Sunday, November 12, 2017

John Hall Wilton, Manager (1820—1862)

Mr. J.Hall Wilton was a mysterious figure, little known but regularly mentioned, here and there. He was an adventurous spirit and his 'nephew' —well, who wasn't his nephew, was something else entirely, but that is another story, but here is a reminiscence from "Hayseed" of 1909 about the long since passed Mr. Hall:—
"Apropos Mr. G. V. Brooke and Mr. Barry Sullivan, the agent for the former, Mr. J. Hall Wilton, was also agent for the latter. I believe it was was under Mr. Wilton's auspices - that Mr. Barry Sullivan came to us. Mr. Wilton had been a soldier, and had seen service in India. He was not a ‘'carpet warrior," nor one that had "never sent a squadron in the field." 
He was a participator in most of the disastrous events occured in Scinde, Baloochistan, and Afghanistan during 1838-1839 and 1840—1843 and during the whole of that time he kept a daily journal, which detailed many thrilling circumstances, considered, perhaps, by many as too trivial for the public mind, but being connected wiih the murders, assassinations, treacheries, etc., of individuals whose near; and dear friends, no doubt, are to this day unacquainted with the particulars of them, and as there may be many thousands of such friends, they will, perhaps, prove doubly interesting to them, as also to the reader generally; and if the brief and simple statements of these facts:—
"…from personal observation, will thus tend to aid the same, and at the same time give any satisfaction to my friends, I am willing to do my utmost trusting never to be considered unworthy of their kindness. 
I shall in a few chapters arrange so as to give a plain, narrative of tbs principal and most interesting events, and give in them some incidents that will, no doubt, induce the memory to reflect on their miseries and results—not forgetting the murder of Captain Hand, the burning to death of three British officers, description of the Indus, Dadur, Hydrebad. Sukher, the much talked-of passes, the Bolun, Gundavie, Mysore. Kojuk, Tezeen, Jugdulluk. Gundamuck, Jellalabad, Khiva, Rohawa, the Punjab; also the battles at Dadur, Kunda, Candahar, Baba Walla, Killa Seuk, I Cilzie, Gownie, Ghurze, Mindan, Cabool, Istaliff, Jellalabad, Aii Mesjid, Meeanee and Hyderabad; the principal operations of Generals Brookes, Keane, Wiltshire, Sale, Nott, Pollock,McCaskill, England and Charles Napier: the army under Lord Ellensborough; the massacre of the Cabool army, Sir W. Macnaughton, Sir A. Burns; the prisoners under Shoomsood Dien Khan, and his cousin Akhbar Khan. Lady Sale and Lady McNaughton; the Bing of Cabool and the Amire of Scinde.” as detailed in his introductory chapter in his book “Scenes in a Soldier's Life, being a connected narrative of the principal military events in Scinde, Ballochistan, and Afghanistan during the years 1839, 1840 1841,11842. 1843, and 1843. under Generals Lord Keane, Brooks. Sir Robert Sale, Wiltshire, Pollock, Nott. England. McGaskill and Sir Ciiarles Napier!" Mr. Wilton was also the author of many other works “Ethaldi”— “The Ouesii” — “The Deserters”— “The First Cause” —The First Crime” —“True Friendship,”— “The Darling Wife” etc. To this gentleman we are indebted for the introduction of Sir William and Lady Don, Sir. Barry Sullivan,  and other notable personages  
He died wider melancholy circumstances at Tattersalls Hotel, Pitt-Street, Sydney. December 18, 1862, but is kept in kindly memory by those who had the pleasure of his acquaintance  A nephew, in no way a reflex of the uncle was agent for Lady Don on her second visit to Australia, and he was agent, if I mistake not, for G. V. Brooke, just prior to his leaving England in the ili-fated London. 
Weybert Reeve, in his little hook, “From Life'' (1831), gives an insight into the nephew's style. In a reference to G. V. Brooke, Mr. Reeve says:—'Years then passed over: he had been to Australia, and had made a name there, and at one time, as he told me, had a great deal of money, £50,000, and lost it in the Theatre Royal, Melbourne, and Cremorne Gardens. He came hack to England, and we met in the same theatre again, the Royal at Sheffield, of which I was then manager for Mr. Charles Pitt. He brought with him Miss Avonia Jones and Mr. Richard Younge, but he was far from being the Brooke of the. Olympic, and the engagement was not a Successful one. We decided, however, to play him at the Theatre, Newcastle-on-Tyne two or three months later on. I took the company over. Miss Jones was there, when to my horror I received a telegram on the morning he was to have appeared, from his agent, Mr. Wilton, 'Brooke arrested: send money to release him, or cannot play.' I sent the money, but he did not arrive until Wednesday. It was then too late; the engagement was ruined, and a considerable loss was the result. His share for the nine nights was nothing like enough to pay his expenses, and I had to provide the deficiency. Generous to a fault, others reaped whatever harvest his engagements, produced." Miss Jones and Mr. Younge had left for Manchester; he had to pay the hotel bill, and whilst asking me to let him have the money to do so, I could not help noticing his agent’s wife, sitting an the room elegantly dressed, with diamond rings on her lingers, nursing a pet Italian greyhound. There would be his journey to Manchester. I would gladly have paid this, too, but I would not pay for his hangers-on, so I arranged with the stationmaster that they should go through on the security of their luggage. Miss Jones to release it on their arrival' I am under the impression that the nephew died in indigence, or under peculiar circumstances."

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