Death of a ballet girl

DEATH OF A BALLET GIRL. - An inquest was held by Mr. John Humphreys, Middlesex coroner, relative to the death of Mary Anne Thorne, better known as Madame Marie Charles, the Columbine at the Pavilion Theatre, who lost her life by being burnt on the stage. Mr. Donne attended to watch the case on the part of the Lord Chamberlain, and Mr. Robert Peckham appeared on behalf of the relatives of the deceased.

The evidence went to show that on the evening of the 6th of January the deceased stumbled, and that her dress went over a "water row" and became ignited at a row of gas jets immediately behind it. There was a ground rail four feet in advance, and it was alleged that deceased had no business to go inside it, and also that no wet blankets were kept in readiness in case of accident.

Eliza Ogden, 58, Banner-street, St. Luke's, a young woman twenty years of age, deposed that she was the "child" referred to in the previous examination, on whom the deceased was leaning at the time of the accident. They were both between the first and second rows on the stage. The gas-lights were behind the second row. Deceased said to witness, "Step in here, dear." They had been cautioned not to go in there, but deceased asked witness to step in nearly every night. The witness's face being turned towards the audience, she only knew deceased was on fire by the glare. She got hold of the deceased to assist her, but some one dragged her away as she was also dressed in gauze. The witness had not heard the stage carpenter call out to come from between the rows. When the deceased  was on fire coats were brought, and also a counterpane or blanket. A blanket was always kept on one side of the wings, and a rug at the other. Witness's dress was found her by the theatre, but she had to wash it herself. The proprietor could have seen that they were between the rows, but he possibly might not have observed them. The witness did not like to go in between them, but she felt bound to obey the Columbine, who was above her. The witness had often said to the ballet girls that she did not like to go between the rows, but she did not remonstrate with the Columbine.

Robert Warden said that he was the Sprite at the Pavilion Theatre. He was not on the stage at the time of the accident. He saw some one bringing a blanket. As they were about to throw it over the deceased, she said, "Don't let these men near me; send me ladies." A man wrapped a blanket round her, and carried her in his arms to the hospital. The fact was notorious that deceased used to go in between the rows. Deceased said to the witness in the hospital that she took fire entirely through her own fault in getting over the ground piece.

H. W. Stacey, laboratory man at the London Hospital, said that he was in the theatre when the deceased caught fire. He got on the stage and carried her to the hospital in a blanket. He did not notice whether the blanket was wet.

Mr. H. Henry, an actor in the pantomime, said that he threw the blanket over the deceased; it was damp, but not dripping wet. It was not that blanket which was used in the previous scene - a gallows scene. The footlights were protected by wires. If wires had been over the lights behind, the accident could not have taken place.

The hospital nurse who received deceased on her admission said that the blankets were damp, wettish.

Mr. Campbell said that he took the theatre in 1856, and he then received instructions respecting the provisions to be made against fires, &c. In 1863 he received a circular from the Lord Chamberlain suggesting further provisions, and he had acted upon it; but he had mislaid the document. He had caused the foot-lights to be protected, and wet blankets and fire buckets to be kept. He had never seen a temporary row of lights protected by guards. He had for a long time refused to have that particular row of gas jets put up, as he considered them dangerous, but the artist insisted, as the effect of the scene was marred without it. He had frequently cautioned the company not to go inside the outer ground row.

The jury, after some deliberation, returned the following verdict:- "That the deceased died from the effects of burns arising from her dress taking fire at a ground light while performing on the stage at the Pavilion Theatre, and that her death was accidental; and the jury recommend that in future the dresses of the ballet dancers should be rendered uninflammable, and that all ground lights should be protected, and the Coroner is requested to forward these suggestions now to the Lord Chamberlain."