By Christine Swan

Thomas Bold Bridge was born in 1842, the second son of Thomas and Elizabeth Bridge of Stockport. Up until a few years, I only Stockport as the last train station before Manchester Piccadilly and the indicator to gather my belongings and shuffle towards the exit door of the train. Thomas senior was a joiner and builder but appears to have died young leaving Elizabeth and four children to find a living. In 1851, Elizabeth was the publican of the Magnet Inn, Wellington Road North, Heaton Norris, but I suspect, just for a short while because I found a transfer notice dated 1853.

Thomas Bridge in the 1851 census

One freezing winter day, after a family trip to Manchester, we ventured Wellington Road North to locate the Magnet in. The old coaching inn was not in a tidy state and unfortunately, was also closed when we arrived. The wind was bitter so I quickly snapped a few photographs and then retreated to the warmth of the car. Wellington Road North was a place for epic pub crawls, according to one of my colleagues, with a challenge to drink its length by visiting all of the hostelries along its length, World’s End style. The Magnet is now a microbrewery and gastropub that appears to be doing well. A blue plaque bearing: “Thomas Bold Bridge lived here – 1851”, would be a marvellous addition as I am sure that most are unaware of previous notable residents of the pub.

The Magnet Inn, Wellington Road North, Stockport – taken in 2008

In 1861, Thomas, or Tom as he was known, was living with his older brother Joseph in Rochdale Road, Manchester. Tom worked as a railway clerk and Joseph as a barman. The earliest record of performance that I could find, was dated 2^nd January 1863. Tom Bridge was appearing as comedian T. B. Brydge performed at Wigan Town Hall as a comedian. Attendance was low but the applause was warm. There then seems to be a period of news blackout until January 1866 when he resurfaces as one half of the duologists, comic vocalists and recitalists, Halliburton and Brydge at Rochdale Public Hall, appearing as one of Mr Lawton’s Monday entertainment shows, engaged for their second season. In May, the two were appearing with Miss Lizzie Brydge who is listed as a dancer and tightrope artiste. This was Elizabeth Hirst, who was to become Tom’s first wife. They married on 29^th June 1866 in Manchester Cathedral, he aged 23 and she just 17.  Both gave their residence as Queen Street in Hulme which is close to the city centre. Two weeks prior to this, in an advertisement in the Illustrated Sporting News, the performers gave their contact address as 14 Haughton Street, New Queen’s Park, which could have been their agent’s address.

Thomas Bold Brydge marries Elizabeth “Lizzie” Hirst in June 1866 at Manchester Cathedral

Perhaps the couple took some time out in July because the next time they are advertised to perform is in August 1866. Tom was performing just as “Bold Brydge” and Elizabeth as “Elsetta (Mrs Brydge)”. The partnership with Halliburton appeared to have ended and, one can guess, that a performing newlywed couple managed to spend more time together. October saw Tom perform as T. Brydge in the Victoria Rooms in Shrewsbury. By this time, Elizabeth would have been expecting their first child, which would certainly have limited her ability to perform on the tightrope.

On the 5^th May 1867, Elizabeth “Lizzie” Brydge died in childbirth. Their daughter, Elizabeth Amy Brydge, survived. This tragedy would have hit Tom very hard on two accounts. Not only had he lost his dear wife of just ten months, but he now had a child to provide for, in a profession that did not support either taking leave or accommodating change. If he could not perform, he could not live. This desperate time would stay with Tom and he was able, in later life, to help to support others who might find themselves in similar circumstances. Intriguingly, Lizzie senior’s performing name was given as Lizzie Proven, rather than Brydge, although this may have been the name she used in her career before meeting and marrying Tom. This name also appears on Elizabeth junior’s baptism record.

Elizabeth Amy Bridge baptism record 12th May 1867

Burial of Elizabeth at St George’s Church, Hulme, three days after she died

The next time that I found Tom performing was on 20^th October at Chester Music Hall with a large number of other artists as part of the Turner Family’s star company of vocalists. The engagement for the next week was the Lyceum in Stafford. We have to bear in mind that Lizzie junior would have only been five months old at this time so Tom must have made an arrangement for her to be cared for while he toured and performed. The 9^th of November found him in Barnsley but I suspect a performance in Southport occurred between these dates and the local independent newspaper wrote: “Mr Brydge’s performance on the organophonican was given with the most exquisite taste and feeling. The audience manifested its appreciation of the performance by keeping up a round of applause until he again appeared and played another selection.”

