MATHESON, Sir James, 1 Baronet (2 son of Donald Matheson of Shinness, Sutherlandshire). b. Laing, Sutherlandshire 1796; ed. at High sch. and univ. of Edinb.; partner in firm of Jardine, Matheson and Co. merchants of Hong Kong to 1842 when he retired; purchased from the Seaforth family island of Lewis in the Hebrides 1844; M.P. for Ashburton 1843–7, M.P. for Ross and Cromarty 1847–68; created a baronet 31 Dec. 1850 for his exertions in providing the inhabitants of the island of Lewis with food during the famine of 1847 and subsequent years; lord lieut. of Rossshire 2 July 1866 to death; F.R.S. 19 Feb. 1846; the second largest landed proprietor in the United Kingdom. d. Mentone, France 31 Dec. 1878. Proc. of royal society, xxix 21 (1879).
MATHESON, John. b. Glasgow 6 Oct. 1817; partner in house of Wm. Stirling and Sons, turkey red dyers, sole proprietor; chairman of Glasgow chamber of commerce; F.R.A.S. 1866; author of England to Delhi: a narrative of Indian travel 1870. d. between his office and his house in Glasgow 12 Nov. 1878. Maclehose’s Glasgow Men, vol ii (1886), portrait.
MATHESON, John. b. Sutherlandshire 1821; employed in a merchant’s office, Hobart Town 1835–8; clerk in Union bank of Australia 1838, manager of the branch bank at Geelong 1845, chief manager of the bank in Australia 1851 to Jany. 1853; general manager of Bank of Victoria, Melbourne, many years from Jany. 1853, established the bank’s London office 1859; chairman of the Associated banks; went to England 1877. d. 10 May 1882.
MATHESON, Thomas (brother of sir James Matheson 1796–1878). b. Shinness, Sutherlandshire 1798; 2 lieut. 23 foot 17 Aug. 1815, major 20 Oct. 1837 to 17 Nov. 1843 when placed on h.p.; L.G. 21 Jany. 1868; M.P. for Ashburton 28 July 1847 to 1 July 1852. d. Achany, Sutherlandshire 14 Feb. 1873.
MATHEW, Theobald (4 son of James Mathew agent for 1 baron Llandaff). b. Thomastown castle near Cashel 10 Oct. 1790; ed. at Catholic academy, Kilkenny, and at Maynooth; joined the convent of Franciscans of the capuchin order in Dublin; ordained by abp. Murray 1811; in charge of a small chapel known as the Little Friary, Cork; signed the pledge of total abstinence 10 April 1838, many thousands followed his example and the duties on Irish spirits decreased £600,000 in the 5 years 1839 to 1844; came to London 1843; named by the clergy of the diocese for vacant bishopric of Cork, but their choice was not ratified by the Pope; travelled in U.S. of America 1849–51; granted civil list pension of £300, 4 Oct. 1847. d. Queenstown 8 Dec. 1856; memorial statue by J. H. Foley in Patrick st. Cork, uncovered 10 Oct. 1864, his centenary celebrated at Cork 1890, another memorial statue unveiled in O’Connell st. Dublin 8 Feb. 1893, a statue of him has been also placed in the central square of Salem, Massachusetts, portrait by E. D. Leahy in National portrait gallery, London. J. F. Maguire’s Father Mathew (1863), 2 portraits; Sullivan’s New Ireland, i 96–120 (1877); H. Martineau’s Biographical Sketches 4 ed. (1876) 299–306; S. C. Hall’s Retrospect of a long life, i 460–520 (1883); I.L.N. ii 53 (1843) portrait, iii 85 (1843) portrait, 28 June 1890 pp. 820–2 several portraits; Sporting Review, xl 209–10 (1858); J. Copner’s Sketches of celibate worthies 2 ed. (1886) 325–50; Dublin Univ. mag. xxxiii 694, portrait.
