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Men of the Time, eleventh edition/Brough, Lionel

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939373Men of the Time, eleventh edition — Brough, LionelThompson Cooper

BROUGH, Lionel, comedian, was born at Pontypool, Monmouthshire, March 10, 1836, being the fourth son of Mr. Barnabas Brough, and a younger brother of the well-known comic authors, "The Brothers Brough." He was educated in the Grammar School, Manchester, and under Mr. W. Williams, of the Priory School, London. His first employment was in the humble capacity of office-boy to Mr. J. Timbs, in the Illustrated London News office, in Douglas Jerrold's time. Subsequently he published the first number of the Daily Telegraph, and for five years he was connected with the Morning Star. Going to Liverpool with other members of the Savage Club to give amateur theatrical performances in aid of the Lancashire Relief Fund, he achieved so decided a histrionic success that he was offered a regular engagement by Mr. A. Henderson, and accordingly made his first professional appearance at the Prince of Wales's Theatre at Liverpool in 1864. Since that date he has played the principal low-comedy characters in London and all through the provinces. He represented Tony Lumpkin, in "She Stoops to Conquer," for upwards of 200 nights. Mr. Brough was manager of Covent Garden Theatre for Mr. Dion Boucicault during the season in which "Babil and Bijou" was produced.