Lilian Baylis

Lilian Mary Baylis
Lilian Baylis and friend c. 1920
Born	(1874-05-09)9 May 1874 London
Died	25 November 1937(1937-11-25) (aged 63) London
Cause of death	Myocardial infarction
Resting place	East London Cemetery
Nationality	British
Occupation	Theatrical producer and manager
Known for	Revived Old Vic and Sadler's Wells Theatre. Founded forerunners of English National Opera, National Theatre and Royal Ballet.

Lilian Mary BaylisCH (9 May 1874 – 25 November 1937) was an English theatrical producer and manager. She managed the Old Vic and Sadler's Wells theatres in London and ran an opera company, which became the English National Opera (ENO); a theatre company, which evolved into the English National Theatre; and a ballet company, which eventually became The Royal Ballet.

Lilian Baylis was born in Marylebone, London, England to parents Newton Baylis and Elizabeth (Liebe) Cons. She was the eldest of six children, and grew up surrounded by music and performance. Her mother was a successful vocalist and pianist, and Baylis's education was grounded in the arts; she began performing and teaching music at an early age. She attended St. Augustine's school, Kilburn. She also took violin lessons with leading professionals, such as John Tiplady Carrodus, who was principal first violin at Covent Garden.

In 1891, the Baylis family emigrated to South Africa when their performance troupe "The Gypsy Revellers" were offered a long-term contract to tour and perform there. As a teenager Lilian played violin and mandolin in "The Gypsy Revellers". She also taught her mother's music and dance students. She earned a good living and played in many concerts. When Baylis fell ill and had to have an operation on her kidneys, her family became concerned for her heath, especially as the country was in turmoil after the Jameson Raid. Baylis returned to London to recuperate and her aunt Emma Cons offered her a job at The Royal Victoria Hall and Coffee Tavern which she managed. Baylis spent most of her adolescent years in South Africa and, in leaving, she left behind her family, many close friends, and a fiance.

Baylis assisted Emma Cons in running The Royal Victoria Hall and Coffee Tavern near Waterloo station, and gradually took on more management duties running concerts, film shows, lecture programmes and variety shows. Following Cons' death in 1912, Baylis became lessee and obtained a theatre license for The Royal Victoria Hall to begin staging theatrical performances.