MATHEWS, Anne (dau. of Mr. Jackson and half-sister of Frances Maria Kelly). b. 1782 or 1783; m. at York 28 March 1803 Charles Mathews, actor 1776–1835; played Emma in Peeping Tom at Haymarket theatre, London 20 May 1803 and many other characters; the original Fanny in Killing no murder 1 July 1809; assisted her husband in his entertainment entitled The mail coach or rambles in Yorkshire, produced at Hull 12 April 1808; retired from the stage 1810; author of Memoirs of Charles Mathews 4 vols. 1839; Anecdotes of actors, with other desultory recollections 1844; Tea-table talk, ennobled actresses and other miscellanies 2 vols. 1857. d. Chelsea villa, Fulham near London 12 Oct. 1869. bur. Kensal Green cemet. 16 Oct. Bentley’s Miscellany, xxii 93 (1847).
MATHEWS, Charles James (only child of Charles Mathews, comedian 1776–1835). b. Basnett st. Liverpool 26 Dec. 1803; ed. at Merchant Taylors’ sch.; articled to Augustus Pugin architect 1819–23; travelled in Italy 1823–24 and 1827–28; district surveyor of Bow, London 1833–35; opened the Adelphi theatre with F. H. Yates 28 Sep. 1835, retired Oct. 1835; made his first appearance on the stage as George Rattleton in The humpbacked lover, at Olympic theatre 6 Nov. 1835; played in New York and Philadelphia 1838; opened Covent Garden with Love’s labour lost 30 Sep. 1839; produced Boucicault’s London Assurance 4 March 1841, retired 30 April 1842; bankrupt June 1840 and Dec. 1843; lessee of Lyceum theatre 18 Oct. 1847 to 24 March 1855; acted at Drury Lane 1855–57; imprisoned in Lancaster gaol for debt 4 July to 1 Aug. 1856; acted in the United States 1857–58, at Drury Lane 1860–61; gave an entertainment called ‘Mr. and Mrs. Charles Mathews at home’ at the concert room in Her Majesty’s theatre 25 Nov. 1861 to 1862; first appeared in Paris at Théâtre de Variétés in Un Anglais timide, a French version of Cool as a cucumber 7 Sep. 1863; acted again at Haymarket 23 Nov. 1863, at St. James’s 1864, at Vaudeville, Paris 1865; played in Cool as a cucumber at Olympic in English, and at St. James’s in French on same night 30 July 1867; played in Australia 1870, New Zealand 1871 and United States 1871–2; played at Gaiety theatre, London 1872–6; played in the provinces same years; went to India, Nov. 1875; acted at Opera Comique, London 1877; made last appearance on the stage at Staleybridge as Adonis Evergreen in My awful dad 8 June 1878; created the chief parts in 161 plays; wrote or adapted from the French 43 pieces, most successful being My wife’s mother, produced at Haymarket 1833, Truth or a glass too much, Adelphi 10 March 1834, Bachelor of Arts, Court Jester, and Patter versus Clatter. d. Queen’s hotel, Manchester 24 June 1878. bur. Kensal Green cemetery 29 June. The life of C. J. Mathews, edited by Charles Dickens 2 vols. (1879), portraits; J. E. Mayall’s Celebrities of the London stage (1867), portrait; Illustrated Review, vol. vi 351–53, portrait; Actors by daylight, i 57 (1838), portrait; Actors by gaslight (1838) p. 57, portrait; W. Marston’s Our recent actors, ii 159–70 (1888); Theatrical times, i 105 (1847), portrait; E. Stirling’s Old Drury Lane, ii 123–27 (1881); C. E. Pascoe’s Dramatic List (1880) 405–10; J. Hollingshead’s Plain English (1880) 111–16; Madden’s Literary life of Countess of Blessington, ii 423–47 (1855), iii 343–73 (1855); T. Marshall’s Lives of actors (1847) 187–98, portrait; Planché’s Extravaganzas, i 205 (1879), portrait; London Sketch book 18 Sep. 1874 pp. 3–7, portrait.
MATHEWS, Helen. Played Ida in Albery’s comedy The two roses, at Lyceum theatre 26 Dec. 1881; played Lady Carlyon in S. Grundy’s comedy In honour bound, at Prince’s theatre 18 Jany. 1884, and Agnes Goddard in Jones and Herman’s Breaking a butterfly at same house 3 March 1884; played Sozel in The Bells and Miss Emily in Jingle at Lyceum 23 April 1887, and Nerissa in The merchant of Venice 16 May 1887 at Lyceum; acted with Henry Irving’s Lyceum company in U.S. of America 1887–8; undertook a provincial tour with Charles Harbury 1889 in which she played Portia, Desdemona and Miranda. d. Birmingham 26 Jany. 1890. Illust. sp. and dr. news, xvi 497 (1882), portrait.
