Edgar Ray

Ray was born in Bristol, England, a son of Edward Adam Ray (1766–1853) and Eliza Ray, née Weller (c. 1793–1884). His father was a merchant who turned theatre manager. A sister, Matilda Ray (c. 1790–1842), was a successful actor, married to the musician and composer Charles Edward Horn. Ray and his half-brother{{efn|A convenient term, but their actual relationship is unknown and perhaps unknowable.}} William C. Lyon received some musical instruction from William Hawes, with whom they boarded in London.

Ray sailed to Australia by the Lady Eveline, arriving in Melbourne in October 1852 in company with three or four singers making up a choir, the "City of London Glee and Madrigal Union" who staged a concert at the "Mechanics' Institution" on 4 December 1852.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4788340 |title=Advertising |newspaper=The Argus (Melbourne) |issue=1150 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=3 December 1852 |accessdate=19 September 2021 |page=5 |via=National Library of Australia}} The same musicians gave a "Grand Concert of Sacred Music" at the Mechanics' Institution (or Institute, later Athenaeum, Collins Street) on 18 January 1853.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4789010 |title=Advertising |newspaper=The Argus (Melbourne) |issue=1788 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=18 January 1853 |accessdate=19 September 2021 |page=8 |via=National Library of Australia}} This may have been Ray's last public performance as a chorister. His half-brother William Charles Lyon died 18 July 1853.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4794794 |title=Family Notices |newspaper=The Argus (Melbourne) |issue=1943 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=22 July 1853 |accessdate=19 September 2021 |page=4 |via=National Library of Australia}}

He established a print shop, operated by Harvey Roulston (founder in 1858 of The Richmond Australian),{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article264241573 |title=Death of Mr H. Roulston |newspaper=The San Remo Times and Phillip Island and Bass Valley Advertiser |issue=4 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=28 February 1896 |accessdate=19 September 2021 |page=3 |via=National Library of Australia}} William Fenton, and one Green, and founded the daily newspaper The Auction Mart Advertiser and in August 1855 the weekly Melbourne Punch, with Frederick Sinnett as editor and chief writer.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article175796514 |title=Origin of Melbourne Punch |newspaper=Melbourne Punch |volume=100 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=27 August 1907 |accessdate=19 September 2021 |page=9 |via=National Library of Australia}}

Around 1860 Ray sold his business and interest in Melbourne Punch to Capt. Henry Butler Stoney (1816–1894), author of A Residence in Tasmania and Victoria during the Ballarat Riots in 1854.

In 1863 he employed a team of artists to produce a great diorama Christmas in Old England which he exhibited in Melbourne late that year. Contributors included G. A. Appleton (brother of F. C Appleton), Nicholas Chevalier, H. Freyberger, E. J. Greig (first cartoonist for Sydney Punch, drowned 1864), John Hennings, and J. Willis.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article5739862 |title=Christmas in Old England |newspaper=The Argus (Melbourne) |issue=5,454 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=28 November 1863 |accessdate=2 October 2021 |page=5 |via=National Library of Australia}}

He moved to Sydney and in May 1864 issued a prospectus, announcing the establishment of Sydney Punch on the 27th, and soliciting investors.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article13094922 |title=Prospectus |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |volume=XLIX |issue=8082 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=4 May 1864 |accessdate=20 September 2021 |page=1 |via=National Library of Australia}} Ray divested himself of his interest in the paper around 1866 or 1867.

In September 1867 he took over the lease of the Prince of Wales Theatre, from David Crabb,{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article253222177 |title=Punch's Evening Amusements |newspaper=Sydney Punch |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=7 September 1867 |accessdate=20 September 2021 |page=7 |via=National Library of Australia}} who declared insolvency.

