Pancras, London, England, General Register Office, Southport, England.
• "England and Wales Census, 1871", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VBDJ-6ZG : 24 April 2019), Richard D Carte, 1871.
• "England and Wales Census, 1881," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q273-181K : 10 December 2017), Richard D Carte in household of Richard Carte, St Pancras, London,Middlesex, England; from "1881 England, Scotland and Wales Census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing p. 50, Piece/Folio 220/128, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey; FHL microfilm 101,774,361.
• "England and Wales Census, 1891," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QW2G-8W2 : 1 May 2019), Richard D Oyly Carte, St Martin in the Fields, Westminster, London, England, United Kingdom; from "1891 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO RG 12, London county, subdistrict, The National Archives of the UK, Kew, Surrey.
• "England and Wales Census, 1901," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X9D4-L4R : 20 May 2019), Richard D'O Carte, St Martin in the Fields, Middlesex, England, United Kingdom; from "1901 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing St Martin In The Fields subdistrict, PRO RG 13, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey.
• "England, London Electoral Registers, 1847-1913", database with images, FamilySearch Residence: 4 Adelphi Terrace (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QJN9-DMHG : 16 March 2018), Richard D'Oyly Carte, 1901.
• https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/indexes_search.asp CARTE, RICHARD D'OYLY; Age at Death: 56; GRO Reference: 1901 J Quarter in STRAND Volume 01B Page 341
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/13395438/richard-d%22oyly-carte : accessed 17 October 2021), memorial page for Richard D"Oyly Carte (3 May 1844–3 Apr 1901), Find A Grave: Memorial #13395438, citing St. Andrew Churchyard, Fairlight, Rother District, East Sussex, England ; Maintained by Todd Keator (contributor 5246283) .
• "England and Wales, National Index of Wills and Administrations, 1858-1957," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPLW-L8D1 : 17 September 2018), Richard D Oyly Carte, Aug 1901; citing Probate, Middlesex, England, United Kingdom, Her Majesty's Stationery Office, Great Britain.; FHL microfilm 251,381.

• The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, Richard D'Oyly Carte, from Encyclopædia Britannica, published by Encyclopædia Britannica, inc., published: April 29, 2019, at: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Richard-DOyly-Carte (accessed September 07, 2019)

• Richard D'Oyly Carte from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_D%27Oyly_Carte (first accessed 8th of September, 2019)

• D'Oyly Carte Opera Company from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%27Oyly_Carte_Opera_Company (first accessed 8th of September, 2019)

• Stone, David, 2001-2019, Richard D'Oyly Carte (m.d., 1876) from the THE D'OYLY CARTE OPERA COMPANY website at: https://gsarchive.net/whowaswho/C/CarteRichardD'Oyly.htm (first accessed 8th of September, 2019)

• Hamilton, George, 2014, Richard D'Oyly Carte: man who brought opera to masses, from the INDEPENDENT website at: https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/music/richard-doyly-carte-man-who-brought-opera-to-masses-30238521.html (first accessed 8th of September, 2019).

• Company History from the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company website at: http://www.doylycarte.org.uk/about (first accessed 8th of September, 2019).

• Richard D'Oyly Carte: opera impresario honoured with blue plaque from the TELEGRAPH, published: 15 Dec 2010 at: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/music-news/8201375/Richard-DOyly-Carte-opera-impresario-honoured-with-blue-plaque.html (first accessed 8th of September, 2019).

• RICHARD D'OYLY CARTE (originally published in A Dictionary of the Drama. W. Davenport Adams. Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott Company, 1904.) from the Theatre History website at: http://www.theatrehistory.com/british/richard_doyly_carte_001.html (first accessed 8th of September, 2019).