MATHEWS, Julia Isabella (dau. of James Mathews, artificial flower maker). b. Angel court, Strand, London about 1840; taken to Australia 1853; appeared at Victoria theatre, Sydney 2 Jany. 1855; one of the original living marionettes at Strand theatre, London; played the title role in The grand duchess of Gerolstein at Covent Garden theatre 18 Nov. 1867; sang at Riviere’s promenade concerts at Covent Garden from 19 Aug. 1871; played Javotte in A. Thompson’s Cinderella the younger at Gaiety theatre 23 Sep. 1871; Helen in Offenbach’s La Belle Hélène at Gaiety 23 Oct. 1871; played the double role of Giroflé-Girofla in Lecocq’s opera Giroflé-Girofla at Philharmonic theatre, Islington 3 Oct. 1874; was very good in the opéra-bouffe Barbe Bleu at Gaiety 24 July 1875; (m. at Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand 23 April 1864 Wm. Mumford from whom she separated 1870). d. at a Roman Catholic hospital in St. Louis, U.S. of America 19 May 1876. London sketch book 21 Aug. 1874 pp. 8–9, portrait; Illust. sporting news, vi 753 (1867), portrait; Illust. sporting and dramatic news, ii 169, 171 (1874); The Entracte 27 May 1876 p. 8, 3 June p. 8; The Era 28 May 1876 p. 10.
MATHEWS, Lucia Elizabett or Elizabetta, best known as Madame Vestris (dau. of Gaetano Stefano Bartolozzi, engraver 1757–1821). b. 72 Dean st. Soho, London 3 Jany. 1797; learned music from Dr. Jay and D. Corri; m. 28 Jany. 1813 at St. Martin’s ch. London, Auguste Armand Vestris a dancer and ballet master at King’s theatre, London, who deserted her 1816 or 1817 and d. 1825; appeared at King’s theatre as a contralto singer as Proserpina in P. Winter’s opera Il Ratto di Proserpina 20 July 1815, sang there again 1816, and at Italian opera, Paris 1816; played Camille to Talma’s Horace at Theatre Français; first appeared at Drury Lane 19 Feb. 1820; her Don Giovanni in Moncrieff’s Giovanni in London 30 May 1820 was a great success; played many comic and some serious parts at Drury Lane, Covent Garden and the Haymarket; the original Phœbe in Paul Pry at the Haymarket 13 Sep. 1825; lessee of Olympic theatre 3 Jany. 1831 to 31 May 1839, produced Olympic Revels and other extravaganzas by Planché and Dance; m. at Kensington church 18 July 1838 Charles James Mathews 1803–78, played in U.S. of America with him 1838–9; played many musical parts in operas at Covent Garden 1839, the original Catherine in Sheridan Knowles’s Love Chase 10 Oct. 1837, Lady Anne in his Old Maids Oct. 1841, and Grace Harkaway in Boucicault’s London Assurance 4 March 1841; played with Macready at Drury Lane; at Haymarket 1845 and at Princess’s 1846; manager of Lyceum 18 Oct. 1847 to 24 March 1855, produced burlesques by Planché; last appeared at Lyceum in Sunshine through clouds 26 July 1854. d. Grove lodge, Fulham 8 Aug. 1856. bur. Kensal Green cemet. 14 Aug. Memoirs of the life of Madame Vestris (1826), portrait; Memoirs of the life of Madame Vestris (1830), portrait; Memoirs of the life of Madame Vestris (1830), privately printed; C. B. Wilson’s Our actresses, ii 184–222 (1844), portrait; T. Marshall’s Lives of actors (1847) 37–56, portrait; Oxberry’s Dramatic biography, v 91 (1826), portrait; Actors by daylight, i 41–2 (1838), portrait; Theatrical times, i 41 (1847), portrait; The dramatic mirror (1847) p. 60, portrait; E. Stirling’s Old Drury Lane, ii 127–29 (1881); British stage, v 1 (1821), portrait; Planché’s Recollections and reflections 2 vols. (1872), passim; The Town, ii (1838–39), passim; Planché’s Extravaganzas, i 37 (1879), portrait; I.L.N. xi 268 (1847), portrait.