Wednesday, 18.2.2009 'PROBATE, DIVORCE, AND ADMIRALTY DIVISION. 'A WIFE'S PETITION FOR DIVORCE. 'DONES v. DONES. '(Before Mr. Justice Horridge.) 'In this petition Harriet Amelia Dones prayed for a dissolution of her marriage with Albert Arthur Dones because of his cruelty and adultery. The suit was undefended. 'Mr. Barrington-Ward (wiuth his Mr. Woodhouse), for the petitioner, said that the parties were married on December 27, 1884, at the Register Officer, St. George's, Hanover-square. There were three children, now all of age. After the marriage the parties lived at various places. Throughout the married life the respondent had given way to drink, but for some time Mrs. Dones endured his conduct for the sake of the children. The respondent had made assaults on his wife in 1913 and 1914, but the limit of endurance was reached on January 1 last, and she left him finally. 'As to the charge of adultery evidence would be given that the respondent had been associated with a Mrs. Hipkin, who, as Madame Ethel, was a manicurist, in Sutherland-avenue, Maida-vale. 'The petitioner, in her evidence, said that the married life for many years had been one long course of cruelty by the husband. She endured it because she wanted the children to be away before she did anything. The respondent was drunk for weeks at a time. Her health became affected and she had to seek medical advice. While she was at Herne Bay in 1913 she had to take refuge with friends from her husband. Once he threw a heavy book at her, which bruised her breast. Many times he had threatended to shoot her. 'Further evidence having been tiven in support of the petition, 'Mr. Justice Horridge pronounced a degree nisi with costs. 'Solicitors. - Messrs. Reginald Bell and Co.' The Times, London, Saturday, 11 December 1915, p. 4d 'THREE DECREES NISI RESCINDED. 'MASSEY v. MASSEY AND CHESTERMAN. 'OLIVER v. OLIVER AND OLIVER. 'DONES v. DONES AND PRADO '(BUCKLEY INTERVENING). 'The decrees nisi in these three suits were rescinded, the peitions dismissed, and the petitioners condemned in the costs of the King's Proctor, on the ground that the petitioners were themselves guilty of adultery. No order was made for or against the intervener in the last-named suit, as the issue against her was not determined. Nor was any order made against the petitioner on this part of the intervention. The intervener and the petitioner denied adultery together, and the decree nisi in the suit was rescinded on the ground of the petitioner's adultery with another woman. 'Counsel engaged were the Hon. Victor Russell, Mr. J.S.P. Mellor, Mr. Brakell Powell, Mr. T. Bucknill, and Mr. H.W. Barnard. 'Solicitor. - The King's Proctor.' The Times, London, Tuesday, 26 February 1924, p.5e 'The death at the age of 70 is announced of Mr. Arthur Albert Dones, the father of Miss Zena Dare (the Hon. Mrs. Maurice Brett) and Miss Phyllis Dare, the actress.' The Times, London, Friday, 14 October 1932, p. 18e 'MISS ZENA DARE QUIETY MARRIED AT A LONDON REGISTRY OFFICE.' With photos of Lord Esher; Lady Esher; 'The newly-wedded pair riding in Rotten Row together. The photograph was taken last October. - (D.M.P.)'; 'Copy of the marriage certificate issued from the office of the Superintendent Registrar for the disctrict of Paddington, within which district the bride resides.' [SEE DETAILS, BELOW]; Mrs. Arthur Dones; Miss Phyllis Dare; Mr. Arthur Dones. 'Miss Zena Dare, the popular musical comedy actress, and the Hon. Maurice Brett have, it was announced yesterday, been quietly married, and [the rest cut off in copy]' The marriage certificate when married, 23 January 1911 names and surnames, Maurice Vyner Baliol Brett; Florence Hariette Zena Dones age, 28 years; 24 years condition, Bachelor, Spinster rank or profession, Captain Coldstream Guards; - residence at time of marriage, 2 Tilney Street, Mayfair; 14 Randolph Road father's name and surname, Reginald Baliol Brett; Arthur Albert Dones rank or profession of father, Viscount Esher; Judge's Clerk (retired) Married ato the Register Office by Licence before me, Percival E. Kirk, Registrar; Frederick P. Jordan, Deputry Superintendent Registrar This marriage was solemnised between us, Maurice V.B. Brett, F.H.Zena Dones, in the presence of us, Elizabeth Gatti, Ivy Aitchison, witness my hand this 26th day of January 1911, Percival E. Kirk, Registrar. The Daily Mirror, London, 27 January 1911, p. 11 'ROMANCE OF STAGE AND PEERAGE. 