Theodosia Stirling or Theodosia Yates Stirling is a name that has been attached to the

contralto A contralto () is a type of classical female singing voice whose vocal range is the lowest female voice type. The contralto's vocal range is fairly rare; similar to the mezzo-soprano, and almost identical to that of a countertenor, typica ...

born Theodosia Yates (1815 – 19 July 1904), who had a considerable career on the Australian stage as, successively, "Mrs Stirling", "Mrs Guerin", and "Mrs Stewart". She is perhaps best known as the mother of

Nellie Stewart Nellie Stewart, born Eleanor Stewart Towzey (20 November 1858 – 21 June 1931) was an Australian actress and singer, known as "Our Nell" and "Sweet Nell". Born into a theatrical family, Stewart began acting as a child. As a young woman, she ...

Career

Stirling was an actor and singer of some note in London before leaving for the colonies in a company recruited by Anne Clarke to perform at the

Theatre Royal, Hobart Theatre Royal is an historic performing arts venue in central Hobart, Tasmania. It is the oldest continually operating theatre in Australia; Noël Coward once called it "a dream of a theatre" and Laurence Olivier launched a national appeal for ...

in 1841–42, alongside Jerome Carandini, John Howson and Frank Howson of the celebrated

Howson family The Howson family was a show-business dynasty founded in Australia, several of whose members went on to further success in America, London and Europe. Family Francis Howson (1794 – 13 April 1863) was an English pianist, arranger and voice coach. ...

, and was engaged there for three years. She was described as the prima donna of the Theatre Royal in Tasmania. John Cargher, ''Opera and ballet in Australia'', p. 4, Cassell Australia, 1977 She and Clarke supplemented their modest door takings by offering musical tuition. She left Tasmania in 1845 and initiated a successful career as an actor and opera singer in Sydney, where she was engaged at the Victoria Theatre. In 1846, she played Arline in

Michael Balfe Michael William Balfe (15 May 1808 – 20 October 1870) was an Irish composer, best remembered for his operas, especially ''The Bohemian Girl''. After a short career as a violinist, Balfe pursued an operatic singing career, while he began to co ...

's ''The Bohemian Girl'', which became one of her better-known roles. She was one of few female singers regarded to be able to rival the prima donna Marie Carandini, and their rivalry onstage was reported in the press. After leaving her engagement in Sydney, she started a famed travelling family company with her third husband, which toured Australia and India and in which she played a leading part. They were referred to as the "first family of the Australian stage".

Personal

Theodosia Yates was a great-granddaughter of the famous actor and actress Richard Yates and

Mary Ann Yates Mary Ann Yates (1728–1787) was an English tragic actress. The daughter of William Graham, a ship's steward and his wife, Mary, she married Richard Yates (c. 1706-1796), a well-known comedian of the time. In 1754, aged 25, she appeared at Drur ...

. She is recorded as having been married to one Alexander Macintosh, and used the name "Macintosh" in some documents, but went by the stage name "Mrs Stirling" until 1846, when she married the musician James Guerin. They had two daughters, Theodosia and Margaret who would become well known as Docy and Maggie Stewart. Guerin died in 1856 and the following year she married the actor

Richard Stewart Richard Stewart (born 1959) is the mayor for the city of Coquitlam, British Columbia. He was elected to Coquitlam City Council in 2005, and became mayor in 2008. Personal life He was married in 1983 to Anna Rosa, they have four children. Stewa ...

and had two children,

and Richard Stewart, jun. Stirling died at her home, 251 Victoria Parade, East Melbourne on 19 July 1904 and was buried in

Boroondara Cemetery Boroondara General Cemetery, often referred to as Kew cemetery, is one of the oldest cemeteries in Victoria, Australia, created in the tradition of the Victorian garden cemetery. The cemetery, located in Kew, a suburb of Melbourne, is listed ...

, Kew. Her third husband, Richard, predeceased her on 24 August 1902.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stirling, Theodosia 1815 births 1904 deaths 19th-century Australian actresses Australian stage actresses 19th-century Australian women opera singers 19th-century British women opera singers British emigrants to Australia