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Harry Rickards (4 December 1843 – 13 October 1911), born Henry Benjamin Leete, was an English-born
baritone A baritone is a type of classical male singing voice whose vocal range lies between the bass and the tenor voice-types. The term originates from the Greek (), meaning "heavy sounding". Composers typically write music for this voice in the r ...
, comedian and theatre owner, most active in vaudeville and stage, first in his native England and then Australia after emigrating in 1871.


Early life

Rickards was born in Stratford, London, England, the son of Benjamin Halls Leete, a printer and later chief engineer of the Egyptian railways and his wife Mary (née Watkins) Harry was also intended to be an engineer. He had been forbidden during his apprenticeship to attend theatres by his Puritan parents. He married Caroline Hayden on 10 March 1862 at Bromley.


Theatrical career

Rickards, however, developed a talent for comic singing — he was engaged as a vocalist at music halls in Canterbury and Oxford, where he appeared under the name of "Harry Rickards". He established a reputation as a singer of comic songs, even performing for the Prince of Wales and then travelled to Australia, reaching Melbourne on 28 November 1871. He made his first appearance there at the St George's hall, Melbourne, on 9 December 1871. He then went to
Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...
where he also appeared with success. Finding himself in debt in 1874, he toured the United States, returning to London the following year, and also toured a company in South Africa in 1876. Returning to England he was a successful "lion comique" at the music halls and a good pantomime comedian, particularly in the provinces. He again visited Australia in 1885, and for some years toured Australia with a vaudeville company, of which he was the "star", with much success. About 1893 he bought the Garrick theatre, Sydney and renamed it the ''Tivoli''; he built up the
Tivoli circuit The Tivoli Circuit was a successful and popular Australian vaudeville entertainment circuit featuring revue, opera, ballet, dance, singing, musical comedy, old time black and white minstrel and even Shakespeare which flourished from 1893 to t ...
, taking control of the Opera House, Melbourne, and was also lessee of theatres in other state capital cities. Every year he visited England, and during the next 18 years he engaged for the Australian variety stage great artists like
Harry Houdini Harry Houdini (, born Erik Weisz; March 24, 1874 – October 31, 1926) was a Hungarian-American escape artist, magic man, and stunt performer, noted for his escape acts. His pseudonym is a reference to his spiritual master, French magician ...
, Marie Lloyd,
Peggy Pryde Peggy Pryde (born 19 July 1867 (baptised as Letitia Matilda on 14 May 1876 in Lambeth, London, England) – 17 May 1943 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia) was a British music hall performer of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. She ...
, Paul Cinquevalli, Little Tich,
Ada Baker Ada Winifred Weekes Baker (11 December 186624 July 1949), known professionally as Madame Ada Baker, was an Australian soprano, vaudeville star and singing teacher. Born in Strawberry Hills, Sydney, she moved with her family to Wagga Wagga ...
, and many others of great talent which he paid well.


Personal life, death and legacy

Rickards, suffered diabetes and died from apoplexy in Croydon, England, on 13 October 1911, and his body was returned to Australia to be buried in Waverley Cemetery, Sydney. He was married twice and left a widow, Kate Rickards, a trapeze artist, acrobat and performer, and two daughters. His younger daughter Madge Rickards married the singer and actor Frank Harwood in July 1909. He was an excellent singer of such cockney songs as " Wot Cher! Knocked 'em in the Old Kent Road" and "His Lordship Winked at the Counsel", and was a first-rate businessman whose hobby was his work. For around 25 years his name was a household word in Australia, and at the time of his death his business as a single-handed manager and proprietor was one of the largest in the world. His theatrical interests were acquired by entrepreneur Hugh D. McIntosh.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rickards, Harry 1843 births 1911 deaths Australian male comedians English male comedians Burials at Waverley Cemetery People from Stratford, London English emigrants to Australia