Miss Violet Cameron: Scandalous Stage Actress

Violet Cameron (1862-1919), was an English stage star. She was the niece of burlesque legend Lydia Thompson. Cameron  began her stage career as a child in 1871. She played several child roles at the Drury Lane Pantomime theatre. As an adult, she played many prominent roles in the most important English theatres. In 1886 she came to America and played in “The Commodore” and “Kenilworth”. In 1893 she had great success in the stage play “Morocco Bound”. She was involved in several scandalous love affairs during her stage career.  The top cabinet card was a product of Elliot & Fry, a prominent London photography studio. The bottom cabinet card was produced at the studio of W & D Downey in London, England. To see other photographs by these two studios, click on the category Photographer: Elliot & Fry or Photographer: Downey.

LORD WILLIAM CAVENDISH-BENTINCK, 6TH DUKE OF PORTLAND (1857-1943)

Lord William Cavendish-Bentinck was the 6th Duke of Portland and was a conservative British politician. He held office as Master of the Horse under Lord Salisbury (1886-1892 and 1895-1902) and under Arthur Balfour (1902-1905). From 1898 until 1939 he served  as Lord Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire. At the coronation of King George VI he carried the crown of Queen Elizabeth. He was also known for owing a stable of Thoroughbred race horses which included some well known and successful horses. The photographic studio that produced this Cabinet Card is Elliott & Fry of London, England.  This Victorian photographic studio and photographic film manufacturer was founded in 1863 by Joseph John Elliott and Clarence Edmund Fry. For an entire century the studio took and published images of leading Victorian luminaries from the fields of science, public service, art, politics as well as celebrities of the day. Famous Edwardian photographer working for the studio included Francis Henry Hart and Alfred James Philpott. Most of the early negatives from this studio were destroyed in the bombing of London during World War II. The surviving negatives are held by Great Britain’s  National Portrait Gallery.