Elizabeth Jane Philips, my great-great- grandmother,
joined a Toronto theatre company at 22, and had three
children (one of whom died as an infant) with the
company’s already married actor-manager John
Nickinson. He died in 1864, leaving her to raise their two
young living children and pursue her acting career on her
own. An indefatigable letter-writer, I found in a family
attic over 1,000 letters (1883-1901) to her young adult
son, Albert Nickinson. I have been researching and writing
about her life since 1992. supplementing the less
documented earlier years with newspaper and archival
research and writing about her life since 1992.
The letters revealed an enterprising, independent and
professional woman who matured as a respected character
actress. Working almost continuously in touring stock
companies, Elizabeth Jane, known as Mrs E.J. Phillips,
performed with the greats of her day including performing
with Junius Brutus Booth Jr., brother of Edwin and John
Wilkes Booth, in “Othello,” on the night Lincoln was
shot, with J B Booth Jr.’s wife Agnes, and Maurice
Barrymore, father of Ethel, John and Lionel, during what
has been described as the Golden Age of American
theatre. She performed in Washington DC during Grover
Cleveland’s 1885 inaugural week and attended his
inaugural ball. She traveled to the West Coast seven times
(1882-1896), including to San Francisco, Los Angeles,
Portland, Oregon, Seattle, Washington, Vancouver and
Victoria, British Columbia, with performances along the
way in Chicago, Omaha, Kansas City, St. Joseph,
39Missouri, Denver and Salt Lake City. The letters reveal an
enterprising, independent and professional woman. Her
line of business was “old women and heavies”. She was
commended for playing “old women” by the time she was
30. Unlike her ingenue and soubrette colleagues, her
career was more sustainable, lasting from 1848 until 1898.
I found her handwritten autobiography in the Harvard
Theatre Collection. Her manager, AM Palmer, collected
them from almost every Union Square Theatre Co actor. I
was delighted to find her report on Civil War Cincinnati
there. Mrs. E. J. Phillips In the city of Toronto, Ont.
Canada, in the “Royal Lyceum” Theatre on Easter
Monday, 1852. I made my first professional appearance as
a stock actress, playing “Grace Harkaway” In “London
Assurance,” the stars Mr. John Nickinson and Miss
Charlotte Nickinson appearing as Sir Harcourt Courtly
and “Lady Gay Spanker.” I soon realized that acting
was work, not play! Day after day, new parts were handed
to me to study for the next night. But experience was
gained, and confidence strengthened, and now – I still feel
the benefit derived from those early struggles. In 1862 I
was engaged for “Pike’s Opera House”, Cincinnati, where
I remained until the destruction of the theatre by fire on
the 22nd of March 1866.” During my four years at this
“Temple of the Drama,” I had to work very hard and in
every “line of business”. From Tragedy to Comedy, Farce,
Burlesque & Pantomime, “Leading Parts” Heavies, Old
humour & Soubrettes – nothing came amiss. It was very
seldom that I was “out of the bill.” During the war I
witnessed many striking and patriotic scenes here. The
soldiers from every state going to and from the battlefield.
Our audiences were frequently composed chiefly of
soldiers. It was after the Surrender of Vicksburg [July
1863] that General Grant was most enthusiastically
received here by the soldiers, many of whom had been
with him through his campaign. During this season of1864-65, a most unique performance of Hamlet was given
by Gentlemen of the Cities of Cincinnati and Columbus
for “The Benefit of the widows and orphans of the
Soldiers, who died in the war.” Hamlet was represented by
Ex Lieutenant Governor [Charles] Anderson. All the other
parts were played by Lawyers, Doctors, Bankers, and
Brokers, and I as “Queen Gertrude”. The house was
crowded! Very large prices had been paid for seats and
boxes. I remained in Cincinnati for another season playing
in “Wood’s Theatre.” Scene painter E T Harvey compares
the two theatres “There was a dignity about the
aristocratic Pike’s which kept the general public from
getting familiar with either the theatre of the company. But
there was always an easy sociability about the “Old
Woods,” The seasons of 67-68, 68-69, I was engaged in
Indianapolis. March 68, I played for the first time with
Edwin Forrest [1806-1872] and did not find him as
difficult to please as I had heard – on the contrary, he was
kind and complimentary – I played Emelia in “Othello,”
“Goneril” in “King Lear” and “Servia” in “Virginius” with
him. My next engagement was at the “Varieties Theatre”
in New Orleans, which commenced in Octr 1869-1870.
1871 Engaged by Chas Pope for the St. Louis “Olympic
theatre.” This management having theatres in Memphis,
Tenn., New Orleans, and Mobile. The company was sent
several times during the season to support “stars” in those
cities. Sept 1873, I returned again to the “Olympic
theatre” St Louis, when Mr. Pope was still manager
reporting with the company on trips to the Southern cities
in the spring, beginning and traveling with Mr. [Lawrence]
Barrett until July, and again engaged with him for the
season of 1874-75, which was spent traveling through the
United States and Canada. Before closing my Season with
[Barrett], I made an engagement for Septr 1875 for the
Chestnut Street Theatre Phila. where I appeared as
“Clarissa” in “Our Boys,” which was revived in the Spring
41of ’76 and ran through the entire “Centennial” Summer
and beginning of the regular Season Septr 1876. During
my vacation in the Summer of ’77 Mr. A.M. Palmer sent
for me to play Mrs. Tubbs in “Pink Dominos.” I made my
first appearance in the Union Square theatre in August
1877. The parts I was cast for under Mr. Palmer’s
management at his Union Square Theatre were Aunt
Fanny in “Banker’s Daughter,” “Lady Ogden” in “False
Friend,” Countess in “The Creole,” Mrs. Powers in
“Daniel Rochat,” Countess in “Danicheffs,” Countess in
“Two Orphans,” Mrs. Jarvis in “Lights O’ London,”
Eleanor Mormay in “Felicia,” Tabitha Harewood [Trump]
in “Conscience,” Prudence in “Camille,” Marianne
Florence in “The Rantzaus”. I will add a list of the
principal parts I have appeared in since 1852:
Othello Emilia & Desdemona; Coriolanus Volumnia;
Hamlet Queen Gertrude’ Merchant of Venice Portia;
Macbeth Lady Macbeth; Richard III Queen, Lady Anne &
Duchess of York; Comedy of Errors Adriana; King John
Eleanor; Romeo & Juliet, Juliet & Nurse; Taming of the
Shrew Katharine; Merry Wives Mrs. Page; Henry VIII
Queen Katharine; Twelfth Night Olivia; As You Like It
Celia; King Lear Goneril; Pisarro Elvira & Cora; Lucretia
Borgia Lucretia; School for Scandal Lady Teazle, Mrs.
Candour; Love’s Sacrifice Margaret, Hermione;
Clandestine Marriage Mrs. Heidelberg; Rivals Mrs.
Malaprop, Lydia & Julia; She Stoops to Conquer Mrs.
Hardcastle; Stranger Mrs. Hallam & Countess; The
Gamester Mrs. Beverley; Venice Preserved Belvidera.
This gives a slight idea of the work done by your Humble
servant. Elizabeth J. Phillips, New York, N.Y., March 8th,
1890.
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