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

Michael Flanders

Michael Flanders

Broadcaster, writer and performer. Born Michael Henry Flanders in Hampstead. He served in the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve, but contracted poliomyelitis and spent the rest of his life as a wheelcha...

Person, Literature, Music / songs, Theatre, TV & Radio, Wales

1 memorial
Jack Buchanan

Jack Buchanan

Actor-manager, song-and-dance entertainer. Born Helensburgh near Glasgow. Died in the Middlesex Hospital. His ashes were scattered from the deck of a Cunard Liner in recognition of his 50+ trans...

Person, Cinema, Dance, Music / songs, Theatre, Scotland

1 memorial
George Devine

George Devine

Actor and theatre director. Born George Alexander Cassady Devine in Hendon. He became interested in theatre while studying at Oxford and in 1932 was made president of the Oxford University Dramatic...

Person, Theatre

1 memorial
Lady Winifred Fortescue

Lady Winifred Fortescue

Writer and actress. Born as Winifred Beech in a Suffolk rectory. Died France. 1914 she married John Fortescue (1859-1933, librarian, archivist at Windsor Castle and British Army historian), despit...

Person, Benefactor, Literature, Theatre, France

1 memorial
The Theatre

The Theatre

The site of The Theatre is the tall building to the left in the picture. Often claimed to be the first London building specially devoted to the performance of plays though the Red Lion Theatre in M...

Building, Theatre

3 memorials

Previously viewed

Rev. Dawson Burns

Rev. Dawson Burns

Baptist minister and lifelong temperance activist. Born Southwark to Jabez Burns also a Baptist minister and temperance advocate from 1836. Died Battersea.

Person, Religion

2 memorials
Fred Hampton

Fred Hampton

Fredrick Allen Hampton Sr. was an American activist. He came to prominence in Chicago as chairman of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party (BPP), and deputy chairman of the national BPP. ...

Person, Politics & Administration, Tragedy, USA

1 memorial
Margaret and Rachel McMillan

Margaret and Rachel McMillan

SE13, George Lane, 127

Margaret McMillan C.H, C.B.E, 1860 - 1931, & Rachel McMillan, 1859 - 1917, social reformers and educationalists, lived here, 1910 - 1...

2 subjects commemorated, 1 creator
Norman Douglas

Norman Douglas

SW11, Albert Bridge Road, 63 Albany Mansions

The unusual shape of the plaque, is probably due to the fact that there is nowhere large enough on the face of the building, to erect the...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator