St Casse, Clara |
| ACTOR, SINGER, ENTERTAINER (GREAT BRITAIN) |
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BORN 1839, Bridgewater, Somerset - DIED 1922 GRAVE LOCATION London: Kensal Green Cemetery, Harrow Road, Kensal Green (098/PS (36689), cross on 3-step plinth, e of Albert Ferry) |
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Clara St Casse showed musical talent as a child, and she received singing lessons as well as lessons for the pianoforte and the guitar. In Bath she was taught by George Frederick Perry, the founder of the Sacred Harmonic Society. She was contracted by the manager of the Theatre Royal in Newcastle to sing between the plays and she started in November 1852. In 1853 she debuted as an actor as Eva St Clare in "Eva's Home Or, the Happy Days of Uncle Tom". It was a success, and she repeated the part at the Brittania Theatre in London in 1854. There she worked with Sara Lane. In December 1856 she was engaged at the Olympic Theatre where she was successful as Cupid in "Young and Handsome". In April 1859 she performed in Vincent Wallace's opera "Maritana" at the Lyceum and in the same year the Illustrated News praised her part as Edgar in "The Swan and Edgar" at St James's Theatre in London. Lydia Thompson was in that play as well and they were reunited in Edinburgh around 1860. On 01/10/1859 she married Robert Graham. She toured in 1861 and 1862 and returned to St James's Theatre in 1862. After she became a mother, she returned to the Brittania Theatre in 1864 where she cooperated once more with Sarah Lane. She had another child in 1868 and in 1869 she made her comeback once more but her performing career ended soon afterwards. The scenic artist George St Casse Graham (1863-1893) is her son. Related persons • cooperated with Lane, Sarah |
| Images |
 The grave of Clara St Casse at Kensal Green Cemetery, Kensal Green, London. Picture by Androom (18 Apr 2024) |
Sources • Vivian-Neal, Henry & Alexander Bisset, Their Exits: Encore, The Friends of Kensal Green Cemetery, London, 2020 • Miss Clara St Casse as "Edgar," in "The Swan … stock image | Look and Learn |
