Billy Bunter
Tuesday 17th September 2024 10:16pm [Edited]
The Sussex Coast
4,592 posts
My local charity shop currently has an album of 80 postcards of Edwardian stage stars for sale for £159, which seems a tad excessive. The album is in a cabinet and open at 4 photos of Gabrielle Ray so I've done a little research on this lady and found her life was quite tragic.
Gabrielle Ray was born Gabrielle Elizabeth Clifford Cook on 28 April 1883 in Cheadle, Stockport. She was the fourth child of William Austin Cook, a prosperous iron merchant and a Justice of the Peace for Cheshire, and his wife Anne Maria Elizabeth (née Holden). She was an English stage actress, dancer and singer, best known for her roles in Edwardian musical comedies, first appearing in London's West End at the age of ten in the role of Eveleen in John Hollingshead's production of Miami at the Princess's Theatre.
She was considered one of the most beautiful actresses on the London stage and became one of the most photographed women in the world, her photograph being much sought after by the various trade publications and leading photographers of the day. Known across Europe for her looks, she was admired by men such as Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt and King Manuel of Portugal:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=htt326T5paE
In early 1912 Ray announced her retirement to marry the wealthy Eric Raymond Loder and accordingly left the production of Peggy at the Gaiety Theatre but then did not turn up at the well-attended scheduled wedding ceremony at St Edwards Roman Catholic Church in Windsor because of Loder's failure to sign the pre-nuptial contract that would guarantee her financial security. However, he claimed it was an oversight and the marriage finally took place three days later. In 1913. Loder soon committed adultery though and deserted Ray, ignoring her letters pleading with him to return to her. She filed for restitution of conjugal rights but Loder did not respond to the legal order, and the couple divorced in 1914.
In 1915 she returned to the stage to play the role of Estelle in the musical Betty at the Gaiety Theatre and, in the following year, appeared in the revue Flying Colours at the London Hippodrome. After subsequent provincial roles, including Maid Marian in Babes in the Wood at the Prince's Theatre, Bradford, at Christmas 1919 and Mother Goose at the Theatre Royal, Manchester, at Christmas 1920, she finally left the stage in 1924.
After this, she struggled with depression and alcohol abuse. In 1936 she suffered a mental breakdown and, for 37 years, was institutionalised at the Holloway Sanatorium in Egham, Surrey. At least part of her long stay at the sanatorium was happy and she continued to care for her personal appearance, having a liking for smart clothes and hats. Other Gaiety Girls visited her, including Gertie Millar and Lily Elsie, but she was never visited by family members. Hospital staff later recalled her infectious smile and the fact that she enjoyed walks into the nearby village for shopping and car rides. She died at the Holloway Sanatorium on 21 May 1973 at the age of 90 and was buried in Englefield Green cemetery. After her death one of her nurses said, "she was a very quiet lady, small and neat, who did not give any indication of the high life she must have enjoyed".
In her will she left £17,441.] A blue plaque has been erected on the site of her birth.
