Constance Loseby (1842–13 October 1906) was a leading British actress and singer of the late

Victorian era In the history of the United Kingdom and the British Empire, the Victorian era was the period of Queen Victoria's reign, from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. The era followed the Georgian period and preceded the Edwardia ...

best remembered for performing in some early works of

W. S. Gilbert Sir William Schwenck Gilbert (18 November 1836 – 29 May 1911) was an English dramatist, librettist, poet and illustrator best known for his collaboration with composer Arthur Sullivan, which produced fourteen comic operas. The most f ...

and

Arthur Sullivan Sir Arthur Seymour Sullivan (13 May 1842 – 22 November 1900) was an English composer. He is best known for 14 comic opera, operatic Gilbert and Sullivan, collaborations with the dramatist W. S. Gilbert, including ''H.M.S. Pinaf ...

, including ''

Robert the Devil Robert the Devil () is a legend of medieval origin about a Norman knight who discovers he is the son of Satan. His mother, despairing of heaven's aid in order to obtain a son, had asked for help from the devil. Robert's satanic instincts propel h ...

'' (1868) and ''

Thespis Thespis (; grc-gre, Θέσπις; fl. 6th century BC) was an Ancient Greek poet. He was born in the ancient city of Icarius (present-day Dionysos, Greece). According to certain Ancient Greek sources and especially Aristotle, he was the first pe ...

'' (1871).

Early life and career

Born in

Nottingham Nottingham ( , East Midlands English, locally ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area in Nottinghamshire, East Midlands, England. It is located north-west of London, south-east ...

in 1842, Loseby's theatrical appearances included Raimbault in

Victorian burlesque Victorian burlesque, sometimes known as travesty or extravaganza, is a genre of theatrical entertainment that was popular in Victorian era, Victorian England and in the New York theatre of the mid-19th century. It is a form of parody music, parod ...

'' (1868); creating the role of Prince Raphael in the London premiere of Offenbach's ''

La princesse de Trébizonde ''La Princesse de Trébizonde'' is an opéra bouffe with music by Jacques Offenbach and text by Étienne Tréfeu and Charles-Louis-Étienne Nuitter. The work was first given in two acts at the Theater Baden-Baden on 31 July 1869 and subsequently ...

'' (1870); Princess Veloutine in

Hervé Hervé is a French language, French masculine given name of Breton language, Breton origin, from the name of the 6th-century Breton Saint Hervé. The common latinization of the name is Herveus (also ''Haerveus''), an early (8th-century) latinizati ...

's "operatic extravaganza" ''Aladdin the 2nd'' (1870) starring

Nellie Farren Ellen "Nellie" Farren (16 April 1848 – 29 April 1904) was an English actress and singer best known for her roles as the "principal boy" in musical burlesques at the Gaiety Theatre. Born into a theatrical family, Farren began acting as a ch ...

and J. L. Toole;

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

in ''

La Belle Helene LA most frequently refers to Los Angeles, the second largest city in the United States. La, LA, or L.A. may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * La (musical note), or A, the sixth note * "L.A.", a song by Elliott Smith on ''Figur ...

'' (July 1871); Belazza in the

opéra bouffe Opéra bouffe (, plural: ''opéras bouffes'') is a genre of late 19th-century French operetta, closely associated with Jacques Offenbach, who produced many of them at the Théâtre des Bouffes-Parisiens, inspiring the genre's name. Opéras bouf ...

''Cinderella the Younger'' (September 1871), and Nicemis in

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 ...

's ''

'' (December 1871), all at the Gaiety Theatre in London. During a recess at the Gaiety in 1870 she had a brief singing engagement at The South London Music Hall in

Lambeth Lambeth () is a district in South London, England, in the London Borough of Lambeth, historically in the County of Surrey. It is situated south of Charing Cross. The population of the London Borough of Lambeth was 303,086 in 2011. The area expe ...

. One of her most popular songs was 'Sally In Our Alley'. Further appearances included a comic opera version of ''

Cinderella "Cinderella",; french: link=no, Cendrillon; german: link=no, Aschenputtel) or "The Little Glass Slipper", is a folk tale with thousands of variants throughout the world.Dundes, Alan. Cinderella, a Casebook. Madison, Wis: University of Wisconsi ...

'' at the

Holborn Theatre The Holborn Theatre was a theatre on High Holborn in London which opened in 1867 as the New Royal Amphitheatre and operated as an equestrian ring and theatre until 1886. During its short existence the theatre underwent numerous name changes, beco ...

