A few weeks ago I was out with my daughter Celia and she pulled into a garage on Park Row for petrol. I noticed this plaque, on the wall: 

Though I once went through an “arty-farty” period and was vaguely aware of the actor William Macready that was about as far as it went. I was prompted, who knows through what agency, to take a photograph of the plaque. Having parked, we then strolled across the road to the Bristol University Theatre Collection (well worth a visit, especially if you have theatrical ancestors: http: //www.bris.ac.uk/theatrecollection/) where I have every hope one day of discovering more about Lottie Moreton. (see previous blog about this unfortunate soubrette.)  

And that might have been that, except that I downloaded the photo and began idly to seek references to the “Macready Chutes”.

First up, 1841, and Sarah Macready, 50, “lessee of a theatre” was living in a lodging house in Queen Square, Bristol kept by Marianne Vickerman, aged 45.  Sarah, nee Desmond, an actress, was the second wife of William Macready, Manager of the Theatre Royal who had died on 11 April 1829, leaving her with “two orphans”.  (The famous actor William Macready was a son of the first marriage.)

The census of 1851 shows Sarah aged 58, “lessee of theatres” living at Walcot, Bath in the Assembly Rooms with her son in law James H. Chute, aged 41, who was proprietor of the establishment, born Stoke, Hampshire, his wife, (Sarah’s daughter), Mazzarina E., aged 26, born Swansea and their two sons William aged 5 and Henry, 2. A daughter aged 10 days was unnamed.

James Henry Chute and Mazzarina Emily Macready had been married at Westminster in the winter of 1844. Here then were the “Macready Chutes” of the plaque.

Sarah Macready’s obituary with details of her life and career appeared in the Bristol Mercury of 12 March 1853, her age given as 64.

I have so far been unable to locate the family in the 1861 census, but it is clear from advertisements that James Henry Chute was manager of the Theatre Royal at this time. On 2 June 1861 the “Royal Dramatic College” thanked him for donating a portrait of “W. Macready, sen., esq.”

James Henry took over the Princes Theatre in 1866. http: //www.its-behind-you.com/princesbristol.html 

In 1871, James Henry, now 60, “dramatic manager” and Mazzarina, 46, and five of their children between the ages of 20 and 6 years were residing at 2 Park Row, next to a school for the “deaf and dumb”. Henry, aged 2 in 1851, was now twenty two and an assistant house surgeon at the Bristol Infirmary.

Now here’s the surprise. Evidence of the voice from the ether that had prompted me to take the photo? Living with the Chutes was Julia Pillinger, aged 50, spinster, a music teacher. Visitors to this blog will know that I have studied, as far as possible, all the Pillingers in the World and though I can claim no specific relationship to Julia, she is as dear to me as all the rest. She will be found in my History of the Pillinger Family, Part 3, as a twig on the branch that came originally from Box, Wiltshire. Following the death of George Pillinger in Bath, his wife Julia decided to try her luck as a singer in Bristol. Her daughter, Julia junior was sent away to study music in London, one of the very few Pillingers who could boast any sort of education prior to the present era. On her return, mother and daughter set up a “School of Music” in Queen Square, at the same time giving concerts which are reported at length in the local newspapers of the day. I had been aware that Julia junior had lived with the Chutes, but had only noted them in passing, having no idea that they were so hugely important in the dramatic circles of Bristol. Thus from a lowly lodger, scratching a living as a music teacher, as I had imagined, Julia has jumped up the ladder of success in my estimation. And don’t forget Queen Square -  this must have been where Julia Pillinger, senior, apothecary’s widow and aspiring theatrical (by 1841, she was remarried to Richard Harris) struck up an acquaintance with Sarah Macready, the widow of an actor manager. And here’s another thing - Richard, was a “carver and gilder” surely this must mean that he made scenery for the Theatre Royal?  It seems the connection Pillinger-Harris-Macready-Chute continued for at least thirty years.     

You never know what you’ll find next. Family history is wonderful.

Julia Maria Pillinger died in the winter of 1876. Mr & Mrs Chute did not long survive her. Mazzarina died aged 54 in March 1878 of Bright’s disease and James Henry aged 67 of liver failure the following July. They were survived by six sons and three daughters, two of whom, George and James took over the management of the Princes Theatre.   

George Macready Chute and his wife Abigail Philomena were living at Cotham Gardens, Westbury on Trym in 1891. In 1901 they were in Sidmouth with their son Desmond, aged five. In 1911 they were in Folkestone whilst Desmond, now 15 was boarding at Downside School. Despite apparently no longer living in Bristol, George M.’s occupation throughout is “Theatrical Proprietor/Manager.” According to the plaque the family was associated with the Princes Theatre until 1931.