robbo43 Scavenger Hunt....Everyone Welcome To Join In

[teaurn]

Looking at the name Philadelphia - It seems to be an unusal name but in Brede in 1881 there are ten of them which seems very high.

None are the right age but I do find the fact that it comes up alot rather significant

[robbo43]

The Stage references are not that illuminating although do show her touring the country.  In 1903 she was touring in as Nora in The Gay Parisienne.  Her reviews in the Stage -

Aug 13.  Standard Theatre (London?)  "a refined vocalist"
Sept 10. Pentre "charming portrayal"
Sept  7 Llanelly "clever"
Sept  24 Llandudno "acceptable"
Oct 8 Batley "deserves praise"

Didn't go down a bomb in Llandudno then.  In 1896 she was touring in Gentleman Joe in which she was playing the chaperone Mrs Ralli-Carr ( ) and in 1898 she was Queen Anne of Austria in The Three Musketeers.

The preponderance of Philadelphias in Brede is very interesting, particularly with the Brede connection in one of the witnesses  at the first marriage.

Robert

[ShaunJ]

I wonder where she was between 1898 and 1903?

[devonblue]

Could she have had another stage name?

Did she go overseas again?

[lizdb]

Possibly a servant in Kensington - see reply #9 ?
Not quite picked up her career again after death of little girl.

[Ebch]

Been looking at meaning of name Philadelphia. 

Means 'brotherly love'  Quakers named  Philadelphia city and it was a tradition amongst Quakers to name eldest daughter in each family after the city. 

Could Kate's parents have been Quakers? Quakers seem to appear predominantly around Sussex and Kent.

Also there was a pianist by name of Kate Gerard playing in London briefly around 1903. 

[robbo43]

I think the pianist in 1903 might be the Kate Gerard whose death at 97 on 24 Dec 1959 was reported in the Musical Times.  There are also references c1928 to what seem to be the same person in Glasgow University Archives.

The family are certainly non-conformist and nowdays most consider themselves to be Baptists (more or less).  The family moved to Bedford sometime between 1911 & 1920,  by the time anyone can remember her Kate Philadelphia was a very firm Bunyanite (the wedding photo was in the big Bunyan Meeting House in Bedford) but I'm not sure how far outside Bedfordshire you are likely to have found Bunyanites.  Before she moved to Bedford she could have been Baptist, Congregationalist or some form of Methodist.  Quaker seems less likely.

Looking at it, from 1890 we have 5 "individuals" who could all be the same person, or not -

Philadelphia Gain.  In Brede in 1891, daughter Elsie born 29 August 1897 in London and probably died in Sussex 1900.  Elsie could have been with eg grandparents so Philadelphia not necessarily in Susses.

actress Kate. In London at some time in 1892. May 1896 touring in Gentleman Joe.  June 1898 in London. August to October 1903 touring in The Gay Parisienne.

Kate from Nova Scotia.  Arrives in England April 1897.  Could be the actress having been in Canada/America or Philadelphia Gain coming home to have her baby or both.

housemaid Kate. In Kensington in the 1901 census.  Could be any, some, all or none of the above.

Kate Philadelphia.  Marries 25 April 1905.

There is no overlap between any of them so you can perm any combination from 5.  The actress sounds a little mature to be Philadelphia Gain, but I could be wrong there.

No sitings of anyone 1893-1895 inclusive. 1899, 1902 or 1894.   Why wasn't the actress getting reviews?

Robert

[devonblue]

I think you probably need to get the marriage cert for Maurice Biddle to see if there is a defnite link to the Gain family. 

[Ebch]

I still think the Quaker aspect is worth looking at.  Would someone of the Baptist, Methodist persuasion have given what was a traditional Quaker name to their child?  There are records of Quaker meetings available through the Quaker website that give baptisms and marriages.  Could the fact that Kate married a soldier have been a reason for her to change her beliefs?