Julia Gwynne

Julia Gwynne (1856 – 10 June 1934) was an English opera singer and actress best remembered for her performances with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company from 1879 to 1883. She married producer George Edwardes.

Gwynne was born Julia Lavinia Putney at Marylebone, London, England in 1856 to David Putney and his wife, who owned the 'Black Boy' public house in Hampstead.

George Edwardes, later Gwynne's husband, was a manager for Richard D'Oyly Carte at the Opera Comique and later Carte's managing director of the Savoy Theatre. He brought Gwynne with him in 1879 to join the chorus in D'Oyly Carte's company in Gilbert and Sullivan's hit opera H.M.S. Pinafore. Gwynne's sister, actress Emma Gwynne (born Emma Putney), also sang in Iolanthe with Gwynn.

During Pinafore, Gwynne was called before the stage manager, Richard Barker, for laughing on stage during a performance. Despite her protest that it was only her "natural amiable expression," she was fined half a crown. Gwynne then played Maria in Frank Desprez and Alfred Cellier's companion piece, After All! from 1879–80, when Jessie Bond travelled to New York City to create the role of Edith in the American production of The Pirates of Penzance. When Pirates received its London premiere in April 1880, Gwynne created the role of Edith there. Bond returned in July to play Edith, and Gwynne switched to the smaller role of Kate and also played the role of Mrs. Liverby in the new curtain raiser, In the Sulks, by Desprez and Cellier.

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