Title is based on the contents of the Lewis Family fonds.
The Lewis family of Hamilton, Ontario became well-known in the local community through their children. Thomas Lewis, a successful cigar manufacturer, and his wife Ann Arthur, a dramatic reader of Shakespeare, had 14 children, some of whom displayed an aptitude for music and theatre acting. In particular, their daughter Flora became an amateur theatre actress and their daughter Ida Lewis became the famous professional theatre actress known as Julia Arthur. Born in Hamilton in 1869, Julia began acting at the age of eleven, making her hometown debut as Portia in a local amateur theatre company production of Shakespeare’s “The Merchant of Venice.” In 1883, she made her professional debut in Shakespeare’s “Richard III.” Julia studied music and the dramatic arts in both Germany and England for three years and then moved to New York to work as an actress, landing a role in “The Black Masque” to much acclaim from theatre audiences. She returned to England and was invited to join the renowned Sir Henry Irving’s Lyceum Players Company. She returned to Canada in the late 1890s as one of the most popular and successful stage performers of her time. In 1898, Julia Arthur married Benjamin Pierce Cheney, a millionaire and prominent banker and real estate developer from Boston, Massachusetts. She retired from the theatre and began a short career as a film actress in 1908, acting in a few movie pictures, including some war propaganda films. By 1920, her husband’s financial empire had suffered such serious losses that Julia was forced to return to the stage to earn a living. Julia Arthur lived most of her adult life in Boston and died in 1950.
Published
Full
Fonds consists of predominantly graphic materials including family photographs and professional photographs of theatre actress Julia Arthur, as well as a few textual documents pertaining to family records. The fonds consists of 2 series including family photographs and paintings, and family records, with a subseries of photographs pertaining to Julia Arthur.
Good
The material was bequeathed to the Hamilton Public Library by the Estate of Flora Fairchild Tobin Bryant, niece of Julia Arthur, in 1994.
Dictionary of Hamilton Biography – 971.352 DIC, Vol. 3, pp. 116-117
Hamilton Famous and Fascinating – R971.3521 BAI, pp. 26-27
Henley’s People – 971.3520922 HEN pp.97-99
Picture Collection – Portraits – Arthur, Julia
The Julia Arthur Book – R792.92 AR77a
Painted portrait miniatures are not to be copied without the permission of department staff. The LH&A copy of the original “Julia Arthur Book” has been photocopied for research use. Please use this copy instead of the original.
Preferred citation: Lewis Family fonds, 00782, Hamilton Public Library, Hamilton, Ontario.
Created by Archives Technician Kelly Bucci in August 2017
Published
Series consists of photographs of various members of the Lewis Family, including a family portrait, as well as photographs of Thomas and Ann Lewis, Eleanor Lewis, Flora Lewis and Julia Arthur. The series also contains 2 miniature framed paintings of Thomas and Eleanor Lewis, which are attributed to artist Hannah Rusk Kelly.
Published
Material consists of one photograph negative of Ann Arthur.
Published
Material consists of one photograph of Eleanor Lewis.
Published
Material consists of one photograph of Eleanor Lewis.
Published
Material consists of one photograph of unidentified individuals. The writing on the reverse is difficult to decipher.
Published
The material consists of one photograph of Thomas Lewis.
Published
The material consists of one photograph of Ann and Thomas Lewis.
Published
The material consists of one photograph of Flora Fairchild (Flora Lewis) holding her daughter Flora Fairchild Tobin.
Published
The material consists of one photograph of Eleanor Lewis.
Published
The material consists of one photograph of an unidentified individual.
Published
The material consists of one photograph portrait of the Lewis Family. Members are identified on reverse.
Published
The material consists of one photograph of Flora Fairchild (Flora Lewis). The writing on the front says “Sincerely yours, Flora Fairchild.”
Published
The material consists of one photograph of Flora (Lewis) Fairchild Tobin holding her daughter Flora Fairchild Tobin with her husband, John William Tobin looking on. Photograph taken by Mr. L. Laurent of Burnham Street, Hartford, Connecticut.
Published
The material consists of one photograph of Flora (Lewis) Fairchild Tobin holding her daughter Flora Fairchild Tobin with her husband, John William Tobin looking on. Photograph taken by Mr. L. Laurent of Burnham Street, Hartford, Connecticut.
Published
The material consists of one photograph, possibly of Leila Lewis.
Published
The material consists of one photograph of an unidentified woman in costume.
Published
The material consists of one photograph of an unidentified woman in a costume.
Published
The material consists of one photograph of an unidentified woman in a costume.
Published
The material consists of one photograph of an unidentified woman in a costume.
Published
Subseries consists of various photographs of actress Julia Arthur posing in costume, acting on stage, as well as engaging in activities such as reading.
Published
The material consists of one photograph of Julia Arthur posed and in costume for “A Lady of Quality."
Published
The material consists of one photograph of Julia Arthur in costume. The writing on the front says “To sister Flora with love from Julia.”
Published
The material consists of one photograph of Julia Arthur in costume. Photograph taken by White Studio.
Published
The material consists of one photograph of Julia Arthur in costume. Photograph taken by White Studio.
Published
The material consists of one photograph of Julia Arthur on stage.
Published
The material consists of one photograph Portrait of Julia Arthur taken by White Studio.
Published
The material consists of one photograph of Julia Arthur sitting at her writing desk reading a letter.
Published
The material consists of one photograph of Julia Arthur sitting in a chair reading.
Published
Series consists of one file folder containing a newspaper obituary for Julia Arthur, along with a letter written by Miss Flora F. Tobin, niece of Julia Arthur, to the Hamilton, Ontario City Clerk Office in regards to obtaining a birth registration notice for her grandfather, Thomas Lewis. The file also contains hand-written, typed and photocopied genealogical records on the Lewis family members. The series also consists of a scrapbook that is divided into two parts. The first half contains newspaper clippings, correspondence and information about Julia Arthur and her performances and career, and the second half contains information about her sister, Flora Fairchild.