James Henry Marriott (1799 â€" 25 August 1886) was a New Zealand
theatre manager, actor, entertainer, playwright, songwriter, engraver,
optician and bookseller. He was born in London, England, and arrived
in New Zealand three years after the Wellington area was first
settled. In Wellington he was involved with theatrical production at
the Ship Hotel, Olympic Theatre, Britannia Saloon and Royal Lyceum. He
made himself useful in the early days of the settlement by engraving
tombstones, engraving illustrations for newspapers, and grinding
lenses for telescopes. He ran a bookshop and sold sheet music, and
contributed to the organised social and civic life of Wellington. In
New Zealand he was the first regular producer of plays, a playwright
(his play Marcilina premiered in 1848), and the first optics
professional in that country to make a telescope. He was the father of
Alice Marriott and the great-grandfather of Marriott Edgar and Edgar
Wallace.Marriott's parents were Leeds optician William Marriott and
Alice McGuinness. His wife was Sarah Bateman (died Wellington, 1885),
whom he married on 19 May 1822 in Hackney, London. The second of their
three daughters was actress Alice Marriott, born on 17 December 1824
in London, and they had two sons also. He was the great-grandfather of
Marriott Edgar and Edgar Wallace.In July 1842, Marriott left his
family and sailed through gales and wrecks with a drunken captain on
the 497-ton barque Thomas Sparks. He disembarked at Port Nicholson,
New Zealand, nearly seven months later on 31 January 1843, when
Wellington was still a new town of three years. Ten years after that,
his wife and two of their children joined him. On 25 August 1886, he
died in Wellington after a few days' illness.In London, Marriott had
"learned from his father the skills of optician and mathematical
instrument maker", and possibly also his engraving skills, but
initially became a reporter for The Times newspaper. At the same time
he was producing Shakespeare plays, and was involved in acting,
painting and music.
theatre manager, actor, entertainer, playwright, songwriter, engraver,
optician and bookseller. He was born in London, England, and arrived
in New Zealand three years after the Wellington area was first
settled. In Wellington he was involved with theatrical production at
the Ship Hotel, Olympic Theatre, Britannia Saloon and Royal Lyceum. He
made himself useful in the early days of the settlement by engraving
tombstones, engraving illustrations for newspapers, and grinding
lenses for telescopes. He ran a bookshop and sold sheet music, and
contributed to the organised social and civic life of Wellington. In
New Zealand he was the first regular producer of plays, a playwright
(his play Marcilina premiered in 1848), and the first optics
professional in that country to make a telescope. He was the father of
Alice Marriott and the great-grandfather of Marriott Edgar and Edgar
Wallace.Marriott's parents were Leeds optician William Marriott and
Alice McGuinness. His wife was Sarah Bateman (died Wellington, 1885),
whom he married on 19 May 1822 in Hackney, London. The second of their
three daughters was actress Alice Marriott, born on 17 December 1824
in London, and they had two sons also. He was the great-grandfather of
Marriott Edgar and Edgar Wallace.In July 1842, Marriott left his
family and sailed through gales and wrecks with a drunken captain on
the 497-ton barque Thomas Sparks. He disembarked at Port Nicholson,
New Zealand, nearly seven months later on 31 January 1843, when
Wellington was still a new town of three years. Ten years after that,
his wife and two of their children joined him. On 25 August 1886, he
died in Wellington after a few days' illness.In London, Marriott had
"learned from his father the skills of optician and mathematical
instrument maker", and possibly also his engraving skills, but
initially became a reporter for The Times newspaper. At the same time
he was producing Shakespeare plays, and was involved in acting,
painting and music.
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