Agnes Fraser Elder Fraser-Smith (8 November 1876 – 22 July 1968) was a Scottish actress and

soprano A soprano () is a type of classical female singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261 Hz to "high A" (A5) = 880&n ...

, known as Agnes Fraser, who appeared in the later

Savoy Operas Savoy opera was a style of comic opera that developed in Victorian England in the late 19th century, with W. S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan as the original and most successful practitioners. The name is derived from the Savoy Theatre, which impr ...

and in

Edwardian musical comedy Edwardian musical comedy was a form of British musical theatre that extended beyond the reign of King Edward VII in both directions, beginning in the early 1890s, when the Gilbert and Sullivan operas' dominance had ended, until the rise of the A ...

. She married the

Gilbert and Sullivan Gilbert and Sullivan was a Victorian era, Victorian-era theatrical partnership of the dramatist W. S. Gilbert (1836–1911) and the composer Arthur Sullivan (1842–1900), who jointly created fourteen comic operas between 1871 and 1896, of which ...

performer

Walter Passmore Walter Henry Passmore (10 May 1867 – 29 August 1946) was an English singer and actor best known as the first successor to George Grossmith in the comic baritone roles in Gilbert and Sullivan operas with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company. Passmo ...

, with whom she frequently appeared on stage.

Early life and career

Fraser was born in

Springfield Springfield may refer to: * Springfield (toponym), the place name in general Places and locations Australia * Springfield, New South Wales (Central Coast) * Springfield, New South Wales (Snowy Monaro Regional Council) * Springfield, Queenslan ...

Fife Fife (, ; gd, Fìobha, ; sco, Fife) is a council area, historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries with Perth and Kinross (i ...

, Scotland as Agnes Fraser Elder Fraser-Smith in 1876.Gillan, Don
"Agnes Fraser"
Stage Beauty, accessed 16 June 2020 Her brother was the actor

Alec Fraser Alec Fraser ( Fraser-Smith; 16 February 1884 – 20 June 1956) was a British actor. Alec Fraser was born Alec Fraser-Smith in Cupar, Scotland. He died on 20 June 1956, aged 72, in London. His sister was actress/singer Agnes Fraser.Stone, Da ...

. In 1911 her sister, Mary Smith, known by the stage name Mary Fraser, married the actor

Huntley Wright Huntley Wright (7 August 1868 – 10 July 1941) was an English stage and film actor, comedian, dancer and singer, best known for creating roles in many important Edwardian musical comedies. His career spanned more than half a century, beginnin ...

.Stone, David
Agnes Fraser
Who Was Who in the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company, 27 August 2001, accessed 16 June 2020 Fraser made her professional début with a

D'Oyly Carte Opera Company The D'Oyly Carte Opera Company is a professional British light opera company that, from the 1870s until 1982, staged Gilbert and Sullivan's Savoy operas nearly year-round in the UK and sometimes toured in Europe, North America and elsewhere. Th ...

touring company in the chorus of ''

The Vicar of Bray The Vicar of Bray is a satirical description of an individual fundamentally changing his principles to remain in ecclesiastical office as external requirements change around him. The religious upheavals in England from 1533 to 1559 (and then from ...

'', ''

The Lucky Star ''The Lucky Star'' is an English comic opera, in three acts, composed by Ivan Caryll, with dialogue by Charles H. Brookfield (revised by Helen Lenoir) and lyrics by Adrian Ross and Aubrey Hopwood. It was produced by the D'Oyly Carte Opera Com ...

'' and ''

Haddon Hall Haddon Hall is an English country house on the River Wye near Bakewell, Derbyshire, a former seat of the Dukes of Rutland. It is the home of Lord Edward Manners (brother of the incumbent Duke) and his family. In form a medieval manor house, it ...

