Constance Loseby (1842–13 October 1906) was a leading British actress and singer of the late

Victorian era In the history of the United Kingdom and the British Empire, the Victorian era was the reign of Queen Victoria, from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. Slightly different definitions are sometimes used. The era followed the ...

best remembered for performing in some early works of

W. S. Gilbert Sir William Schwenck Gilbert (18 November 1836 – 29 May 1911) was an English dramatist, librettist, poet and illustrator best known for his collaboration with composer Arthur Sullivan, which produced fourteen comic operas. The most fam ...

and

Arthur Sullivan Sir Arthur Seymour Sullivan (13 May 1842 – 22 November 1900) was an English composer. He is best known for 14 comic opera, operatic Gilbert and Sullivan, collaborations with the dramatist W. S. Gilbert, including ''H.M.S. Pinaf ...

, including ''

Robert the Devil Robert the Devil () is a legend of medieval origin about a Norman knight who discovers he is the son of Satan. His mother, despairing of heaven's aid in order to obtain a son, had asked for help from the devil. Robert's satanic instincts propel ...

'' (1868) and ''

Thespis Thespis (; ; fl. 6th century BC) was an Ancient Greece, Ancient Greek poet. He was born in the ancient city of Icarius (present-day Dionysos, Greece). According to certain Ancient Greece, Ancient Greek sources and especially Aristotle, he was t ...

'' (1871), and known for other roles in operetta and musical theatre.

Early life and career

Born in

Nottingham Nottingham ( , East Midlands English, locally ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area in Nottinghamshire, East Midlands, England. It is located south-east of Sheffield and nor ...

in 1842, Loseby's theatrical appearances included Raimbault in

Victorian burlesque Victorian burlesque, sometimes known as travesty or extravaganza, is a genre of theatrical entertainment that was popular in Victorian England and in the New York theatre of the mid-19th century. It is a form of parody in which a well-known oper ...

'' (1868); creating the role of Prince Raphael in the London premiere of Offenbach's ''

La princesse de Trébizonde ''La Princesse de Trébizonde'' is an opéra bouffe with music by Jacques Offenbach and text by Étienne Tréfeu and Charles-Louis-Étienne Nuitter. The work was first given in two acts at the Theater Baden-Baden on 31 July 1869 and subsequently ...

'' (1870); Princess Veloutine in

Hervé Hervé is a French language, French masculine given name of Breton language, Breton origin, from the name of the 6th-century Breton Saint Hervé. The common latinization of the name is Herveus (also ''Haerveus''), an early (8th-century) latinizat ...

's "operatic extravaganza" ''Aladdin the 2nd'' (1870) starring

Nellie Farren Ellen "Nellie" Farren (16 April 1848 – 28 April 1904"Death of Nellie Far ...

and J. L. Toole;

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

in '' La Belle Helene'' (July 1871); Belazza in the

opéra bouffe ''Opéra bouffe'' (, plural: ''opéras bouffes'') is a genre of mid- to late 19th-century French operetta, closely associated with Jacques Offenbach, who produced many of them at the Théâtre des Bouffes-Parisiens, inspiring the genre's name. It ...

''Cinderella the Younger'' (September 1871), and Nicemis in

Gilbert and Sullivan Gilbert and Sullivan refers to the Victorian-era theatrical partnership of the dramatist W. S. Gilbert (1836–1911) and the composer Arthur Sullivan (1842–1900) and to the works they jointly created. The two men collaborated on fourteen com ...

's ''

'' (December 1871), all at the Gaiety Theatre in London. During a recess at the Gaiety in 1870 she had a brief singing engagement at The South London Music Hall in

Lambeth Lambeth () is a district in South London, England, which today also gives its name to the (much larger) London Borough of Lambeth. Lambeth itself was an ancient parish in the county of Surrey. It is situated 1 mile (1.6 km) south of Charin ...

. One of her most popular songs was 'Sally In Our Alley'. Further appearances included a comic opera version of ''

Cinderella "Cinderella", or "The Little Glass Slipper", is a Folklore, folk tale with thousands of variants that are told throughout the world.Dundes, Alan. Cinderella, a Casebook. Madison, Wis: University of Wisconsin Press, 1988. The protagonist is a you ...

'' at the

Holborn Theatre The Holborn Theatre was a theatre on High Holborn in London which opened in 1867 as the New Royal Amphitheatre and operated as an equestrian ring and theatre until 1886. During its short existence the theatre underwent numerous name changes, beco ...

