Page:Dictionary of National Biography, Second Supplement, volume 1.djvu/158

 member of the hebdomadal council. From 1886 to 1890 he was vice-chancellor in succession to Benjamin Jowett, whom he had known from childhood but with whom he disagreed on almost every subject. In both positions he exercised sound judgment, clearly and trenchantly expressed. From 1895 to 1907 he held the sinecure rectory of Leckford, Hampshire, paying the income into the college funds. For many years he was leader of the conservative political party in Oxford, and meetings at the times of contested elections were held in his house. Till extreme old age, Bellamy retained his powers. An admirable raconteur, with a great fund of reminiscence, he was a genial host, and a pointed speaker at college gatherings, whose sharp criticism and wit were never tinged with ill-nature. Up to his ninetieth year he sang the service in the college chapel on stated days, in perfect tune and with remarkable power of voice. Failing health led him to resign the presidentship on 24 June 1909. Retiring to Ingoldisthorpe Manor, the Norfolk property which he had inherited from an uncle, and where he had proved himself an admirable landlord, he died there on 25 Aug. 1909. He was buried in the churchyard adjoining his garden. His estate was sworn at over 300,000l. His portrait, painted by Frank Holl, R.A., presented in 1887, is in the hall of St. John's College, Oxford, and a drawing by W. Strang, A.R.A., executed in 1907, is in the common room. A mural tablet is in the college chapel.



BELLEW, HAROLD KYRLE (1855–1911), actor, was youngest son of [q. v.]. Born at Prescot, Lancashire, on 28 March 1855, he was educated at the Royal Grammar School, Lancaster, and though originally intended for the army, he drifted into the navy, and for some time served on the training ship Conway under Sir Digby Murray, leaving it for the merchant service, in which he remained intermittently for several years. Subsequently he went to Australia, and during a four years' sojourn amid very varied employment made his first appearance as an actor, appearing at Solferino, New South Wales, in 1874, as Eglinton Roseleaf in T. J. Williams's old farce 'Turn Him Out.' He returned to England in August 1875, and almost immediately secured an engagement with Helen Barry, making his first appearance on the English stage at the Theatre Royal, Brighton, on 30 Aug. 1875, as Lord Woodstock in Tom Taylor's 'Lady Clancarty,' performing under the name of Harold Kyrle, by which he was known until the end of 1878. Coming to London, he made his London debut at the old Park Theatre, Camden Town, on 16 Oct. 1875, as Roseleaf in 'Turn Him Out,' and was next engaged at the Haymarket Theatre, where he first appeared on 17 Jan. 1876 as Paris in 'Romeo and Juliet,' with [q. v.]. He was then engaged by the Bancrofts for the old Prince of Wales's theatre in Tottenham Street. Returning to the Haymarket, he made his first notable success there on 3 Feb. 1877, when he played Belvawney in Gilbert's comedy ' Engaged.' The following year he supported Adelaide Neilson as leading man in ' Measure for Measure,' 'Twelfth Night,' and other plays. In Dec. 1878 he was engaged by (Sir) Henry Irving for the opening of his Lyceum management, and there he played Osric in 'Hamlet,' Glavis in 'The Lady of Lyons,' and De Beringhen in 'Richelieu.' In Sept. 1879 he joined Marie Litton's company at the old Imperial Theatre, achieving success as Frederick in George Colman's comedy 'The Poor Gentleman' and Jack Absolute in 'The Rivals,' while his Orlando in ' As You Like It 'was universally regarded as one of his best efforts. Subsequently he was seen to advantage in London as Charles Surface in 'The School for Scandal' and in less important parts, while in the provinces he achieved success with his own company as Fabien and Louis in 'The Corsican Brothers' and as Romeo. Leaving for New York in 1885, he played at Wallack's Theatre there, chiefly in old comedy parts.

After his return to London in 1887 he commenced at the Gaiety Theatre, on 27 June, a long artistic association with Mrs. Brown-Potter. Forming a company in the autumn, they toured for ten years through England, Australia, America, South Africa, and the Far East, their repertory including such plays as 'Antony and Cleopatra,' 'Romeo and Juliet,' 'Camille,' 'She Stoops to Conquer,' 'As You Like It,' 'La Tosca,' and 'David Garrick.' Brief appearances in London during this period were made in three plays of his own composition: 'Hero and Leancbr,' at the Shaftesbury, June 1902; 'Francillon,' at the Duke of York's, Sept. 