Yorke and Norton

The Melbourne firm of Messrs. Yorke and Norton at “87 Collins-street east” was evidently far more than a manufacturer of picture frames. According to various advertisements in the Argus newspaper, commencing in January 1855, “Ladies needlework [was] carefully and elegantly mounted”; “Furniture repaired, carpets, curtains, rollers, [and] blinds made to order.” They were also “House-decorators, Upholsterers, Cabinet-makers, Undertakers [presumably of work, not funerals―although it is certainly a strange coincidence that Paxton and Allan, undertakers, the conventional sort, were located at 86 Collins-street east], Painters, &c.” And alongside the trade in picture frames “of every description manufactured to order,” Yorke and Norton dealt in pictures too, many thousands of them: “Pictures.―Five Thousand Sporting, Hunting, Steeplechasing, &c., framed or otherwise,” almost certainly cheap reproductive prints and engravings. The partnership appears to have lasted for about a year. In January 1856, Mr. Norton moved into new premises at 88 Collins-street, and Mr. Yorke to 227 Elizabeth Street. Thenceforth, they advertised separately with slight but nevertheless telling shifts in emphasis. On May 1, 1858, for example, we find the following notices in the same column on page 7 of that day’s Argus:

Picture-frame manufactory…Norton, gilder, decorator, printseller, &c. Paintings restored. Frames regilt.

Picture frames, Maple, Rosewood, Gold &c. manufactured by Charles Yorke…Trade supplied.

A little earlier Mr. Yorke posted separate advertisements for “a lad for a market gardener” and “an Agricultural labourer,” though by the end of the year he was seeking “a paperhanger” and “a smart lad.” Perhaps Mr. Yorke had one foot in home décor and the other in fresh vegetables; certainly Mr. Norton’s focus was more squarely upon the traditional spread of the mixed picture-dealing and frame-making business, with the nowadays rather sinister autre corde à son arc of “restoration.” Perhaps this contrast lay behind the dissolution of their shortlived partnership towards the end of 1855.

Show business

Whilst searching for more particulars about Yorke and Norton, the framers and picture dealers of 87 Collins-street east, who were certainly active by 1855, earlier today I chanced upon the following advertisement for an ambitious midsummer show at Astley’s, the large theater in Spring Street that was tucked behind the old National Hotel in Bourke Street, in other words roughly where the Princess Theatre is today (Argus, Wednesday, February 14, 1855, page 8). I suppose this is a valuable reminder that while picture frames are one thing, show business was an altogether more ambitious affair in colonial Melbourne, with a far longer and arguably more interesting history.

Astley’s

Sole Lessee and Manager, Mr. G. Lewis.

Treasurer, Mr. H. Birch.

Conductor of the Circle and Ring Master,

Mr. T. Nunn.

 Astounding Success of the magnificent Legendary

 Spectacle of

St. George and the Dragon.

Never was success more decided, encouragement more deserved, or the Manager of a Circus more cause [sic] to be grateful.

Crowded houses night after night

Are the best criterion of all popular entertainments; and it is with the greatest pride, the Proprietor asserts, that he has been singularly fortunate in the production of such entertainments as are adapted to the public taste. For the great support he is nightly receiving, he begs leave most respectfully to thank his kind patrons, and to assure them that every novelty that capital and taste can command, shall, during the season, be brought forward for their amusement.

Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, February 14^th,

15^th, and 16^th [1855].

Previous to the Performance, a Grand Overture

will be performed by the Band.

Synopsis of the performances:

Terrific encounter of

St. George and the Monster Dragon!

The entertainments will conclude with, first time

this season, the grand legendary spectacle of

St. George and the dragon,

or,

The Seven [sic] Champions of Christendom.

Supernaturals:

Kalaba, the Enchantress, Mrs. T. Lee.

Sycorax, a Fiend, doomed to perpetual torments

for conspiring with other fiends to free St. George,

Master J. Christoff.

The movements of the dragon performed by

Mr. H. Walker.

Mortals:

St. George, Mr. Barlow; Tom of Coventry, a Tinker, afterwards Squire to St. George, Mr. Yeamans; Kate, Mrs. Yeamans; Dame, Mrs. T. Lee.

The Six Champions:

St. Denis of France, Mr. G. Nunn; St. Patrick of Hibernia, Mr. Klaer; St. James of Spain, Mr. H. Walker; St. Anthony of Italy, Mr. Pablo Fanque; St. David of Wales, Mr. Lee; St. Andrew of Scotland, Mr. Smith;

Cavaliers of Coventry, &c., by the company.

Egyptians:

Ptolemy, King of Egypt, Mr. H. Birch; Almandar, King of Morocco, Mr. T. Nunn; Lampthos, a herdsman, Mr. Adams; Princess Sobra of Egypt, Mrs. T. Lee.

Mr. Pablo Fanque, the Eminent Artistic

Rope Dancer!

Florist’s Daughter, Mrs. Yeamans.

French Vaulting by the whole Company.

That Constellation of the Hippo-dramatic Hemi-

sphere, Mr. W. Barlow, will execute on a

Flying Charger his Scenic Act, called

Rinaldo Rinaldini, the Bandit Chief;

Or, The Scourge of Italy.

The Renowned Slack Rope Vaulter, Mr. H. Walker,

will appear as

The Star spangled Sprite of Flying Mercury.

Mr. Klaer as the Bottle Imp.

Comic act of equestrianism by Mr. T. Lee, entitled

The Clown and his Granny!

Mademoiselle Antoinette.

Messrs. Dhering and Stebbing’s Gymnic Feats as

The French Dromios.

Mr. J. L. Smith, the great Trick Act Rider, in his

surprising Equestrian Feats on a Single Horse

at full speed, as

The Bounder of the Rialto…

Persons of improper character will be strictly excluded from the Dress Circle and Side Boxes.

Though this kind of variety program was not especially unusual, on the whole theatrical copy running sometimes on consecutive days in the columns of the Argus was usually a little tighter. Astley’s notice, for example, was immediately followed by the following:

CREMORNE GARDENS.

Cattle show this day.

Madame dalle Case’s

Extraordinary and Terrific Ascent, on the illumi-

nated rope, 400 feet in length, across the

Cremorne Lake,

Every Evening.

Entire change of performance every evening.

Vocal and Instrumental Concert.

Equestrian Circus.

Major John Downey, jun.,

And his auxiliary troupe of talented Apes.

Pony Races with Monkey Jockies.

Music and Dancing as in the Old Cremorne;

A new Hungarian Band.

All the World’s Curriculum

Will run, as usual, every quarter of an hour.

Shooting gallery, Chinese skittles, &c.

I am not quite sure what “All the World’s Curriculum” was, but it was clearly a favorite with Cremorne-goers. Perhaps it was some sort of panorama. It had been running since early January when, in addition, “the sagacious Elephant” performed as usual.