Talk:Huntley Wright

FREDERICK Wright?
Whare did the idea that Huntley Wright was born Frederick Wright come from? It is known that Fred Wright Jnr was is brother. Why is there a link to Fred Wright Jnr's D'Oyly page on this page when this is NOT Huntley Wright? Surely repeatedly "copying" other sites incorrect details DOES NOT MAKE IT TRUE!!! Ozzi0206 (talk) 08:12, 7 September 2009 (UTC)


 * Someone wrote - The Tatler 1/1/1902 refers to Fred Wright Snr as "the father of the five". "The five" are Maria (Marie), Frederick (Fred Jnr), Ada (Haidee), Walter (Huntley) and Albert (Bertie). Why would they have two brothers named Fred, born three years apart?...  The 1871 census is as follows: Frederic Wright - Head - 43 - Comedian Jessie - Wife - 30 - ditto Maria - Dau - 7 - scholar Frederick - Son - 5 - ditto Ada - Dau - 3 - ditto Walter - Son - 2 - --- Jane Curtis - Aunt - 44 - domestic servant Albert - Son - 2m  He married Christine Monica Margaret Taylor in Kensington London on July 27, 1898 using the name Huntley WrightItalic text. (Certificate of Registration obtained from GRO).  Huntley Wright was present at the death of his father Frederick 19/Oct/1911 in Hampstead London.... (signed by anon. user)

Hello. What page number in the Tatler is that? Does the Tatler article say the names of the children right in the article? What other information is in that article? The 1871 census and Ada Reeve info are very helpful! Thanks! Any other references you can find will be helpful, and I would enjoy helping you to expand Wright's article if you have more information that you wish to share. Please see WP:RS for information on what kinds of sources we can accept. All the best! -- Ssilvers (talk) 23:57, 7 September 2009 (UTC)

More info re: Wright
Thanks so much for fixing that up. You did a wonderful job! I don't have full details for the Tatler reference, just that. But it came from my uncle, so I will follow it up. You noted Fred Jnr's incorrect birth date. It should be 8th March 1865, 49 Castle Street, Dover. Father: Frederick Wright, Mother: Jessie Wright formerly Francis, Father Occupation: Theatrical Performer and Comedian. (Birth Certificate GRO). Anyway, back to Huntley. "...until the world war when he enlisted in September 1914. He became a second lieutenant in December of that year, a lieutenant in November, 1916, and a captain in 1917. He was demobolized in 1919."... "He had been engaged mainly in radio work during the period from 1936-1939." New York Times (Obituary) July 12, 1939. I have a lot more to sift through. Will extract more over the next few days. You can decide what is relevant to the page. I'm just glad that the name correction was made. Pretty important piece of information. As for the birth date of Huntley...I will be ordering a copy of that certificate soon. I will advise you of details. Some other references you may be interested in: June 1906 The Geisha at Daley’s Theatre “Huntley Wright, succeeded by his brother Fred Wright Jnr, as Wun Hi” http://footlightnotes.tripod.com/ Footlight Notes No.298 1910 BERTIE WRIGHT sheet music “I’m waiting here for Minnie” http://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2930141 August 30, 1910 FRED WRIGHT JNR review of Our Miss Gibbs in New York Times  http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9C04E7D61E39E333A25753C3A96E9C946196D6CF  February 14, 1911 FRED WRIGHT JNR  Fred Wright in Vaudeville, New York Times http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9B02E1DC1438E033A25757C1A9649C946096D6CF  Not sure what you will be interested in using. Thanks again. 122.104.9.144 (talk) 11:00, 8 September 2009 (UTC)


 * Thanks for all the new info. I have added some of this.  Yes, please do let us have the page numbers if you can find them.  We have enough info on Fred in this article already, since it is Walter's article, not Fred's.  Some day, perhaps, we'll do a separate article on Fred., but he was not as famous as Huntley Wright, and I don't have time to start an article on him now.  But I fixed his birth year.  Is there anything else in the NY Times obituary for Huntley Wright that we should include?  That seems promising.  Any other info from London obits that I have neglected?  All the best, -- Ssilvers (talk) 19:05, 8 September 2009 (UTC)