(1874–1875);List of plays
based on

on Theatre History, accessed 27 November 2020 in ''La Poule aux Oeufs D’or'' (1878–1879); Dolly in ''

The Sultan of Mocha ''The Sultan of Mocha'' is a three act comic opera of 1874 with a libretto by Albert Jarrett and a score by Alfred Cellier. It was first produced at the Prince's Theatre, Manchester in 1874 and revived in London in 1876 and 1887 (with a new lib ...

'' (1876); reprising the role of Prince Raphael in ''La princesse de Trébizonde'' (1879); as Marguerite in ''

Mefistofele ''Mefistofele'' () is an opera in a prologue and five acts, later reduced to four acts and an epilogue, the only completed opera with music by the Italian composer-librettist Arrigo Boito (there are several completed operas for which he was libret ...

'' (1880) with Lizzie St Quentin in the title role,

Fred Leslie Frederick George Hobson, known as Fred Leslie (1 April 1855 – 7 December 1892), was an English actor, singer, comedian and dramatist. Beginning his career in operetta, Leslie became best known for starring in, and writing (under the pseudony ...

Faust Faust is the protagonist of a classic German legend based on the historical Johann Georg Faust ( 1480–1540). The erudite Faust is highly successful yet dissatisfied with his life, which leads him to make a pact with the Devil at a crossroads ...

and

Lionel Brough Lionel "Lal" Brough (10 March 1836 – 8 November 1909) was a British actor and comedian. After beginning a journalistic career and performing as an amateur, he became a professional actor, performing mostly in Liverpool during the mid-1860s. He ...

as Valentine; Jeanneton in Lacôme's ''Jeanne, Jeannette et Jeanneton'' (1881), and the title role in ''

The Black Crook ''The Black Crook'' is a work of musical theatre first produced in New York City with great success in 1866. Many theatre writers have cautiously identified ''The Black Crook'' as the first popular piece that conforms to the modern notion of a mu ...

'' (1881–1882), the latter all at the

Alhambra Theatre The Alhambra was a popular theatre and music hall located on the east side of Leicester Square, in the West End of London. It was built originally as the Royal Panopticon of Science and Arts opening on 18 March 1854. It was closed after two yea ...

in London.

Marriage and later years

In 1864 in London she married John Caulfield (1839-before 1891), a Professor of Music. Their daughter was Constance Elizabeth Louisa Caulfield (1871–1956). By 1891 Loseby had retired from the stage and owned the Victoria Hotel in

Aldershot Aldershot () is a town in Hampshire, England. It lies on heathland in the extreme northeast corner of the county, southwest of London. The area is administered by Rushmoor Borough Council. The town has a population of 37,131, while the Alders ...

, Hampshire. She took part in a last night performance at London's Gaiety Theatre in 1903 before its demolition along with Gaiety stars past and present including

E. W. Royce Edward William Royce (11 August 1841 – 24 January 1926) was a British actor, singer and dancer noted for playing in Victorian burlesque at London's Gaiety Theatre, London, Gaiety Theatre, usually alongside Nelly Farren, Edward O'Connor Terry an ...

, Richard Temple and

Henry Irving Sir Henry Irving (6 February 1838 – 13 October 1905), christened John Henry Brodribb, sometimes known as J. H. Irving, was an English stage actor in the Victorian era, known as an actor-manager because he took complete responsibility ( ...

. At the time of her death in 1906 she was a widow living in the Red Lion Hotel in

Milford Milford may refer to: Place names Canada * Milford (Annapolis), Nova Scotia * Milford (Halifax), Nova Scotia * Milford, Ontario England * Milford, Derbyshire * Milford, Devon, a place in Devon * Milford on Sea, Hampshire * Milford, Shro ...

, Surrey. In her will she left £1,648 8s 9d to her daughter.England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858–1966 for Constance Caulfield
Ancestry.com

References

External links

Photographs of Loseby
on the National Portrait Gallery website
Photographs of Loseby
in the

Victoria and Albert Museum The Victoria and Albert Museum (often abbreviated as the V&A) in London is the world's largest museum of applied arts, decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 2.27 million objects. It was founded in 1852 and nam ...

Collection {{DEFAULTSORT:Loseby, Constance Women of the Victorian era Actors from Nottingham 1842 births 1906 deaths English opera singers English stage actresses 19th-century English musicians 19th-century English actresses