Avonia Stanhope Jones Brooke (July , â€" October , ) was an American
actress, best known for tragic roles.Jones was born and died in New
York City. She came from a theatrical family, the daughter of George
"Count Joannes" Jones (-) and Melinda Jones (c. - ). Her father was
an eccentric who was originally a serious Shakespearean actor; he
later assumed a title, wrote books, practiced law, and put on
increasingly ridiculed productions of Shakespeare. Her mother was a
well-regarded actress who travelled with her daughter at the beginning
of her career. Avonia and her older sister Caroline were in the
custody of their mother after their parents' separation, probably in
when George Jones left for Europe; their parents were divorced in
.Jones' first appearance on the stage was in April , in Cincinnati,
Ohio as "Parthenia" in "Ingomar". She toured America extensively in
various productions, including one of Romeo and Juliet in which her
mother played Romeo and Jones Juliet. In she toured Australia, where
she met Irish actor/producer Gustavus Vaughan Brooke, later her
husband. She travelled to the United Kingdom with Brooke and her
mother, Melinda Jones, on the SS Great Britain. They left Melbourne on
May , and arrived in Liverpool August . After leaving Australia she
made her London debut November , at the Drury Lane Theatre as
"Medea". She returned to America in . In late and early she toured
with producer Augustin Daly, mostly in Union-held areas of the
Confederacy. Abraham Lincoln and his family saw her at Grover's
Theatre in Washington, D.C. in January . She returned to England in
late , and brought with her an American adaption of East Lynne, in
which she appeared as "Isabel"; this played to considerable success.
She then appeared at the New Surrey Theatre in London in another
production of "East Lynne", in February . Adapted for the stage by
John Oxenford, it was popular and critically acclaimed. She also
appeared as heroine "Kate Gaunt" in Charles Reade's adaption of his
novel Griffith Gaunt in Newcastle upon Tyne and Manchester. Her
appearances in Manchester in the summer of were her last; after
returning to America, she died of consumption at a boarding house at
Bond Street in New York, October , , at the age of . She was buried in
Mount Auburn Cemetery in Watertown, Massachusetts.
actress, best known for tragic roles.Jones was born and died in New
York City. She came from a theatrical family, the daughter of George
"Count Joannes" Jones (-) and Melinda Jones (c. - ). Her father was
an eccentric who was originally a serious Shakespearean actor; he
later assumed a title, wrote books, practiced law, and put on
increasingly ridiculed productions of Shakespeare. Her mother was a
well-regarded actress who travelled with her daughter at the beginning
of her career. Avonia and her older sister Caroline were in the
custody of their mother after their parents' separation, probably in
when George Jones left for Europe; their parents were divorced in
.Jones' first appearance on the stage was in April , in Cincinnati,
Ohio as "Parthenia" in "Ingomar". She toured America extensively in
various productions, including one of Romeo and Juliet in which her
mother played Romeo and Jones Juliet. In she toured Australia, where
she met Irish actor/producer Gustavus Vaughan Brooke, later her
husband. She travelled to the United Kingdom with Brooke and her
mother, Melinda Jones, on the SS Great Britain. They left Melbourne on
May , and arrived in Liverpool August . After leaving Australia she
made her London debut November , at the Drury Lane Theatre as
"Medea". She returned to America in . In late and early she toured
with producer Augustin Daly, mostly in Union-held areas of the
Confederacy. Abraham Lincoln and his family saw her at Grover's
Theatre in Washington, D.C. in January . She returned to England in
late , and brought with her an American adaption of East Lynne, in
which she appeared as "Isabel"; this played to considerable success.
She then appeared at the New Surrey Theatre in London in another
production of "East Lynne", in February . Adapted for the stage by
John Oxenford, it was popular and critically acclaimed. She also
appeared as heroine "Kate Gaunt" in Charles Reade's adaption of his
novel Griffith Gaunt in Newcastle upon Tyne and Manchester. Her
appearances in Manchester in the summer of were her last; after
returning to America, she died of consumption at a boarding house at
Bond Street in New York, October , , at the age of . She was buried in
Mount Auburn Cemetery in Watertown, Massachusetts.
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