Mary Fraser
It has been added that Christine Monica Taylor is Mary Fraser. Christine was Huntley's first wife. He petitioned for divorce in Jan 1911 (London Times Jan 12 1911). He married Mary M Smith in (Sep)1911 (GRO Index, Walter T C Wright - which is Walter Thomas C for birth name in GRO index). Could this be Mary Fraser? They had a son Mackinder Huntley Wright; also used the name Huntley Mackinder Wright (see probate notice http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/issues/35288/pages/5623/page.pdf AND son's listing on Roll of Honour http://www.roll-of-honour.org.uk/Cemeteries/Taukkyan_War_Cemetery/W/html/wr.htm). I see that Huntley performed with Lionel Mackinder, possibly his son's name was a tribute (?) Betty Jessie Wright (Betty Huntley-Wright) was born (Mar)1912 (GRO Index); also the daughter of Mary Smith. Another daughter, Josephine M Huntley Wright was born (Sep) 1918 (GRO Index); she appeared in 'some' movies/TV (see IMDb). Ozzi0206 (talk) 12:53, 10 September 2009 (UTC)
 * Mea culpa. In most unscholarly vein I made an assumption that the wife already mentioned in previous versions of the article was the same as the one mentioned in the obits. I shall go and do some more digging. I am also trying to pin down the date of HW's debut in the play that his father toured interminably. You have no idea how many copies of The Era one has to comb! Meanwhile, pray edit ad lib. - Tim riley (talk) 18:06, 10 September 2009 (UTC)
 * Further enquiry clarifies things fairly well on the two marriages, but complicates matters on the progeny front. The Times for 12 Jan 1911 is clear enough on the first marriage: m. 1898, separated 1907, div. 1911; no children. The second wife Mary, married in 1911, can only be Mary Smith a.k.a. Mary Fraser: the GRO index confirms the former, and obits and Who's Who in the Theatre confirm the latter. So far so good, but Betty Huntley-Wright's entry in Who's Who in the Theatre, 1967 ed, gives her mother as Mary Fraser but her (Betty's) date of birth as 3 December 1911, not March 1912 as noted above. It is surely unheard of for an actress to add to her real age. If 3 Dec 1911 is correct, Miss Smith/Fraser was six months pregnant at the time of her marriage to Wright. March 1912 seems more likely from the point of view of pre WWI social acceptability. This need not affect this article, but Betty Huntley-Wright is redlinked and I am planning to write her up, which will be a bit tricky if we aren't even sure when she was born. Thoughts from Ozzi or SSilvers (or others) would be greatly appreciated. Tim riley (talk) 07:24, 11 September 2009 (UTC)

The article is looking good! I can't believe I hesitated so long in getting involved. RE: Betty's birth... Is the GRO index date according to when the birth was registered? Maybe she had been born earlier but not registered until a later date? Possible? I believe Walter's published birthdate is incorrect. I ordered his birth certificate a couple of days ago, so I will have a confirmed date of birth in a week or two. It is worth noting that the Times divorce petition Jan 12, 1911 states that WALTER had the stage name HUNTLEY. This is probably the most compelling evidence that Huntley's birth name was Walter, not Frederick (IMDb were notified, with evidence, over a year ago and despite a request to update this they still have not). An article on Betty would be good. I have a couple of Play Pictorial references if they will help. I would like to (one day, when I have compiled everything coherently) start an article on Fred & Jessie and the family. One day.....Ozzi0206 (talk) 09:50, 11 September 2009 (UTC)
 * Excellent. Happy to help if I can. I'll alert you on your talk page when I have the bones of an article on Betty H-W completed and all contributions will be gladly received. Tim riley (talk) 11:03, 11 September 2009 (UTC)

