Rose, Edward, 1849-1904 (dramatist and critic)
Dates
- Existence: 1849 - 1904
Biography
Edward Rose was born at Swaffham, Norfolk, on 7 August 1849, the son of a medical doctor, Caleb Rose, and Isabella Morse. His grandfather, Caleb Burrell Rose, was a surgeon and geologist, and there were other surgeons, as well as clergymen, among previous generations of the family. Edward was educated at Islington Proprietary School and Ipswich Grammar School, and also spent time in Scotland and Wales. In 1868 he was articled with the firm of Cobbold and Yarrington, solicitors of Ipswich, but after passing the Intermediate Examination he left the law for literature and moved to London in 1872. He had already written comedies and a pantomime for the theatre in Ipswich, and his first London work was a one-act comedy called Our Farm, produced at the Queen's Theatre in 1871. He went on to write several dozen stage works, ranging from romantic drama to farce, and himself acted in many of them, specializing in comic roles. His greatest successes, however, were adaptations of other people's stories, notably Vice Versa by F. Anstey (T.A. Guthrie) in 1883, The Prisoner of Zenda by Anthony Hope (A. H. Hawkins) in January 1896, and Under the Red Robe by Stanley Weyman in October 1896. Rose was also a journalist, writing for the Illustrated London News for some twenty years, including a series on 'English Homes', illustrated by G. Montbard. He was a theatre critic - a notably kindly one - and a member and Vice-President of the Playgoers Club. Towards the end of his life he published an educational book: The Rose Reader, a new way of teaching to read (London 1902). He was a member of the Fabian Society, and took an active interest in the founding of Letchworth Garden City. Rose married Elizabeth Ann Gould (b.1862) and had two daughters: the older one, Lucy, died at the age of ten in 1898, and in her memory Rose endowed a scholarship for a Board School Girl, and a research post at the London School of Economics. His younger daughter, Dorothy (b.1889), married Oliver Thornycroft. Rose died on 31 December 1904.
Found in 4 Collections and/or Records:
'A Time to Love' by Edward Rose and John Oliver Hobbes [Pearl Mary Teresa Craigie], Undated [c.1885-1904], earliest date approximated from assuming that Hobbes would have been at least 18 when writing.
Consists of 2 sets of the script for 'A Time to Love: An original comedy in three acts'. Each set is comprises 3 booklets, one for each act. Neither set is annotated.
John Oliver Hobbes was the pen-name of Pearl Mary Teresa Craigie.
Draft letter to E. Bruce from [Edward Rose and Augustus Harris] in Rose’s handwriting, 26 July 1879
Granting the exclusive right to perform ‘Venus’ (burlesque) in London.
‘English Nell’ by Anthony Hope and Edward Rose, founded on the novel ‘Simon Dale’ by Anthony Hope, Undated [c.1897-1900]
Consists of annotated typed scripts for ‘Simon Dale, A Comedy in Four Acts’/’English Nell, A Comedy in Four Acts’ by Anthony Hope and Edward Rose.
‘English Nell’ was first performed at the Prince of Wales theatre in London in August 1900 (running for 176 performances).
The original novel by Anthony Hope (titled ‘Simon Dale’) was published in 1897.
‘Phroso’ adapted by Edward Rose and H. V. Esmond from the novel by Anthony Hope, Undated [c.1897-1900]
Consists of annotated typed scripts for ‘Phroso: a Drama of Adventure in four acts’ adapted from the novel by Anthony Hope, by Edward Rose and H. V. Esmond.
‘Phroso’ was first performed in New York at the Empire Theatre (Dec 1898), and subsequently the Harlem Opera House (Oct 1899) and Grand Opera House (13 Nov 1900).
The original novel by Anthony Hope was published in 1897.
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