Irreplaceable pioneer

Introduction

Victorian Bournemouth (188) explores the life of Harry Nash (1852-1894), impresario and manager, the town’s theatrical pioneer. During the 1880s, he led the development and design of the Theatre Royal while attracting many professional theatrical productions to the town. In addition, he handled artistic representation for several artists, including Jan Paderewski, the renowned pianist who became prime minister of Poland.

Victorian Bournemouth (188): overview

Family

Harry Nash grew up in London, the household having several siblings. His father appears to have had several occupations, clerk, accountant, stationer, but also a coal merchant. The 1871 census captures Harry in Tunbridge Wells, employed by a book shop, but he came to Bournemouth soon after. In 1883, Harry married Harriet Hibbs, a milliner. The marriage certificate listed her father as a gentleman, but at this time, he ran Bournemouth’s Pembroke Hotel, a large establishment. As a younger man, he had worked in service as a coachman. Harry, therefore, did not appear to have theatrical connections prior to developing his management business during the 1880s. His father’s varied business experience, including accounting, however, may have provided Harry with good background and support. Percy, Harry’s brother, however, followed him, first as an actor, then an agent and a producer. Later, he directed several movies before the invention of recorded sound.

Early business career

When Harry Nash came to Bournemouth, he managed the stationery business owned by Thomas Hankinson, an Improvement Commissioner, who would become the town’s first mayor. In 1877, a review shows that Harry Nash featured in the cast of a show performed by the Bournemouth Amateur Dramatic Society. Two years later he became a partner in a printing business, the firm called Nash, Waters, and Nash. His father, at this time a stationer, may have participated in Harry’s firm. The other partner, perhaps Charles Waters, appeared in the census listings as a newspaper proprietor, but details of his title have not emerged. During this early period, Nash worked on exhibitions on behalf of the Horticultural Society and the Dog Show. He produced a show featuring the Roberts and Archer company at Poole’s Antelope Hotel. This same year, 1879, as lessee of the Bijou Hall, he succeeded in acquiring a theatrical licence.

Victorian Bournemouth (188): Harry Nash in the 1880s

Premises

Perhaps nourished by the Commission’s willingness to grant a theatrical licence in Bournemouth, investors planned a new theatre. Nevertheless, the Commissioners rejected the plans three times. According to The Era, Harry Nash, the manager, directed this project, taking design cues from London’s new theatres. The theatre opened with a flourish: the well-known German Reed company, associated with him for five years already. One of its leading members, the famous Corney Grain, made a speech in favour of both the theatre and Harry Nash. The Improvement Commission moved in during 1887, the building having to alternate between Town Hall and theatre. In 1892, however, now lit by electricity, it reverted to sole use as a theatre. Harry Nash appears to have used the Winter Garden as a venue for circus companies. This did not succeed, because ‘the time had not yet come for the Winter Gardens to “catch on”‘.

Performances

The analysis extracted reviews of shows reported by The Era, performed in Bournemouth for January and February, August and September, during the 1880s. These show Nash as the main theatrical manager for the town. The Theatre Royal’s capacity of near 1,000 seats and his business skills proved sufficient to attract a constant stream of melodramas, comedies, operettas, burlesques, and musical variety shows, including minstrels. Thus, the fare combined light entertainment with long established dramas. Audiences would have seen Gilbert & Sullivan shows but also Shakespeare, Sheridan, and Dryden.  Well-known theatrical companies included D’Oyly Carte, the German Reeds, Roberts and Archer. Other companies also based around actor-entrepreneurs attended. These included J. L. Toole, Ben Greet, Charles Hawtrey, Haldane Crichton, and Sarah Thorne. Nash combined variety in form. He engaged shows popular at the time. Visitors and residents would have had much incentive to visit Nash’s ticket office, across from the Arcade.

Victorian Bournemouth (188): achievement

Family

In the autumn of 1894, Harry Nash and Frank Koonze, manager of the Royal Bath Hotel, toured northern France together. On his return, however, Harry fell ill, a fatal case of pneumonia occurring. Thus, in his early forties, Harry Nash left behind what appeared as a promising career. Perhaps, at the beginning, matters had not blossomed well, since he appeared to lose control of the Theatre Royal. This situation had changed, however, by 1892, when the building returned to exclusive theatrical use. Nash left a modest estate, worth £3,000-£4,000. His widow, however, continued without the need to remarry for purposes of financial support. In 1901, she appears to have lived with her brother’s family, still present in 1911. Both daughters married, one to an apparent gentleman, the other to a man who may have worked as a theatrical agent. His theatrical connections may also have helped his brother’s career.

Business and community

In addition to entertaining Bournemouth by attracting professional artistes to the town, Harry Nash appears also to have operated with some success as an agent. According to the obituary, he acted for the well-known recital actor, Samuel Brandran, at the end of his career. In addition, he represented one of the two leading minstrel companies, Moore and Burgess. Furthermore, he included Jan Paderewski in his client portfolio. The pianist cabled his grief from Paris, arranging for flowers at Harry’s funeral. Even though perhaps not all his productions met their costs, Harry Nash achieved success as an important member within the Bournemouth community. During his funeral, many tradesmen closed their shops in sympathy and remembrance. Some thought him irreplaceable. He appeared to rub shoulders with local powerbrokers to the extent that some tried, without success, to interest him in public office. Overall, he made a significant contribution to Bournemouth’s cultural life.

Takeaway

Victorian Bournemouth (188) has explored the life and career of theatrical promoter Harry Nash. Against opposition by some parts of the community, he prevailed in establishing the resort as a worthwhile venue for theatrical companies. In this respect, therefore, he perhaps numbers amongst those responsible during the Victorian period for nourishing Bournemouth’s place within the country’s tourist venues.

References

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