Page:Dictionary of National Biography, Second Supplement, volume 3.djvu/516

 the chief character in Byron's poor burlesque of ‘Der Freischütz.’ In 1868, after performing at the Strand Theatre in William Brough's extravaganza ‘The Field of the Cloth of Gold,’ she sailed for America, where she was the pioneer of latter-day English burlesque and was the first ‘star’ to bring a fully organised company across the Atlantic. She was out of England six years. Her New York début at Wood's Museum (28 Sept.) in ‘Ixion,’ which ran 102 nights, was encouraging. A tour of the leading American cities in 1870 included a successful visit to the Californian Theatre, San Francisco. At New York, during the winter season of 1870–1, began Lydia's association with Willie Edouin [q. v. Suppl. II]. Her troupe subsequently voyaged to Australia and India.

Lydia Thompson reappeared in London on 19 Sept. 1874 at the Charing Cross Theatre under the management of W. R. Field. Farnie's famous burlesque of ‘Blue Beard,’ already performed 470 times in America, formed the opening bill. Thanks to the acting of Lydia Thompson, Willie Edouin, and Lionel Brough, this poor piece proved a remarkable success alike in London and the provinces.

In 1877 Lydia Thompson and her husband took another burlesque company to America, opening 20 Aug. at Wallack's Theatre, New York, in ‘Blue Beard.’ The engagement terminated on 12 Jan. 1878. Lydia Thompson reappeared at the Gaiety, London, on 13 Feb. as Morgiana in the famous amateur pantomime of ‘The Forty Thieves.’ On 25 Jan. 1879 she played Carmen at the Folly in Reece's new burlesque of ‘Carmen, or Sold for a Song.’ After some two years in retirement, she reappeared at the Royalty on 12 Nov. 1881 as Mrs. Kingfisher in the farcical comedy of ‘Dust.’

On 1 Feb. 1886 Alexander Henderson, her husband, died at Caen. (For details of his managerial career see Dramatic Notes, 1887, p. 15.) On 17 May following she began a new engagement at the Fourteenth Street Theatre, New York, and was seen again in New York in the winter seasons of 1888–9 and 1891. Meanwhile, on 21 Sept. 1886, she opened the Strand Theatre, under her own management, with ‘The Sultan of Mocha,’ then first given in London, and on 26 Jan. 1888 was heartily welcomed on making her reappearance there as Antonio the page in the comic opera ‘Barbette.’ Thenceforth her vivacity showed signs of decay. In the autumn of 1896 she was touring in England as Rebecca Forrester in Appleton's farcical comedy ‘The Co-respondent.’ In May 1899 a testimonial performance of ‘London Assurance’ was given at the Lyceum on her behalf. Her last appearance on the stage was at the Imperial in December 1904 as the Duchess of Albuquerque in John Davidson's adaptation of ‘A Queen's Romance.’ She died on 17 Nov. 1908, at 48 Westminster Mansions, London, and was buried in Kensal Green cemetery, leaving a daughter, Mrs. L. D. Woodthrope, professionally known as Zeffie Tilbury. Portraits of her, in character, are reproduced in Laurence Hutton's ‘Curiosities of the American Stage’ and in the ‘Theatre’ (Jan. 1886).

 THOMPSON, WILLIAM MARCUS (1857–1907), journalist, born at Londonderry, Ireland, on 24 April 1857, was second son in a family of four sons and four daughters of Moses Thompson, a customs official, by his wife Elizabeth Smith. His family was of intensely Orange and anti-nationalist sympathies. After education at a private school, Thompson was for a time clerk in the office of James Hayden, solicitor. At the age of sixteen he contributed verses to the 'Derry Journal' and developed an aptitude for journalism. He found employment on the 'Belfast Morning News,' and then in 1877, at the age of twenty, through the influence of Sir Charles Lewis, baronet, M.P. for Derry, he joined the staff of the conservative 'Standard' in London, writing chiefly on non-political themes. In 1884 he became parliamentary reporter to the paper, which he served till 1890. Meanwhile he had outgrown his inherited political principles, and developed a sturdy radicalism and an aggressive sympathy with the Irish nationalists.

Thompson had entered as a student at the Middle Temple on 6 April 1877, and was called to the bar on 26 Jan. 1880. He formed a practice as the leading professional advocate of trade societies and of persons of advanced opinions charged with political offences. As a member from 1886 of the democratic club in Chancery Lane he became intimate with leading democrats, including Mr. John Burns, Mr. Robert 