'' from December 1898 to September 1899. She then moved to the main D'Oyly Carte company at the

Savoy Theatre The Savoy Theatre is a West End theatre in the Strand in the City of Westminster, London, England. The theatre was designed by C. J. Phipps for Richard D'Oyly Carte and opened on 10 October 1881 on a site previously occupied by the Savoy Pala ...

in London, where she appeared in ''

The Rose of Persia ''The Rose of Persia''; ''or, The Story-Teller and the Slave'', is a two-act comic opera, with music by Arthur Sullivan and a libretto by Basil Hood. It premiered at the Savoy Theatre on 29 November 1899, closing on 28 June 1900 after a profitabl ...

'' (1899–1900), taking over the small role of "Blush-of-Morning" from

Isabel Jay Isabel Emily Jay (17 October 1879 – 26 February 1927) was an English opera singer and actress, best known for her performances in soprano roles of the Savoy Operas with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company and in Edwardian musical comedies. During ...

, and occasionally playing the lead role of the Sultana during Jay's temporary absence; the 1900 revival of ''

The Pirates of Penzance ''The Pirates of Penzance; or, The Slave of Duty'' is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert, W. S. Gilbert. Its official premiere was at the Fifth Avenue Theatre in New York City on 31 ...

'' as Isabel, understudying Jay as Mabel and going on in that role in September 1900; the revival of ''

Patience (or forbearance) is the ability to endure difficult circumstances. Patience may involve perseverance in the face of delay; tolerance of provocation without responding in disrespect/anger; or forbearance when under strain, especially when faced ...

'' as Lady Ella (1900 – 1901); ''

The Emerald Isle ''The Emerald Isle''; ''or, The Caves of Carrig-Cleena'', is a two-act comic opera, with music by Arthur Sullivan and Edward German, and a libretto by Basil Hood. The plot concerns the efforts of an Irish patriot to resist the oppressive "re-ed ...

'' as Kathleen, occasionally going on for Jay as Lady Rose Pippin (1901); the first revival of ''

Iolanthe ''Iolanthe; or, The Peer and the Peri'' () is a comic opera with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert, first performed in 1882. It is one of the Savoy operas and is the seventh of fourteen operatic collaborations by Gilbert ...

'' as Celia (1901); and ''

The Willow Pattern ''The Willow Pattern'' is a one-act comic opera with a libretto by Basil Hood and music by Cecil Cook. It was first produced by William Greet at the Savoy Theatre on 14 November 1901, running for a total of 110 performances until 29 March 1902. ...

'' as Ah Mee (1901–1902). When Isabel Jay left the company, Fraser replaced her as the lead soprano, originating the role of Bessie Throckmorton in '' Merrie England'' at the Savoy Theatre in 1902 and then on tour. Her last role at the Savoy was Kenna in ''

A Princess of Kensington ''A Princess of Kensington'' is an English comic opera in two acts by Edward German to a libretto by Basil Hood, produced by William Greet. The first performance was at the Savoy Theatre, London, on 22 January 1903 and ran for 115 performances. ...

'', from January 1903, and on tour until September.

Post-D'Oyly Carte and later years

She married the company's leading comedian,

, in

Wandsworth Wandsworth Town () is a district of south London, within the London Borough of Wandsworth southwest of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan The London Plan is the statutory spatial development strategy for the Gre ...

, London, in 1902. In addition to Passmore's four children from his first marriage, the couple had four children of their own: Henry Fraser Passmore (1905–1987, a general manager of Hammer films 1935–37); John Fraser Passmore (1908–1973); Nancie A. Passmore (1910–1990), who married tenor

Joseph Hislop Joseph Hislop (5 April 18846 May 1977) was a Scottish lyric tenor who appeared in opera and oratorio and gave concerts around the world. He sang at La Scala, Milan, the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, and the Opéra-Comique, Paris, a ...

; and Isobel Mary Fraser Passmore (1913–1992).Agnes F E Passmore
1911 England Census: London, Hampstead, Ancestry.com The newlyweds enjoyed all the trappings of stardom, being photographed in 1902 in their motorcar and taking part together in a publicity campaign for rail travel. Sweet Williams 1911

Fraser and Passmore then left the company and she played Elphin Haye in ''

The Earl and the Girl ''The Earl and the Girl'' is a musical comedy in two acts by Seymour Hicks, with lyrics by Percy Greenbank and music by Ivan Caryll. It was produced by William Greet and opened at the Adelphi Theatre in London on 10 December 1903. It transferre ...

