A taste for the dramatic?

Muriel Campbell

Like a few of our other guests, Muriel decided that she wasn't going to sign on a page with a slogan, but instead to freestyle it on a blank page.

Muriel Millesaintes Lilian Long was the eldest daughter of Robert Chaloner Critchley Long and his wife Maud Felicia Frances Ann nee Johnson. We have met Robert and Maud's other two daughters previously.

Muriel was born in 1885 in Kingston Bagpuize, before moving with her family to Wye House in Marlborough where Robert worked as a brewer and wine merchant (as per 1891 census). By 1901 the family had moved to Ludford, Shropshire.

On June 28, 1904, 19-year-old Muriel married Noel Dawson Henry Campbell at St George's Church in Hanover Square. At that time, Noel was a Captain in the 7th Dragoon Guards and listed his residence as 15 Holland Park. His father, Louis Alexander Campbell, who had been the Consul General in Salvador, was deceased by the time of the marriage. Through newspaper archives, the earliest instance I found of Noel and Muriel being in the same location was in February 1904. The Ludlow Advertiser reported on February 13, 1904, about amateur theatricals at the Town Hall, organized to raise funds for a parish hall at Ludford. Among the actors mentioned were Mrs. Robert Long (Muriel's mother), Muriel, and Captain Campbell.

Muriel and Noel settled into the life of a fashionable young couple. In August 1904, they holidayed at the chic and fashionable resort of Llandrindod Wells (https://www.llandrindodwellstowncouncil.co.uk/spa/) likely taking the waters and enjoying outdoor sports such as golf. According to the Radnorshire Standard (17th August 1904, 7th September 1904), the couple stayed at The Lindens for around a month:

During their time in Llandrindod Wells, the couple took part in theatrical performances in Bourton (south of Much Wenlock). The Wellington Journal (3rd September 1904) noted that "Captain and Mrs Noel Campbell played admirably the difficult roles of the phantoms". Further dramatic performances were held at Baschurch (Wellington Journal, 24th December 1904), in aid of the church restoration fund.

In February 1908, Muriel gave birth to their only child, Diana Rosario Campbell. Two years later, The Sphinx newspaper (12 Feb 1910) notes that at a fancy dress ball held at the Savoy Hotel, Cairo, "Mrs Noel Campbell was as pretty as a picture in her big Tuscany hat". It is likely that Noel had been posted to Cairo with his regiment, but at the moment no passenger manifests exist. Captain and Mrs Noel Campbell are mentioned in the January 1910 edition of The Sphinx - with Muriel being identified as showing great dexterity in roller skating.

At the moment, I am struggling to find Muriel and Diana on the 1911 census, but Noel was with his regiment in Secunderabad, India. Perhaps Muriel had accompanied Noel, or was travelling abroad with Diana. Certainly, there seems to be a few months where Muriel doesn't appear in the newspapers - according to the Wiltshire Times and Trowbridge Advertiser (4th June 1910) Muriel took part in entertainments raising money for Lacock and Bowden Hill Troop of Boy Scouts, and she attended the wedding of her relation in November 1911 (Clifton Society 30 November 1911) meaning there is a gap of around 18 months where Muriel is unaccounted for.

In September 1914, World War 1 was declared. The 7th Dragoon Guards were moved from India to France and it seems likely that Noel was with them.

Muriel seems to have resumed her dramatic interests. The Stage (22 March 1917) reports that "Martin Harvey [Sir John Martin-Harvey] is regaling his many admirers by appearing in a new role - that of David Garrick in T W Robertson's version......... The support is excellent despite the absence of Miss de Silva, whose place is prettily filled by Muriel Campbell".

6 months later, the article to the left appeared in the Daily Mirror (18 October 1917).

By the time of the 1921 census, Noel and Muriel were living at Brinkworth House, Brinkworth, Chippenham. Their daughter, Diana isn't shown with them on the census return so perhaps she was away at school.

As well as having an interest in acting and the theatre, Muriel also seems to have had a keen interest in politics - perhaps not surprising as her uncles, grandfather and great-grandfather were or had been MPs. On more that one occasion, she combined both of these interests - the North Wilts Herald (30 May 1924) reports on an evening of entertainments in aid of the Women's Conservative Association where Muriel performed in a "clever little duologue called "The Restaurant"". Furthermore, in July 1924, Muriel was instrumental in setting up a Malmesbury branch of the Junior Imperial League - a fore runner of the Young Conservatives group - and became their inaugural Chairman (North Wilts Herald, 18 July 1924).

