Ophelia Powell – A Victorian music hall star and “Lady of Colour”

By John D Ellis

For over a decade in the second half of the nineteenth century, Ophelia Powell was a music hall star. A serio-comic vocalist, who used comedy to explore serious issues, she was billed as “a lady of colour”. According to Sam Beale, female serio-comics were “…associated with gritty and witty portrayals of the lives of lower-class Victorians and frequently engaged in ironic representations of ‘acceptable’ versions of female behaviour in performances”.^[1]Beale, Sam. “Funny and disturbing: women’s serio-comic performances on the Victorian music hall”. www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/2040610X.2022.2091734#abstract They provided a “…commentary on the social conditions of the Victorian poor…” particularly “…the lives, opinions and problems of working-class women”.^[2]Ibid. Beale suggests that they “pre-empted modern stand-up techniques”, with acts involving jokes, singing and improvised audience participation.^[3]Ibid. Inevitably, they became adroit at dealing with hecklers. According to Sam Beale, one female serio-comic, Bessie Bellwood (1856-1896) was particularly adept at dealing with problematic audience members, telling one “Don’t open your mouth so wide. You’ll cut your throat with your collar”.^[4]Ibid.

Ophelia Powell shared the same billing with performers, both Black and White, whose acts were described as either “negr*es” or “n*ggers”. (This format of transcription is being used to avoid causing offence, but also to not sanitise the contemporary language individuals like Ophelia Powell were subjected to). Some were comedians, others were vocalists or minstrels. Nothing is known as to how Ophelia Powell, a female ‘of colour’, navigated the world she inhabited. However, all bar one of the contemporary newspaper reports identified, appear to positively distinguish her from other performers ‘of colour’ (or those pretending to be so). Whilst performing in Norwich at ‘The Forester’s Gala’ in June 1868, a report by The Norfolk Chronicle and Norwich Gazette revealed the casual racism of the time, and something of the prejudice faced by Ophelia Powell: “There was comic, serio and serio comic “talent”, and among the vocal performers were some n*ggers, one of whom was styled by courtesy, “a lady of colour” named Miss Ophelia Powell”.^[5]The Norfolk Chronicle and Norwich Gazette, 6 June 1868. findmypast.co.uk

The only part of Ophelia Powell’s act that is known is a minstrel song originating from the USA in the 1850s: “She’s black, but dat’s (that’s) no matter”.^[6]Aberdeen, Banff and Kincardine People’s Journal, 10 September 1864. findmypast.co.uk

My Di-nah, dear me, she’s as beautiful quite, as a star that shines calmly at close of the night.

A voice like a Syren, a foot like a Fay, she’s just such a gal you don’t meet every day.

Spoken: But she’s black, she’s so very black.

I know she is, but what of that, you’d love to look at her, I’d have her just the way she is – she’s black but that’s no matter.

I know she is, but what of that, you’d love, could you look at her, I’d have her just the way she is – she’s black but that’s no matter.

She’s black, but that’s no matter. She’s black, but that’s no matter.

I’d have her just the way she is – she’s black but that’s no matter.

She’s black, but that’s no matter. She’s black, but that’s no matter.




She lives on the bank of a bright flowing stream,

In a cabin that might have been built in a dream,

Surrounded by roses and woodbines and leaves,

That twine and climb lovingly up to the eaves.

Spoken: But she’s black, she’s so very black.




If ever I marry this dark colour’d maid,

You’ll believe in the truth of what I have said;

I love her because her complexion will keep,

And they say that beauty is only skin deep.

Spoken: But she’s black, she’s so very black.[7]digital.nls.uk/special-collections-of-printed-music/archive/94726404

In the second half of the twentieth century, Black comedians such as Charlie Williams and Lenny Henry frequently used comedy about their ‘colour’ at their own expense in order to survive and succeed. They were criticised for it both at the time and after. It is highly likely, considering the lyrics of “She’s black, but dat’s (that’s) no matter”, that Ophelia Powell used the same stratagem and for the same reasons.