'' opposite his Jim Cheese at the

Adelphi Theatre The Adelphi Theatre is a West End theatre, located on the Strand in the City of Westminster, central London. The present building is the fourth on the site. The theatre has specialised in comedy and musical theatre, and today it is a receiv ...

and later at the Lyric Theatre (1903–1904). Also at the Adelphi she played the Princess in the fairy

pantomime Pantomime (; informally panto) is a type of musical comedy stage production designed for family entertainment. It was developed in England and is performed throughout the United Kingdom, Ireland and (to a lesser extent) in other English-speaking ...

'' Little Hans Andersen'' (December 1903 to January 1904). She appeared in various

Edwardian musical comedies Edwardian musical comedy was a form of British musical theatre that extended beyond the reign of King Edward VII in both directions, beginning in the early 1890s, when the Gilbert and Sullivan operas' dominance had ended, until the rise of the A ...

, including as Ellaline Lewin in ''The Talk of the Town'', by

Seymour Hicks Sir Edward Seymour Hicks (30 January 1871 – 6 April 1949), better known as Seymour Hicks, was a British actor, music hall performer, playwright, actor-manager and producer. He became known, early in his career, for writing, starring in and p ...

and

Charles H. Taylor Charles H. Taylor may refer to: * Charles Taylor (North Carolina politician) (born 1941), US congressman from North Carolina * Charles H. Taylor (Michigan politician) (1813–1889), American politician who served as the Michigan Secretary of State ...

, composed by

Herbert Haines Herbert Edgar Haines (1880-1923) was a British composer of musicals and songs, including some pieces for silent films, in the early years of the 20th century. Haines's musicals, most by Ben Dauphinais, with lyrics by Charles H. Taylor (lyrici ...

, at the Lyric (1905); Winifred in the farcical musical comedy ''The Dairymaids'', composed by Paul Rubens and Frank E. Tours, at the

Apollo Theatre The Apollo Theatre is a Grade II listed West End theatre, on Shaftesbury Avenue in the City of Westminster, in central London.

(1906), and others at the

Theatre Royal, Drury Lane The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, commonly known as Drury Lane, is a West End theatre and Grade I listed building in Covent Garden, London, England. The building faces Catherine Street (earlier named Bridges or Brydges Street) and backs onto Dr ...

in 1907. She toured the provinces with Passmore from 1911 to 1915 including in the musical farcical sketch ''Sweet Williams'' (1911–12) with

Johnny Danvers Johnny Danvers (born John Danvers Harold; December 1860 – 1 April 1939) was an English actor and comedian and music hall performer who made a number of appearances in the annual pantomime at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in the late 19th ...

. She was then living with her husband and their children and Passmore's daughters Doris and Mirette Passmore from his first marriage. By 1939 she was living a rather more modest retirement life with her husband and stockbroker son John Passmore at Heath Mews at The Mount in

Hampstead Hampstead () is an area in London, which lies northwest of Charing Cross, and extends from Watling Street, the A5 road (Roman Watling Street) to Hampstead Heath, a large, hilly expanse of parkland. The area forms the northwest part of the Lon ...

, London.

Death

Fraser died in London in 1968. She left an estate valued at £28,995.Agnes Fraser Elder Passmore
England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858–1995 for 1968, Ancestry.com

References

External links

Postcards of Agnes Fraser

National Portrait Gallery, London The National Portrait Gallery (NPG) is an art gallery in London housing a collection of portraits of historically important and famous British people. It was arguably the first national public gallery dedicated to portraits in the world when it ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fraser, Agnes 1876 births 1968 deaths Scottish sopranos 19th-century Scottish women singers 20th-century Scottish women singers 19th-century Scottish actresses Scottish stage actresses