George Belmore 1863 – 1898

Birth: 1863, 20^th February in Brompton, Kensington and Chelsea, London, England

Death: 1898, 6^th April in St. Giles Cripplegate, London, England

George Belmore Garstin was the first child of the great 19^th century actor George Benjamin Garstin, stage name George Belmore, and his wife from a family of circus performers and proprietors Alice Maude Mary Ann Cooke.  They married during the year before baby George was born, soon after meeting each other during a performance.

George attended St. Mary Abbott School in Kensington.

1874

• George’s first stage performance was at The Lyceum Theatre in London, at age 11.

In 1875, George’s father died of illness at just 45 years of age while in the United States.   However, with George and his brothers and sisters all at various stages of school education, they and their mother Alice were all in London when this occurred, and unable to attend their father’s funeral in New York.  Instead a ‘performance and testimonial benefit’ was arranged in London, attended, organised and contributed to by many famous actors and people involved in theatre who knew and worked with George Benjamin Belmore.

George Belmore, along with his brothers and sisters, followed in the career path of his father by getting into performing arts, specifically theatre.  He was initially most capable as a stage manager.

George married Jessie Danvers, an actress, singer, dancer and comedienne from the music hall Danvers family.  The ceremony was witnessed by George’s sister Alice Maude Belmore, and took place on the 27^th March, 1886.  Jessie was of a good and generous character and they were very happily married.  Married to an actress, with their circle of acting friends and contacts growing, George took on more stage performance roles.

In 1887, February the 27^th, George and his wife Jessie had their first child, George Victor Ramsey Belmore.  He went on to become an actor also, in what had become the family tradition.

On the 21^st October 1888, Alice Ester Belmore was born. She also got into acting, but although it looked like she had a prolific stage and perhaps movie career ahead of her, her life was cut short at 29.

In 1889, October, George sailed with other family members, including his sister Alice and her husband actor Henry Cooper-Cliffe, brothers Lionel and Paul, and wife Jessie, from UK to New York.

Their third child, Jessie Belmore, was born in 1890, on the 7^th of February.  She became an actress also.

Life in Theatre

1890

• Across Her Path, at Terry’s Theatre Company.
• New Lamps for Old, at Terry’s Theatre Company, as assistant stage manager.
• Parting of the Ways, at Terry’s Theatre Company, as assistant stage manager.
• For Her Child’s Sake, at Terry’s Theatre Company, as assistant stage manager.
• Wanted a Wife, at Terry’s Theatre Company.
• In a Day, at Terry’s Theatre Company, as assistant stage manager.
• The Judge, at Terry’s Theatre Company.
• Weak Woman, at Royal Lyceum, Edinburgh, with Edward Terry’s company.
• The Rocket, at Royal Lyceum, Edinburgh.
• Paul Pry, at Royal Lyceum, Edinburgh.
• Sweet Lavender, at Terry’s Theatre Company, as stage manager.
• My Friend Jarlet, at Terry’s Theatre Company, as stage manager.
• In Chancery, at Terry’s Theatre Company, as stage manager and also performing.
• The Penalty, at Olympic Theatre, as stage manager and also performing.

   

1891

• Our Doctors, at Terry’s Theatre, as stage manager, with his wife Jessie.
• In Chancery, at Terry’s Theatre, with Jessie.
• Culprits, at Terry’s Theatre Company, as stage manager.
• The Rocketta, at Prince of Wales Theatre, as stage manager. First performance in Liverpool.
• The Baby, or, A Warning to Mesmerists, at Terry’s Theatre Company.
• All About a Bonnet, at Terry’s Theatre Company, as stage manager.
• That Woman in Pink, at Terry’s Theatre Company, as stage manager.
• The Director, at Terry’s Theatre Company, as stage manager.
• The Lady from the Sea, at Terry’s Theatre Company, as stage manager.
• The Times

In 1892, Edward George Belmore was born to George and Jessie.  Known also as Teddy.  Unfortunately he died at just age 20.

• The Baby, at Crierion Theatre.
• The Custom House, at Vauderville Theatre. George was the producer.
• The Magistrate, at Terry’s Theatre Company.
• Rest, at Avenue Theatre, as stage manager.
• The Highwayman, at Avenue Theatre, as stage manager.
• Uncle Mike, at Terry’s Theatre Company, as stage manager.
• The Churchwarden, at Terry’s Theatre Company, as stage manager.

1893

• Kerry, at Terry’s Theatre Company, as stage manager.
• For Charity’s Sake, at Terry’s Theatre Company, as stage manager.
• Flight, at Terry’s Theatre Company, as stage manager.
• La Juive, at Drury Lane, as stage manager.
• The Bells, at Lyceum, as stage manager.

In June George travelled back to London from a visit to Sydney, Australia, on a ship called The Cuzco.  Some of his brothers and sisters were also going back and forth to Australia around this time, most notably Daisy Belmore who met her husband there.

1894

• Babes in the Wood, a pantomime at The Assembly Room.
• The Governess and the Clown, at The Assembly Room.

George and Jessie arrived in Liverpool from Nova Scotia in February.

1895

• An Innocent Abroad, at Terry’s Theatre Company, as stage manager.
• High Life Below Stairs, at Terry’s Theatre Company, as stage manager.
• The Blue Boar, at Terry’s Theatre Company, as stage manager.

On the 22^nd of September 1895, Alfred Reginald Belmore was born.  He lost his life while serving as a soldier towards the end of World War I, in the long running Battle of Passchendaele.

In 1896, George travelled from Natal in Brazil to London with his sons Edward and Alfred, on a ship called the Dunottar Castle.

• King Arthur, at the Grand Opera House.
• The Colleen Bawn, or, The Brides of Garry Owen, at Novelty Theatre.
• The Mystery of Hansome Cab, at Novelty Theatre.
• Mrs Barnes of New York, at Novelty Theatre.
• Called Back, at Novelty Theatre.
• Siberia, at Novelty Theatre.
• A Bed of Roses, at Novelty Theatre.
• Trilby, at Novelty Theatre.
• My Cousin, at Novelty Theatre.
• Love in Idleness, at Terry’s Theatre Company, as stage manager followed by having a stage role later in the season. His wife Jessie also had a role in this.
• A Woman’s Proper Place, at Terry’s Theatre Company, as stage manager.
• The Holy Tree Inn, at Terry’s Theatre Company.

1898

• Cinderella, at The Garrick Theatre.
• Quentin Quoins (Q.Q), at Terry’s Theatre Company.

In 1898, on the 6^th of April, George Belmore Garstin died in Guys Hospital in London, and was buried on the same day at Norwood Cemetery.  He was just 35 years old, however he had already prepared a Last Will and Testament.  His wife Jessie inherited everything he possessed, except a sum of £120 that was bequeathed to George Bradfield, a retired actor, and the property which George had inherited from the Cooke’s estate (his mother being from the Cooke family), which was divided between his children.