Divorce hearing in November 1903 of Vesta Victoria (1873-1951). Drawing by F.V. Poole for an illustrated newspaper.
Drawing
November 1903 (drawn)
November 1903 (drawn)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This sketch executed in November 1903 in the Divorce Court, for publication in an illustrated paper, shows the music hall star Vesta Victoria, born Victoria Lawrence, appearing before Mr. Justice Bucknill under her married name Victoria McAvoy as a petitioner for divorce from her husband Frederick Wallace McAvoy, the acting manager of the Euston Palace of Varieties. They had married on 20th September 1897 at St. Margaret's Westminster, when he was the manager the South London Music Hall. In her petition she charged him with cruelty and adultery, saying he had accused her of being 'a woman of bad character' from the time of their honeymoon; that it was well known she had had six children before she married him, and that he refused to acknowledge his paternity of their child, born in 1898. She said he accused her of adultery with her coachman, and with her friend Mr Lloyd who visited her with his wife when she was on tour, but that when she asked her husband to repeat the accusation to Lloyd's face, he had 'apologised and laughed it off.'
In 1900 Vesta Victoria had brought a suit for judicial separation from McAvoy which was effected in 1901. In October 1902 she charged him with adultery with two women, but having abandoned those charges, his infidelity with a woman in a hotel in Westcliffe-on-Sea on 2nd November 1901 came to light. At the 1904 divorce proceedings Mr Justice Bucknell awarded Vesta Victoria a decree nisi with costs, and the custody of their daughter, citing Frederick McAvoy's groundless accusations which had affected his wife's health, and his adultery. On 16th May 1904 she was awarded a decree absolute by Mr. Justice Barnes in the Divorce Court 'on the grounds of the cruelty and misconduct of her husband Mr. Fred McAvoy, a music hall manager'.
Along with Vesta Victoria and her friend Mr. Lloyd who gave evidence in favour of her, this sketch shows Archer Lawrence, Vesta Victoria's manager until her marriage to Herbert Terry in 1913. The practice of sketching proceedings in court cases for publications continues to this day.
In 1900 Vesta Victoria had brought a suit for judicial separation from McAvoy which was effected in 1901. In October 1902 she charged him with adultery with two women, but having abandoned those charges, his infidelity with a woman in a hotel in Westcliffe-on-Sea on 2nd November 1901 came to light. At the 1904 divorce proceedings Mr Justice Bucknell awarded Vesta Victoria a decree nisi with costs, and the custody of their daughter, citing Frederick McAvoy's groundless accusations which had affected his wife's health, and his adultery. On 16th May 1904 she was awarded a decree absolute by Mr. Justice Barnes in the Divorce Court 'on the grounds of the cruelty and misconduct of her husband Mr. Fred McAvoy, a music hall manager'.
Along with Vesta Victoria and her friend Mr. Lloyd who gave evidence in favour of her, this sketch shows Archer Lawrence, Vesta Victoria's manager until her marriage to Herbert Terry in 1913. The practice of sketching proceedings in court cases for publications continues to this day.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Divorce hearing in November 1903 of Vesta Victoria (1873-1951). Drawing by F.V. Poole for an illustrated newspaper. |
| Materials and techniques | pencil, pen and ink and gouache on drawing board |
| Brief description | Illustration created for publication in an illustrated newspaper or magazine, probably The Penny Illustrated Paper showing Vesta Victoria (1873-1951) at her divorce hearing in the Divorce Court, London, November 1903. Signed with the artist's initials F.V.P. (F.V.Poole) in the bottom right hand corner and dated '03'. Pen and ink, pencil and gouache. Given by Sir William Ingram in 1914. |
| Physical description | Pen, ink and pencil illustration created for publication in an illustrated newspaper or magazine, probably The Penny Illustrated Paper. It shows the petitioner Vesta Victoria, her brother Archer Lawrence, and a witness Mr. Lloyd, each drawing annotated with their names The illustration is signed F.V.P. in the bottom right hand corner. |
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| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Credit line | Given by Sir William Ingram |
| Object history | Sir William Ingram (27 October 1847 – 18 December 1924) was a Liberal politician who was elected to, and sat, in the House of Commons on three occassions between 1878 and 1895. He was also the Managing Director of The Illustrated London News from the late 1870s until 1900 and became the proprietor of a number of additional publications including The Sketch and The English Illustrated Magazine. The Illustrated London News was the world's first illustrated weekly newspaper. Founded by Sir William Ingram’s father, Herbert Ingram, in 1842 the first edition was sold on 14th May 1842 at a cost of sixpence per copy. Building from an original circulation of 26,000 to in excess of 300,000 at its peak, The Illustrated London News remained in print until 2003 and commissioned illustrations from many of the leading artists of the late nineteenth century. Photographs were used alongside illustrations from the late 19th century onwards but illustrations were a major feature of paper until after the end of the First World War. |
| Historical context | This sketch was one of a group of prints and pencil and pen and ink sketches donated to the museum in 1914 by Sir William Ingram (1847–1924). Part of this collection was originally donated to the Prints and Drawings Department with the majority later passing to the Theatre and Performance Department. The full collection includes work by a variety of artists amongst whom are: A. J Finberg; Ralph Cleaver; F.V.Poole and Rossi Ashton. Though not all the publications for which they were created are identified the majority of the sketches were commissioned for, and appeared in, The Illustrated London News, The English Illustrated Magazine or The Sketch. Sir William Ingram became the proprietor of The Illustrated London News in the mid to late 1870s and remained in post until circa 1900 when he was succeeded by his he was succeeded by his son, Bruce Stirling Ingram (1877–1963). He also became the proprietor of The Sketch amongst other papers in which capacity he gave commissions to many leading artists of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. |
| Summary | This sketch executed in November 1903 in the Divorce Court, for publication in an illustrated paper, shows the music hall star Vesta Victoria, born Victoria Lawrence, appearing before Mr. Justice Bucknill under her married name Victoria McAvoy as a petitioner for divorce from her husband Frederick Wallace McAvoy, the acting manager of the Euston Palace of Varieties. They had married on 20th September 1897 at St. Margaret's Westminster, when he was the manager the South London Music Hall. In her petition she charged him with cruelty and adultery, saying he had accused her of being 'a woman of bad character' from the time of their honeymoon; that it was well known she had had six children before she married him, and that he refused to acknowledge his paternity of their child, born in 1898. She said he accused her of adultery with her coachman, and with her friend Mr Lloyd who visited her with his wife when she was on tour, but that when she asked her husband to repeat the accusation to Lloyd's face, he had 'apologised and laughed it off.' In 1900 Vesta Victoria had brought a suit for judicial separation from McAvoy which was effected in 1901. In October 1902 she charged him with adultery with two women, but having abandoned those charges, his infidelity with a woman in a hotel in Westcliffe-on-Sea on 2nd November 1901 came to light. At the 1904 divorce proceedings Mr Justice Bucknell awarded Vesta Victoria a decree nisi with costs, and the custody of their daughter, citing Frederick McAvoy's groundless accusations which had affected his wife's health, and his adultery. On 16th May 1904 she was awarded a decree absolute by Mr. Justice Barnes in the Divorce Court 'on the grounds of the cruelty and misconduct of her husband Mr. Fred McAvoy, a music hall manager'. Along with Vesta Victoria and her friend Mr. Lloyd who gave evidence in favour of her, this sketch shows Archer Lawrence, Vesta Victoria's manager until her marriage to Herbert Terry in 1913. The practice of sketching proceedings in court cases for publications continues to this day. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | S.408-2012 |
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| Record created | July 12, 2012 |
| Record URL |
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