SECOND THOUGHTS....If Betty was born 3rd Dec 1911, then maybe her birth was not registered until Jan 1912 (after the Christmas break?), thus having her birth registered in the Jan-March QTR. That makes sense. Ozzi0206 (talk) 12:35, 11 September 2009 (UTC)

Broadcasting; article progress
The article refers to HW in a 1927 revival of the R of P. I can find no trace in the Times archive or anywhere else of a staged revival in that year (and the reference link in the article takes you to Page Not Found). The BBC transmitted a complete studio performance in that year, with HW in the cast, and I suspect that is what is meant here. (The Times, 29 Nov 1927, p. 21). HW is listed first of the cast members, and I assume he played Hassan, but cannot definitely confirm that. - Tim riley (talk) 10:45, 11 September 2009 (UTC)
 * Later - the same goes for Miss Hook of Holland. I have removed refs to the "stage" revivals. Tim riley (talk) 11:00, 11 September 2009 (UTC)

Super work, Tim! I am adding another image. -- Ssilvers (talk) 13:52, 11 September 2009 (UTC)

Huntley's birth
I received the birth certificate today. Born Walter Thomas Curtis Wright on 7th August 1868 (registered Jan 1869). Son of Frederick Wright and Jessie Wright formerly Curtis. This contradicts Fred Jnr's birth certificate which states Jessie Wright formerly Francis. Haven't sorted that one out yet, because Bertie's birth certificate states Jessie Emma Frances Wright formerly Curtis. I understend that this isn't really helpful, but at least it can be documented here in the discussion page. If anyone knows or finds anything....Ozzi0206 (talk) 08:04, 25 September 2009 (UTC)


 * Thanks. I fixed the birthdate and will wait for confirmation on Curtis v. Francis from you. -- Ssilvers (talk) 13:53, 25 September 2009 (UTC)
 * Loud applause! Is anything ever correct? Who's Who begat the DNB and the DNB begat the Times obit - and they're all wrong. Congratulations to Ozzi on a definitive piece of digging. Tim riley (talk) 20:35, 25 September 2009 (UTC)

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Infobox - Yay or Nay?
So based on the edit that made in which they removed the infobox from the article, I will start a conversation regarding adding one to the article. Not quite sure as to why it was removed in the first place as most other articles have one and a consensus is not required. So to be short and sweet should this article have the infobox added? — Mr Xaero   ☎️ 16:15, 8 August 2018 (UTC)


 * I did not remove it. Someone else added it, and I reverted.  This article should not have an infobox.  It is not true that consensus is not required. In fact, the Arbcon decision specifically requires that consensus be required for new infoboxes on existing articles.


 * The Manual of Style says: "Whether to include an infobox ... is determined through discussion and consensus among the editors at each individual article." While sports and politician bios can benefit from infoboxes, most articles in liberal arts fields, as here, do not. See arbitration report: "Infoboxes may be particularly unsuited to liberal arts fields when they repeat information already available in the lead section of the article, are misleading or oversimplify the topic for the reader". I disagree with including an infobox in this article because: (1) The box would emphasize unimportant factoids stripped of context and lacking nuance, in competition with the WP:LEAD section, which emphasizes and contextualizes the most important facts. (2) Since the most important points in the article are already discussed in the Lead, or adequately discussed in the body of the article, the box would be redundant. (3) It would take up valuable space at the top of the article and hamper the layout and impact of the Lead. (4) Frequent errors creep into infoboxes, as updates are made to the articles but not reflected in the redundant info in the box. (5) The infobox template creates a block of code at the top of the edit screen that discourages new editors from editing the article. (6) It would discourage readers from reading the text of the article. (7) IBs distract editors from focusing on the content of the article. Instead of improving the article, they spend time working on this repetitive feature and its coding and formatting. See also WP:DISINFOBOX. -- Ssilvers (talk) 09:10, 9 August 2018 (UTC)