Reference to Ophelia Ann Powell first occurs in the Bradford Observer in January 1857, when, whilst employed as a servant-girl at the Turk’s Head beer house in Southgate, Bradford, she witnessed a robbery:

A YOUTHFUL BURGLAR STOPPED IN HIS CAREER.- At the Borough Court on Monday, a well-dressed youth, who gave his name as John Jones, and his age 19, was charged first with entering the Ivy Hotel, Barkerend, with burglarious instruments, for an unlawful purpose; and next with stealing the sum of £12 10s from the Turk’s Head beer-house. In Southgate, which he entered in a like manner. The prisoner was supposed to have come from Birmingham and had been remanded from Friday. Between eight and nine o’clock on Thursday evening, Mr Thomas Stephenson, son of the landlady of the Ivy Hotel, heard footsteps in the staircase, and knowing no person ought to be there, he hastened into the staircase to ascertain who was there. Encountering the prisoner upon one of the landing, he knocked him down, and then removed him to the bar, and there required him to turn out his pockets. Three skeleton keys dropped from him on to the floor as he entered the bar, and a quantity of lucifer matches were found upon him. He was given into the custody of P.C. Smith. There was £60 in a drawer in one of the upper rooms, and his detection, no doubt, fortunately saved it. The prisoner gave an address in York Street, Leeds, as a place where he had been lodging, and ongoing there on Friday afternoon, Burniston found a dark lantern and a jemmy, which he found concealed beneath some bedding on which the prisoner had been sleeping some nights previously. But the prisoner was identified as the person who stole a cash box containing £12 10s, belonging to Mr Richard Farmery, from a bedroom in his house, the Turk’s Head beer-house in Southgate, at about six o’clock, on the evening of the 20^th. The servant girl, named Ophelia Ann Powell (a person of colour), on passing the staircase door, observed that it was slightly ajar, and proceeded to close it, but at the moment she did so, the prisoner rushed out of the staircase, knocked her down, and ran out at the door, and along the street. He had the cash box under his arm, and as she arose and ran into the street, he looked round to stare at her as he ran off. She had a good opportunity of noticing his features and general appearance and could swear to him positively. Mr Farmery had a few minutes previously taken change from the cash box, which was on the table in the bedroom, and had afterwards locked the door; but the lock had been picked, the door was open, and the cash box was missing. Mr Northwood appeared for the prisoner, and set up an alibi, but it failed. A young man, named Joseph Fieldhouse, stated that the prisoner was drinking at the Red House beer-shop, York Street, Leeds, from two o’clock till eleven o’clock at night on the 20^th; but although he stated that he had been asked to come and speak as to the 20^th, yet nothing has ever been said till that morning about any charge of robbery on the 20^th, which would be preferred against the prisoner. He was committed for trial at the sessions.^[8]Bradford Observer, 15 January 1857. findmypast.co.uk

Whilst the Bradford Observer referred to Ophelia Powell as “a person of colour”, several other newspapers, when repeating the story, referred to her as “a coloured Maroon girl”.^[9]Northern Daily Times, 14 January 1857. findmypast.co.uk Famously, the Maroons were the descendants of escaped enslaved people in Jamaica, although how such a personal and specific detail was known, or if instead it was an embellishment (based on her ‘fight’ as opposed to ‘freeze’ or ‘flight’ response), or conjecture is unknown. However, a Ophelia Powell was baptised at the parish of Westmoreland, Cornwall County, Jamaica in February 1839, and was therefore (if baptised shortly after birth) of the correct age to be described as a “girl” in 1857.^[10]Jamaica Births & Baptisms 1752-1920. FHL: 1291713. Ref: Item 2 v 5 p 128 Westmoreland. ancestry.co.uk  If the Ophelia Powell baptised in Jamaica in 1839 came to be employed as a servant-girl in Victorian Bradford, then it is likely that it was linked to Mr Richard Farmery, the proprietor of the Turk’s Head. (The name the ‘Turk’s Head’ itself being synonymous with the orientalisation of the Middle East, Africa, Islam and ‘people of colour’).

A biography of Jenny Hill, a White serio-comic actress, recounts how as a child she was indentured to a Bradford “…publican for 12 months. She and a companion had to get up with the lark in order to scrub floors, polish pewter and beer bottles until the performance for the early afternoon drinkers began at noon. Often they had no breakfast. After the evening performance was over the artistes had to stay up all the time a patron might buy them a glass of wine. She was even expected to make and bottle ginger beer”.^[11]https://bradfordunconsideredtrifles.wordpress.com/2017/03/18/the-vital-spark-the-harsh-master/ In return, Jenny Hill was given the opportunity to perform both at the Turk’s Head, “a well-known and well-accustomed tavern and music hall” and other local venues.^[12]Ibid. Jenny Hill was indentured at the Turk’s Head between 1862 and 1865, and it is possible that Ophelia Powell was her predecessor.

