Harry Edwards (September 3, 1824-June 9, 1891) was elected to The Lambs in 1888 as a Professional member. He was an actor born in England who worked with many Lambs. Edwards was also a renowned expert in entomology–the scientific study of insects–with a collection of 300,000 specimens. After his death, Lambs’ friends donated it to the American Museum of Natural History as the cornerstone of their collection. Edwards worked in the company of Shepherd J. Lester Wallack and the founding members of The Lambs. His death from advanced Bright’s disease with complications from chronic pneumonia was front page news around the world. The San Francisco Examiner wrote:
“Harry Edwards, the well-known actor, died suddenly at his home in New York early this morning. He had been sick for the last two months and had been gradually failing, the immediate cause of death being heart failure, due to dropsy. He went out in a carriage yesterday afternoon, it being thought that he would be helped by the drive.”
The full account from the Examiner:
Harry Edwards was born in Bristol, England, September 3, 1824, and made his first appearance on the stage in Australia. In 1866, he came to this country and began a professional career in San Francisco, being for a number of years manager of John McCullough’s Theatre in that city. He remained in San Francisco until about 1880, when he went to New York and enjoined the stock company at Wallack’s Theatre. Subsequently he went to Australia as manager of A.M. Palmer’s “Little Lord Fauntelory” organization. He returned last year to join Augustin Daly’s Company. His last appearance here was in the part of Oliver in “The School For Scandal.”
He expected to go to England this summer, and would have gone west with Mr. Daly had he been in good health. In addition to his reputation as an actor, Harry Edwards was known as a most enthusiastic entomologist, and in his house he had one of the best collections in America. He was at the time of his death president of the American Entomological Society.
Harry Edwards was agnostic, and for that reason no religious service will be held at his funeral… He leaves no children. His wife [Marianne Elizabeth Woolcott Bray] was at one time the wife of Gustavus V. Brooke.
Dr. Harvey W. Harkness, president of the California Academy of Sciences, wrote:
“I have known Harry Edwards for nearly 30 years, during all that time I have never met a man more easy to approach, more gentlemanly in all his dealings with his fellows, or of a more pleasant and agreeable manner.
He has had for some time the most complete collection of any private individual. I can say without hesitation there is not in the world today a better collection of insects, outside a few public institutions, then not left by Harry Edwards.
Only four weeks ago he wrote me saying that his collection embraces 300,000 numbers of winged insects. He did not collect them all personally, but received considerable additions through exchanging. While not a thoroughly scientific etymologist, he was still one of the most energetic collectors of the present school of entomologists. For 20 years, he has been a member of the California Academy of Sciences, and for several years was a vice president of the institution.
The last time I was with him was 18 months ago as he was returning from Australia. He was in the city for a few days and since that time I’ve been in constant correspondence with him. I had intended writing to him tomorrow, but regret that I am debarred from doing so. Henry Edward’s name and memory will ever live in annals of American etymologists.
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The Chronicle:
Harry Edwards has spoken his farewell lines and has made his exit from the stage of life in the manner that all good men and Actors should – – by the right upper exit. He passed away in New York yesterday morning, and the announcement of his death, as may be well believed, was a great shock to all of his old California friends.
He was a prince of genial fellows, and but little lower than a prince among good actors. Although standing high in his profession, he ranked much higher in the social scale. He was one of those rare men who returned friendship measure for measure, and he was never found to give a lightweight in return for social obligations.
Mr. Edwards was also a Bohemian, and one of the pioneer members of the Bohemian Club of the city in 1872. Tommy Newcomb was the first grandsire of the organization, and Edwards succeeded him as the second. He was reelected in 1874, 1876, and 1877.”
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Harry Edwards died June 9, 1891, at age 66; he had hid his true age for many years. His widow was Marianne Elizabeth Woolcott Bray (she was first married to actor Gustavus Vaughan Brooke and left him. Brooke then married actress Avonia Jones; Brooke then drowned in Australia in 1866). Edwards and Bray lived together in San Francisco and New York as husband and wife for two decades.
Edwards was not only a founder of the Bohemian Club (1872), but also a founder (and secretary) of the Actor’s Fund (1882) with Lambs’ Shepherd J. Lester Wallack, and the Players (1888) with his close friend, Edwin Booth.
His non-religious services were held at his home in East Harlem under the auspices of The Lambs. It was led by Lamb William Winter, who gave a warm address. It was thronged by members of his clubs and associations.
The pallbearers were a who’s who of New York theatre in the Gilded Age: two presidents of the Actors Fund (both Lambs) Louis Aldrich and A. M. Palmer; Lambs Maurice Barrymore and Joseph Jefferson; William Bispham, actor and secretary and treasurer of The Players; Charles Walter Couldock, Shakespearean actor; J. H. Magonigle, editor and publisher of theatrical prompt-books; George Parsons Lathrop, poet and member of The Players’ and of the Authors’ Clubs; Theodore Moss, manager of Wallack’s Theatre; James H. Stoddart, actor in Wallack’s Company; Joseph H. Tooker, lithographer and printer; and James B. Wright, the Actor’s Fund.
Edwards was cremated at Fresh Pond Crematory, Queens. The location of his cremains today is unknown. The legacy of Harry Edwards lives on in the world of entomology today. The “Hy. Edw.” designation appended to some butterfly species names indicates first description by Harry Edwards. He named moths after female characters in Shakespeare plays. Edwards collected, classified, and named the moth species Catocala ophelia and Catocala hermia in 1880, and Catocala desdemona in 1882.
–Researched by Shepherd Kevin C. Fitzpatrick, 2025.