Thomas Powrie, Dundee
Victorian Actor
Native
of Dundee who in his boyhood showed a strong interest in threatrical
affairs, organising an amateur company of performers among his school
mates. Attended Stirling School in Tay Street, Dundee close to his family
home at 120 Nethergate. While quite a young man, he made his first
appearance as a regular actor on 1843 at the Dundee Theatre in Yeaman
shore, when he took parts as Richmond in "Richard III". Under Mrs.
Mangley, manager of this theatre, he appeared at this time as Rachliegh
Osbalsistone in "Rob Roy" and gained applause for his style and figure and
his fame reached W H Murray of the Theatre Royal, Edinburgh who gave him
an engagement to appear there. In 1849 he impersonated Hamlet a Theatre
Royal, Castle Street, Dundee and soon became a familiar figure on the
stages of Glasgow and Edinburgh. He showed best in his representation of
Rob Roy and was engaged to play the part at Drury Lane, London in 1867 and
also in the following year but an accident, to his ankle, whilst on stage
led to the end of his public career. He died in Edinburgh of tuberculosis
on 27 August 1868 aged 44 years.
A painting of him by the Dundee artist Henry Harwood was gifted to the
Dundee Art Gallery by James Cunningham. He is buried in the Western
Cemetery, Dundee in a family grave along with his mother, Ann Ochterloney,
and great-grandson, Thomas Gordon Powrie.