(1874–1875);List of plays
based on

on Theatre History, accessed 27 November 2020 in ''La Poule aux Oeufs D’or'' (1878–1879); Dolly in ''

The Sultan of Mocha ''The Sultan of Mocha'' is a three act comic opera with a score by Alfred Cellier and a libretto by Albert Jarrett. It was first produced at the Prince's Theatre, Manchester in 1874 and revived in London in 1876 and 1887 (with a new libretto by W ...

'' (1876); reprising the role of Prince Raphael in ''La princesse de Trébizonde'' (1879); as Marguerite in ''

Mefistofele ''Mefistofele'' () is an opera in a prologue and five acts, later reduced to four acts and an epilogue, the only completed opera with music by the Italian composer-librettist Arrigo Boito (there are several completed operas for which he was lib ...

'' (1880) with Lizzie St Quentin in the title role,

Fred Leslie Frederick George Hobson, known as Fred Leslie (1 April 1855 – 7 December 1892), was an English actor, singer, comedian and dramatist. Beginning his career in operetta, Leslie became best known for starring in, and writing (under the pseudon ...

Faust Faust ( , ) is the protagonist of a classic German folklore, German legend based on the historical Johann Georg Faust (). The erudite Faust is highly successful yet dissatisfied with his life, which leads him to make a deal with the Devil at a ...

and

Lionel Brough Lionel "Lal" Brough (10 March 1836 – 8 November 1909) was a British actor and comedian. After beginning a journalistic career and performing as an amateur, he became a professional actor, performing mostly in Liverpool during the mid-1860s. H ...

as Valentine; Jeanneton in Lacôme's ''Jeanne, Jeannette et Jeanneton'' (1881), and the title role in ''

The Black Crook ''The Black Crook'' is a work of musical theatre first produced in New York City with great success in 1866. Many theatre writers have cautiously identified ''The Black Crook'' as the first popular piece that conforms to the modern notion of a mu ...

'' (1881–1882), the latter all at the

Alhambra Theatre The Alhambra Theatre was a popular theatre and music hall located on the east side of Leicester Square, in the West End of London. It was built as the Royal Panopticon of Science and Arts, opening on 18 March 1854. It was closed after two yea ...

in London.

Marriage and later years

In 1864 in London she married John Caulfield (1839-before 1891), a Professor of Music. Their daughter was Constance Elizabeth Louisa Caulfield (1871–1956). By 1891 Loseby had retired from the stage and owned the Victoria Hotel in

Aldershot Aldershot ( ) is a town in the Rushmoor district, Hampshire, England. It lies on heathland in the extreme north-east corner of the county, south-west of London. The town has a population of 37,131, while the Farnborough/Aldershot built-up are ...

, Hampshire. She took part in a last night performance at London's Gaiety Theatre in 1903 before its demolition along with Gaiety stars past and present including E. W. Royce,

, Richard Temple and

Henry Irving Sir Henry Irving (6 February 1838 – 13 October 1905), christened John Henry Brodribb, sometimes known as J. H. Irving, was an English stage actor in the Victorian era, known as an actor-manager because he took complete responsibility ( ...

. At the time of her death in 1906 she was a widow living in the Red Lion Hotel in

Milford Milford may refer to: Place names Canada * Milford (Annapolis), Nova Scotia * Milford (Halifax), Nova Scotia * Milford, Ontario England * Milford, Derbyshire * Milford, Devon, a place in Devon * Milford on Sea, Hampshire * Milford, Shro ...

, Surrey. In her will she left £1,648 8s 9d to her daughter.England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858–1966 for Constance Caulfield
Ancestry.com

References

External links

Photographs of Loseby
on the

National Portrait Gallery National Portrait Gallery may refer to: * National Portrait Gallery (Australia), in Canberra * National Portrait Gallery (Sweden), in Mariefred *National Portrait Gallery (United States), in Washington, D.C. *National Portrait Gallery, London ...

website
Photographs of Loseby
in the

Victoria and Albert Museum The Victoria and Albert Museum (abbreviated V&A) in London is the world's largest museum of applied arts, decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 2.8 million objects. It was founded in 1852 and named after Queen ...

Collection {{DEFAULTSORT:Loseby, Constance Women of the Victorian era Actresses from Nottingham 1842 births 1906 deaths English opera singers English stage actresses 19th-century English musicians 19th-century English actresses