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Kate Carson as The Slave of the Lamp in 'Aladdin'

45 of 197 portraits by Southwell Brothers

© National Portrait Gallery, London

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Kate Carson as The Slave of the Lamp in 'Aladdin'

by Southwell Brothers
albumen carte-de-visite, 1861
3 1/2 in. x 2 1/4 in. (90 mm x 58 mm) image size
Acquired from Clive Holland, 1959
Photographs Collection
NPG x5686

Sitterback to top

  • Kate Carson (1839?-1916), Actress and burlesque performer. Sitter in 1 portrait.

Artistback to top

  • Southwell Brothers (active 1861-1876), Photographers. Artist or producer associated with 197 portraits.

Placesback to top

Events of 1861back to top

Current affairs

Death of Prince Albert, from typhoid fever. Queen Victoria goes into a long period of mourning, withdrawing from public duties, and becomes known by the satirical title 'Widow of Windsor'.

Art and science

Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management is published by her husband Sidney, who successfully maintained the Beeton brand after his wife's early death seven years later. The highly popular book, containing recipes and advice for housekeeping, appealed to the Victorian belief that a woman's role was managing the home.
Morris, Marshall, Faulkner and Company is founded, marking the start of the arts and crafts movement.

International

The American civil war begins after the Confederate army attacks Union forces at Fort Sumter in April. The Confederates, comprised of eleven southern states who seceded from the Union over the right to independence on issues such as abolition, are presided over by Jefferson Davis, formerly senator of Mississippi. Although the Union had early successes, the Confederates' victory at Bull Run sets the Union up for a long, four-year war.

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John Culme

02 June 2020, 16:24

Kate Carson (Kate/Catherine Carson, 1839? - 12 December 1916), English actress, best known for her work in burlesque at the Strand Theatre. Her career began probably in 1856 and ended with her retirement in the mid 1870s.

Of Kate Carson's parentage, nothing is known of her father; her mother, Catherine Carson (1804/1806-1891) was born in Dublin. Miss Carson herself was born in London and in the 1871 and 1881 Censuses she was living as his second wife with Charles Cleve (1826?-1900), a German-born naturalised British citizen and Member of the Stock Exchange. His first wife, Adeline (née Stiebel), died at the age of 20 in 1857. Mr. Cleve and Miss Carson were married in 1884. Mr. Cleve died on 26 August 1900 and was buried at the Balls Pond Cemetery. Among the bequests in his will were £100 apiece to Kate Carson's two nephews.

The NPG's Southwell Brothers' photograph of Miss Carson as The Slave of the Lamp dates from 1861, when she was cast in that role in H.J. Byron's burlesque extravaganza, Aladdin; or, The Wonderful Lamp, which was produced at the Strand Theatre, London on 1 April 1861. The Era in its review of the piece wrote: 'Miss Kate Carson, in a charmingly characteristic costume, was a slave of the lamp that the owner might be readily excused for not emancipating.' (Sunday, 7 April 1861, p. 10d)