1925 seems to have been a turning point in Muriel's life. In July, she was part of a very successful fundraiser in support of Malmesbury Cottage hospital. According to the North Wilts Herald (31 July 1925), Muriel organised a 'Gypsy Encampment' with stalls including fortune telling, and a police dog demonstration drawing on her sister's training of Alsation police dogs and the famous Crumstone Flora. Six weeks later, the notice (right) of a sale of household furniture and effects appeared in the North Wilts Herald (11 Sept 1925). No further information about Muriel or Noel can be found in any of the Wiltshire newspapers available on Find My Past.

It is possible that taking to the stage in a more professional capacity than previously may have been on Noel and Muriel's minds. In 1923 and 1924, Noel had accompanied Sir John Martin-Harvey's theatre company on a tour of the US and Canada, and from around 1927 he seemed to have become part of Matheson Lang's theatre company. The Stage newspaper mentions that Noel was the Honorary Stage Director in a Drury Lane theatre production of The Wandering Jew (26 May 1927), before touring with other plays including "The Chinese Bungalow " (1927), and "Such Men Are Dangerous" (1928).

However, the house move may also to have been to more easily facilitate Muriel's daughter, Diana in attending Veterinary College (see article on the right from the Daily Express, 30 November 1928).

At present, I can't find anything to demonstrate whether Muriel was involved in any professional theatre productions between 1925 and the end of the decade, however she appears on a passenger list departing the UK on December 26th 1931 bound for Halifax, Canada. In this list, she is very clearly part of the Sir Martin-Harvey's theatrical troop. The Tatler (3 August 1932) gives an indication of the length of the tour, stating "Mrs Noel Campbell, who acts under the name of Muriel Hume, has just returned from a protracted Canadian tour with Sir John Martin-Harvey's company, playing among other parts that of Lady Amory in 'Kings Messenger'".

On the passenger manifest of 1931, Muriel gives her address as Sudbrook Lodge. This fits with the address given in the Daily Express article to the left, and a notice in the Bromley and West Kent Mercury (16 June 1933) which invited people to a garden party at Sudbrook Lodge, Ham Common. This party was thrown by Noel and Muriel Campbell in aid of the People's National Theatre. Amazingly, a photo of this event survives, licensed by Getty Images, you can see Muriel with Miss Nancy Price, founder of the People's National Theatre here.

Sudbrook Lodge, Ham Common

Possibly, Muriel first got involved with the People's National Theatre when she appeared in the John Masefield play "The Witch" in February 1933 at the Little Theatre in the Adelphi - the home of the PNT, alongside Nancy Price. She subsequently appeared in John Galsworthy's "The Little Man" in 1934, also at the Little Theatre; this production was produced by Nancy Price.

Around this time, there was also a drive for a National Theatre to become established. This eventually happened in 1963 (the history of the National Theatre can be found here) but in 1937 a Coronation Costume Ball was held, with Muriel being one of the performers. The programme and fliers for the event can be seen here.

Diana Campbell was also forging her career. The West Middlesex Gazette (1 Dec 1934) wrote an article on her, and with female vets still being a bit of a novelty, focused more on her appearance than on her ability....... "Miss Diana Campbell, MRCVS, Veterinary Surgeon at teh Hanwell and Ealing RSPCA Shelter, Uxbridge Road..........is 26 years old, slim, tall and a brunette. She is a typical example of the outdoor girl, with short cropped hair, heavy tweeds and sensible brogues. Hobbies are reading and hockey, and her greatest ambition is to have a practice of her own". The practice of her own was to come into fruition by 1937, however the reason we know this is down to a tragic incident where a young female assistant died through suicide (see Daily Mirror, 30 June 1937) at the surgery in Overton Gardens.

The 1939 Register shows Noel and Muriel still living at Sudbrook Lodge. With them on the Register was Arnold Rooke, an actor who had worked with Noel and Muriel on several productions for the Martin-Harvey Company. Neither Noel or Muriel give their profession as part of the acting community - Noel states that he is the Secretary of Arthur's Club, a well known Gentleman's Club based at 69 St James Street, and Muriel is shown as "unpaid domestic duties". Diana is at 39 Howberry Road, Stanmore, apparently lodging with the Freeman family.

Muriel died on 7th June 1943 at St Anne's Hospital, Salisbury, Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). Her father had died in Rhodesia in 1938 and her sister Joan had died there in 1941. A memorial service was held in West Ashton Church, Wiltshire, England on Sunday 16th July 1944 to commemorate Muriel and Joan.