In July 1864 Ophelia Powell was at the Britannia Music Hall, Glasgow, billed as “Miss Ophelia Powell, the ‘Coloured’ Serio-Comic Vocalist, and a host of Novelties”.^[13]Glasgow Sentinel, 2 July 1864. findmypast.co.uk The Britannia, a grand venue which could accommodate audiences of up to 1,500, is still functioning as a music hall today.

 In September 1864, Ophelia Powell was in Aberdeen at the Bon-Accord Music Hall: “Miss Ophelia Powell (serio-comic) a lady of colour, received great applause on Monday night…”^[15]Aberdeen, Banff and Kincardine People’s Journal, 10 September 1864. findmypast.co.uk The Bon-Accord is another venue that is still in use. Newspapers held in the archives of findmypast.co.uk facilitate identifying where and when Ophelia Powell performed: In 1865 she appeared at Dundee and Sunderland. The following year, she was again at Dundee. In 1867 she appeared at Birmingham and Aldershot. In the latter town, whilst appearing at the Victory Music Hall, Ophelia Powell was a victim of crime – as she had been in Bradford in 1857.^[16]The Victory Music Hall was also known as the Apollo Theatre. It was built in 1859 and demolished in 1899. Once again, when confronted, she chose ‘fight’ over ‘freeze’ or ‘flight’: Whilst returning from the Victory to her lodgings at No.12 Hilley Terrace, she dropped her purse only for it to be whisked away by two opportunistic female thieves.^[17]Sheldrake’s Aldershot and Sandhurst Military Gazette, 25 May 1867. findmypast.co.uk Ophelia Powell, accompanied by a friend, pursued the miscreants to the nearby Pavilion Cricket Ground, confronted them, retrieved her purse and then summoned the police.^[18]Ibid.

In 1868 Ophelia Powell was very busy; appearing at Liverpool, Birmingham, Norwich, Canterbury and Nottingham. Towards the end of the year she returned to West Yorkshire, performing at Halifax, billed as “MISS O. POWELL, a Lady of Colour, Ballad Vocalist”.^[19]The Halifax Guardian, 14 November 1868. findmypast.co.uk In 1869 Ophelia Powell appeared at Cheltenham and Sheffield, and the following year at Gloucester and Manchester. In 1871 she returned to Yorkshire – appearing at Rotherham.

In 1872 Ophelia Powell was in Ireland appearing at the Garrison Music Hall, when The Era (6 October 1872), noted her attendance as a mourner at the funeral of a Miss Louisa Sampson (known professionally as Daly), a sentimental vocalist who had died of consumption (TB) and was subsequently interred at Mount Jerome Cemetery, Dublin.^[20]The Era, 6 October 1872. findmypast.co.uk In 1874 Ophelia Powell appeared at The Parrot Hotel Music Hall in Newport (South Wales), where she was billed as “…the only real Coloured Lady Serio-Comic of the British Stage”.^[21]South Wales Weekly Telegram and Evening Telegram, 4 September 1874. findmypast.co.uk In 1875 Ophelia Powell appeared at Wednesbury, Staffordshire.

Her last known performance was at the Star Music Hall (late the White Horse), Bettell Lane, Stourbridge in January 1876. She was billed as “Miss OPHELIA POWELL, the far-famed Serio and Sentimental Vocalist”.^[22]The Advertiser for Brierly-Hill, Stourbridge, Dudley and Kidderminster, 1 January 1876.(The Star Music Hall is now called The Maverick).^[23]www.pressreader.com/uk/black-country-bugle/20240417/281599540543061 Thereafter no reference has been found to Ophelia Powell in parish registers, newspapers, census returns or in the registers for births, marriages and deaths. By the late 1870s she had been performing for over twenty years in an industry that was becoming increasingly crowded with serio-comics.^[24]Beale, Sam. “Funny and disturbing: women’s serio-comic performances on the Victorian music hall”. www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/2040610X.2022.2091734#abstract By 1876, the venues in which Ophelia Powell was performing were much smaller than the ones she had appeared at earlier in her career. With that in mind, it is possible that she decided to ‘face the final curtain’ (professionally speaking) and retire, relocate – or both. The fact that she cannot subsequently be identified in Britain suggests that she probably left the country – perhaps returning to Jamaica.