MS 336

Reference code

MS 336

Title

Green Armytage - John Martin Harvey collection

Level

Sub-fonds

Administrative / Biographical history

Sir John (Jack) Martin-Harvey (1863 – 1944), known before his knighthood in 1921 as John Martin Harvey, was a distinguished English actor-manager. He was born At Wivenhoe, Essex, son of John Harvey and Margaret Diana Mary (née Goyder). Martin Harvey joined Henry Irving's Lyceum Theatre company in 1882 and played only minor parts in Irving's productions and left the company to start his own. After Irving's death in 1905, Martin Harvey continued to revive his old manager's plays, often using Irving's own props which he had bought. He was also a gifted artist and often drew designs for productions, including actors in performance. He was well-known for his Shakespeare roles, notably as Hamlet and Richard the Third. His most famous play was The Only Way, first produced in February 1899. Martin Harvey and his wife had worked on an adaptation of Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities, later involving playwright Freeman Wills and Irish clergyman Canon Frederick Langbridge and in which Martin Harvey played the lead role of Sydney Carton. Many other plays followed and tours in both Britain and North America. The Only Way was made into a film in 1927 and was a commercial success. It starred Martin Harvey in the lead role.

In 1889 John Martin Harvey married Angelita Helena Maria de Silva Ferro, daughter of a Chilean consul and a fellow actor in Irving's company who used the stage name Miss Nina de Silva, also known as Mimi. During the First World War, the couple toured England giving military recruitment lectures and raising money for the Red Cross and other charities and bought a building for the College of Nursing in 1920, which became a rest home for nurses.

John and Mimi had two children, Muriel Martin-Harvey and Michael Martin-Harvey, both successful actors. John Martin Harvey died at his home in East Sheen, Richmond, Surrey, aged 80.

Robert (Bob) North Green-Armytage (1879-1966) was a lawyer and a major book collector. He and his wife were amateur actors and he had a great interest in plays and actors. From his home in Bristol, he collected books about actors, theatre literature and ephemera; wrote articles on the theatre, became an important theatre historian and also helped various authors of theatre histories. He knew some members of Henry Irving’s company, including John Martin Harvey and his wife, with whom he became firm friends.

Date

1889 - 1970

Extent & medium

3 boxes

Content description

The collection comprises mainly letters, papers, publications, photographs, ephemera and sketches relating to actor-manager John Martin Harvey and his wife Mimi during the course of their careers. It was assembled by John Martin Harvey's close friend and supporter, Robert North Green-Armytage between the 1920s and 1950s.

The collection forms an interesting focus on the life and career of John Martin Harvey. It offers useful material for researchers interested in his acting roles and later productions.

Provenance

Assembled mostly by Robert Green-Armytage during his friendship with John and Mimi Martin Harvey. Papers purchased at auction by Eton College Library.

Arrangement

Artificial arrangement imposed by the archivist.

The collection has been arranged into 8 series:

01. Letters to Robert Green-Armytage from John Martin Harvey and others

02. Publications by or about John Martin Harvey with additional personal compilations by Robert Green-Armytage

03. Collection of Photographic postcards of John and Mimi Martin Harvey

04. Collection of ephemera relating to John Martin Harvey

05. World War I papers of John Martin Harvey

06. Sketches by John Martin Harvey

07. Newspaper cuttings about John Martin Harvey

08. Funeral of John Martin Harvey

Associated material

Bodleian Library: MS. Eng. lett. c. 850 Archive of Robert North Green-Armytage and University of Victoria: Collection SC218 - R. N. Green-Armytage collection