Tom Bridge, was still performing as part of the Turner Family, touring northern cities and in partnership with Harry Prince, as Brydge and Prince, and later, at the end of 1868, as Russell and Brydge. He performed as part of Harry Liston’s tour promoting “fun without vulgarity”. This was, I believe, a kickback against the bawdy, rowdy places that some music halls had become, and to promote more cultural entertainment. I am aware that a number of London music halls were purchased by organisations promoting temperance and morality, so fun without vulgarity may have been not just an advertising ploy, but also an act of self-preservation.

In December 1868, Tom travelled as far South as I had yet found him, to Gordon’s Music Hall in Southampton, performing as Russell and Brydge. On 2^nd January 1869, the company performed a concert at the local poorhouse, which we would now refer to as a workhouse. I am sure that this brought some festive cheer to what must have been a miserable existence for the inmates. Tom concluded the performance with a rousing rendition of the national anthem. Russell and Brydge continued their engagement at Gordon’s until the 24^th of the month.

Christmas Day in the workhouse – PD-US, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=48893076

The pair then took a well-earned break until March when they began a run in Wolverhampton at the Prince of Wales Concert Hall. This venue featured such high technology as oxy hydrogen limelight. I am aware that music halls were not always the most fire-safe venues and there were, indeed, numerous tragic accidents involving the use of naked flames on stage. As a former teacher of chemistry, I find the prospect of burning hydrogen, in oxygen, as a form of stage lighting, a completely terrifying prospect!

The year rolled on into summer, and after performing in Glasgow, I found no further mention of Russell and Brydge so have to assume that the partnership was dissolved. August found Tom Bridge back as a solo artist, performing as T. B. Brydge in Norwich at the East of England Music Hall. Intriguingly, it was reported that he: “plays tunes on a pair of ordinary bellows which may be pronounced as clever”. However, disregarding the novelty of his act, Tom was somebody who was naturally part of a double act. In a later solo performance in Manchester, he was described as: ”an average comic”.

Norwich was the furthest East location that I found it recorded that Tom Bridge played. I am making a quantum leap here but, at some point, he met his future wife, Matilda Mary Fairhead, daughter of John Fairhead, a stock dealer from Mundham. The Fairheads lived in nearby Lodden and, I am fairly confident that the most of the major markets and entertainment would have been located in Norwich, some eleven miles away. Did Tom meet Matilda then, in August 1869? Perhaps his unique and comical musical talents swept her off of her feet? Matilda was sixteen and Tom would have been twenty seven years old. He had a daughter by his first wife Elizabeth who would have benefitted from having a mother figure in her life. Little Lizzie would have been two years old by now and probably her wider family had taken her in and cared for her while her father was away working. She probably barely saw him as the distances were often great. I am sure that Tom would have craved a travelling family unit rather than a potentially lonely, solo life.

Beautiful old Norwich

March 1870 was the first record of T. B. Brydge performing in London and specifically, the East End. He played the Eastern Music Hall in Limehouse followed by a performances at the theatre in Woolwich in May. Also on the bill of the latter, was the partnership of Gilbert and Rice, both of whom Tom was to go on to perform with. I imagine them chatting in the bar after the performance and realising a rapport that could result in future collaboration.

September 1870 found Gilbert and Brydge performing together at the Alhambra in Leicester and then together in pantomime in Aldershot in December. In fact, the partnership continued until December 1874 when it was dissolved by Tom having been previously announced in the entertainment press. The notice said “…..dissolved by T. B. Brydge”, which did give me some food for thought. As I had found with Elena, who was to become Tom’s third wife, there seemed to be a tendency to lead and make decisions. Later, Tom was to form his own group, the Brydge Combination. While I write about my great great aunt and uncle, I reflect not only on their deeds but also their characters. They worked tirelessly, they strove to succeed, sometimes against the odds, they managed to create a good living for themselves and to gain professional respect. But what happened with Matilda who had caught Tom’s eye in Norwich? What of little Lizzie Brydge, the small child who lost her mother, living with relatives in Manchester? Whilst Tom’s star was in ascendency, we must not lose sight of the other actors in this play. They are waiting in the wings, ready for the next act so, patience, dear reader, patience!