Person    | Female  Born 9/5/1874  Died 25/11/1937

Lilian Baylis, C.H.

Categories: Theatre

Countries: Africa

Theatrical producer and manager. Born 19 Nottingham Street, Marylebone, Niece of Emma Cons. Managed the Old Vic and Sadler's Wells. Ran other companies which later became: The English National Opera, the National Theatre and the Royal Ballet.

"As the grandmother of our national theatre, as well as of our national opera and ballet, Lilian Baylis set an agenda of crusading hard work and devotion that is inspirational" Richard Eyre in 1991.

CH = Companion of Honour.

2020: David Sulkin OBE requested that we use this portrait of Baylis: "It hangs at the ENO downstairs outside the American bar. Here is a scan of it taken from a postcard. When I worked at ENO I arranged for the portrait to be cleaned and rehung. Yes she did have a funny mouth, caused, it is thought by Bell’s palsy. The current CEO of ENO, Stuart Murphy, would be delighted."

2023: David informed us: "The good news is that the portrait of Lilian Baylis has been moved from its dark downstairs location to the main staircase where is can be seen be as many people as care to look up at it."

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Lilian Baylis, C.H.

Commemorated ati

Lilian Baylis - SW9

Lilian Baylis, 1874 - 1937, manager of the Old Vic and Sadler's Wells Theatre...

Read More

Lilian Baylis Tree

Aesculus Indica (Indian Horse Chestnut) planted by Hugh Jenkins, MP, Minister...

Read More

Morley mosaics - WBR - Lilian Baylis

Lilian Baylis, born 1874. A niece of Emma Cons, Lilian flourished as a theatr...

Read More

New Sadler's Wells Theatre

The Lilian Baylis tree was replanted on the 4th March 1996 in the presence of...

Read More

South Bank mosaic - Lilian Baylis

Lilian Baylis Sylvia Richardson 2007

Read More

Other Subjects

David Devant

David Devant

Born 4 Boston Terrace, Holloway, as David Wighton.  His stage name was taken from the title of a painting ‘David devant Goliath’ (David before Goliath), and was first used, aged 17.  Married his, n...

Person, Theatre

1 memorial
Robert Harbin

Robert Harbin

Magician-inventor, origami pioneer. Born as Ned Williams in South Africa. Came to London aged 20. Credited with introducing origami to this country. Throughout the 1960s he had his own TV show 'Pap...

Person, Theatre, South Africa

1 memorial
Eric Sykes

Eric Sykes

Scriptwriter and actor. Born in Oldham, Lancashire. As a writer, he worked with Spike Milligan on the early scripts for the Goon Shows. He wrote for many of the major comedians of the day, includin...

Person, Cinema, Humour, Theatre, TV & Radio

1 memorial
David Bowie

David Bowie

Musician and actor. Born David Robert Jones 40 Stansfield Road, Brixton. The family left here when David was 6 and moved to Plaistow Grove, Bromley. David changed his surname to avoid confusion wi...

Person, Cinema, Music / songs, Seriously Famous, Theatre, USA

7 memorials
Bertolt Brecht

Bertolt Brecht

Eugen Berthold Friedrich Brecht, known professionally as Bertolt Brecht, was a German theatre practitioner, playwright, and poet.

Person, Seriously Famous, Theatre

1 memorial