THE D'OYLY CARTE OPERA COMPANY

Jones Hewson as Colonel Calverley in Patience

Jones Hewson (1894-99, 1900-01)

[Born Swansea, Wales 2 Sep 1874, died Glamorganshire, Wales 1902]

John Jones Hewson began his D'Oyly Carte career in in July 1894 as a chorister in Messager's Mirette at the Savoy, before going on tour with D'Oyly Carte Opera Company "D" later that year. With Company "D" in December 1894 he took the small parts of Captain Corcoran and Calynx in Utopia Limited, and Francal in Mirette. From February to April 1895, he moved up to Mr. Goldbury in Utopia Limited, Gerard de Montigny in Mirette, Tommy Merton in The Vicar of Bray, and also took the part of Ferdinand de Roxas when The Chieftain was added to the repertoire in February.

When Scott Fishe joined Company "D" in April 1895, Hewson reverted to Corcoran/Calynx, Francal, and the Chieftain chorus, though he appears to have kept Tommy Merton. He would add Sergeant Bouncer when Cox and Box was revived in May and Arac when Princess Ida joined the tour in September. Hewson would also fill in for Fishe as Goldbury and, perhaps, as Ferdinand in August 1895.

Jones Hewson left the tour in October 1895 and reported to the Savoy where he appeared as Pish-Tush on November 6 in the second revival of The Mikado. He would also appear as Selworthy in the curtain raiser After All when it was added to the program later that month. In March 1896 he created the small part of the Herald in The Grand Duke, and resumed Selworthy when After All was added again in April. He also filled in on occasion for Rutland Barrington as Ludwig in The Grand Duke and would play Pish-Tush once more when The Mikado was given six matinee performances between May 27 and July 4.

During the subsequent revival of The Mikado (July 1896-February 1897), Hewson began as Pish-Tush (and Selworthy when After All was played), but would also take turns as the Mikado (August 1896) and Pooh-Bah (November-December 1896). In February 1897 he created Baron Vincentius in His Majesty, then filled in from time to time for Fred Billington as King Mopolio starting in March.

For the first London revival of The Yeomen of the Guard (May-November 1897), Hewson would play the Lieutenant of the Tower. He would continue to appear in the companion pieces:yet again as Selworthy in After All (May-June), and then as the Rt. Hon. Claude Newcastle in Old Sarah (June-November). He would next play Captain Hochheimer (and occasionally Baron Grog) in The Grand Duchess of Gerolstein (December 1897-March 1898), followed by Luiz in the first London revival of The Gondoliers (March-May 1898). He also played Newcastle again when Old Sarah was added to the Grand Duchess and Gondoliers programs.

For The Beauty Stone (May-July 1898) Hewson created the part of Nicholas Dircke. He then resumed Luiz when The Gondoliers was brought back from July to September, and took the Counsel to the Plaintiff and Sir Marmaduke Pointdextre in the Trial by Jury/Sorcerer revival (September-December 1898). He would leave the Savoy to go on tour with D'Oyly Carte Opera Company "D" with one week to go in the run, yielding Sir Marmaduke to its originator, Richard Temple, and the Counsel to Scott Russell.

With Company "D," Hewson assumed two old familiar roles--Tommy Merton in The Vicar of Bray (along with Selworthy in After All), until February 1899 when he transferred to Carte's Company "C." Company "C" had a large repertoire and Hewson played principal baritone roles in H.M.S. Pinafore (Captain Corcoran), The Pirates of Penzance (Pirate King), Iolanthe (Mountararat), The Mikado (Mikado), The Yeomen of the Guard (Sergeant Meryll), The Gondoliers (Giuseppe), and Utopia Limited (Mr. Goldbury). Hewson left Company "C" in August 1899.

Ten months later he would return to the D'Oyly Carte, and this time he was back at the Savoy, replacing George Ridgwell as Abdallah near the end of the first production of The Rose of Persia in June 1900. Hewson would remain with the D'Oyly Carte at the Savoy until the summer of 1901. After The Rose of Persia he would appear as the Pirate King in the second London revival of The Pirates of Penzance (June-November 1900), Colonel Calverley in the first London revival of Patience (November 1900-April 1901), and the Earl of Newtown in the initial production of Sullivan's last opera, The Emerald Isle (beginning April 1901). He suffered from tuberculosis, however, and was unable to finish the run. He was replaced by Powis Pinder.

A benefit performance of The Emerald Isle was given for Hewson in October 1901. He then traveled to Australia and New Zealand, but returned home to Wales where he died at the early age of 28.

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