He "poached" J. E. Hall as stage manager from the Victoria Theatre, introduced Alice and Laura Wiseman (sisters of Mrs Hall, née Emily Wiseman) to the Sydney stage, and recruited A. C. Habbe as scenic designer;{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article65468366 |title=Theatricals |newspaper=Bell's Life in Sydney and Sporting Chronicle |volume=XI |issue=546 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=14 September 1867 |accessdate=20 September 2021 |page=3 |via=National Library of Australia}} opening on 14 September with the drama Our Village.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article28607466 |title=Advertising |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |volume=LVI |issue=9145 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=12 September 1867 |accessdate=20 September 2021 |page=8 |via=National Library of Australia}} The expected crowds failed to arrive;{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article119441211 |title=Entertainments. |newspaper=Freeman's Journal |volume=XVIII |issue=1277 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=28 September 1867 |accessdate=20 September 2021 |page=10 |via=National Library of Australia}} in October he applied for a certificate of insolvency{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article166801431 |title=Insolvency court |newspaper=The Sydney Mail |volume=VIII |issue=383 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=2 November 1867 |accessdate=20 September 2021 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}} and by 15 November George Coppin had taken over as lessee and J. R. Greville as stage manager.

After several positions in insurance and banking Ray left for England by the Nubia on 7 October 1875.

In 1877 he started a London newspaper called Touchstone or The New Era. This annoyed Edward Ledger, editor and proprietor of The Era, "The Actor's Bible", which had a columnist calling himself "Touchstone". After a legal dispute, Ray was cleared of any wrongdoing.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article5926502 |title=The Mail News |newspaper=The Argus (Melbourne) |issue=9,678 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=22 June 1877 |accessdate=20 September 2021 |page=6 |via=National Library of Australia}} In the issue of 9 November 1879, Ray published a biography of Henry Labouchère, the editor of London Truth, with the promise of a similar article on Edmund Yates, editor of The World, prompting a threat of physical violence from that gentleman.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article162809167 |title=Fight Between the Fashionable Papers |newspaper=The Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser |volume=XXVII |issue=967 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=11 January 1879 |accessdate=20 September 2021 |page=74 |via=National Library of Australia}} The founding of this short-lived periodical has been attributed to F. B. Chatterton, with George Augustus Sala a significant contributor.{{cite web|url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/TOUCHSTONE%3a+A+FORGOTTEN+THEATRICAL+NEWSPAPER.-a0561566006 |title=Touchstone, a Forgotten Theatrical Newspaper |author=Robert Whelan |publisher=The Society for Theatre Research |year=2018 |access-date=20 September 2021}}

He died in Kew, England, on 23 August 1905.

{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article13086042 |title=The Sydney Punch |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |volume=XLIX |issue=8103 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=28 May 1864 |accessdate=19 September 2021 |page=4 |via=National Library of Australia}}

Ray married Charlotte Goodriff Pitman (c. 1832–1907) in Melbourne on 15 November 1853.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4799553 |title=Family Notices |newspaper=The Argus (Melbourne) |issue=2039 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=16 November 1853 |accessdate=19 September 2021 |page=4 |via=National Library of Australia}} They had three children:

• Edgar Ray (born 9 August 1855){{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article154895506 |title=Family Notices |newspaper=The Age |issue=253 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=10 August 1855 |accessdate=21 September 2021 |page=4 |via=National Library of Australia}}
• Edith Henrietta Ray (born 24 August 1857){{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article7137632 |title=Family Notices |newspaper=The Argus (Melbourne) |issue=3496 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=25 August 1857 |accessdate=21 September 2021 |page=4 |via=National Library of Australia}}
• Alice Frederica Ray (born 1 June 1860){{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article154843853 |title=Family Notices |newspaper=The Age |issue=1,751 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=4 June 1860 |accessdate=21 September 2021 |page=4 |via=National Library of Australia}}

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Category:1828 births

Category:1905 deaths

Category:19th-century Australian newspaper publishers (people)

Category:Australian newspaper founders

Category:Australian newspaper publishers (people)

Category:Australian theatre managers and producers

Category:Businesspeople from Bristol