Gilbert, William Schwenk (Sir)

1836

1911

The dramatist William Gilbert was born in Southampton Street, London, on 18 November 1836. He was educated at London University and in 1864 was a barrister at the Inner Temple; he also served as a clerk in the Privy Council Office 1857-1862. As a journalist he wrote many articles for humorous papers. His first theatrical effort was a Christmas entertainment commissioned by T. W. Robertson. He next wrote “The Palace of Truth” (Haymarket 1870) and “Pygmalion and Galatea” (1871). After a few more attempts at serious plays, Gilbert began the famous association with Sir Arthur Sullivan with “Trial by Jury” in 1875. That success was followed by a series of comic operas that included, among others, “HMS Pinafore” (1878), “The Pirates of Penzance” (1880), “Iolanthe” (1882), “The Mikado” (1885), “Ruddigore” (1887) and “The Yeoman of the Guard” (1888). These Savoy operas, as they came to be known, were long associated with the D’Oyly Carte Company and have been revived constantly by light opera companies around the world. Though extremely successful, the association with Sullivan was not a happy one, primarily because of Gilbert’s irascible personality. Gilbert wrote some libretti for other composers, but they remain undistinguished. He built the Garrick Theatre in 1889 and was knighted in 1907. Sir William became a member of the Garrick Club in February 1906. He died at Harrow Weald, Middlesex, on 29 May 1911, of a heart attack brought on by his rescuing of a woman who was drowning in a lake on his estate. (EB, OCT)