'Miss Zena Dare to Wed Lord Esher's Son. 'THEATRE INTERVIEW 'Popular Actress Tells ''The Daily Mirror'' of First Meeting. 'MOTORING WITH FIANCE. 'The latest theatrical engagement forms yet another link between the peerage and the stage. Miss Zena Dare, the charming and popular musical comedy actress, is engaged to be married to the Hon. Maurice Vyner Baliol Brett, the second son of Viscount Esher. 'Miss Dare gave the new to The Daily Mirror on Saturday afternoon while she was ''making up'' in her dressing-room at the Coliseum, where she is playing the principal part in ''The Model and the Man,'' a musical play specially written for her by Mr. Seymour Hicks, in whose companies she has played for years. '''You are the first person I have told, except my father and mother,'' said Miss Dare, unfastening her long black hair, and then proceeding to dress it in readiness for the stage. ''I only became engaged two days ago. If you hadn't come to see me I might not have told anybody for weeks. '''I am not romantic, you see, and I have so many other things to think about. Besides, there has been an ''understanding'' between Mr. Brett and myself so long now that the formal engagement seemed only a matter of course.'' '''When is the wedding to be?'' asked The Daily Mirror. '''Oh, that I cannot tell you. I don't know, you see. I have my theatrical work to do, and there are so many things to fix up. 'FIRST MEETING '''I first met Mr. Brett on the third night of 'The Catch of the Season,' six or seven years ago, and I have seen him constantly since. '''We have motored quite a lot together for years now, and I have stayed at Lord and Lady Esher's, at Windsor Forest, several times during the last three years. His people have been very kind to me, and I regard them as among my very best friends.'' '''What is your fiance' like?'' Miss Dare was asked. '''Oh, I couldn't possibly describe him - I couldn't possibly. Run around and ask him. You'll find him at the Horse Guards, possibly wearing his uniform as a captain of the Coldstream Guards, or else at Tilney-street, where he lives with his people. '''All I can tell you is he is very nice - and I suppose he thinks I am very nice, or he wouldn't have asked me to marry him.'' '''Will you lend me his photograph for publication?'' asked The Daily Mirror representative. 'QUESTION OF RETIRING. '''Oh, really, I haven't one in the world. Do you expect me to wear it in a locket with a piece of his hair? I'm not romantic like some girls are. I suppose being on the stage wears off a lot of one's ideas about romance. '''Really, I would rather talk about The Daily Mirror than about marriage. I think it is wonderful, and I regard Mr. Haselden, your cartoonist, as one of my greatest friends, although I have never met him. Travelling in the train without his latest effort of humour would be unendurable.'' '''Will you leave the stage when you are married?'' '''That, of course, depends. For one thing, I don't know when I am going to be married, as I have told you. I am under a two years' contract with Mr. Stoll, and I may have to keep that. But then, you see, marriage breaks all contracts. '''Actresses usually leave the stage when they marry into the aristocracy, so I suppose I shall. And then everybody will be delighted, of course, although for form's sake they will have to say they are sorry. 'POPULAR MISTAKE. '''The funny think about my engagement is that I was supposed to be engaged to the Hon. Holiver Brett, Maurice's elder brother. In fact, last August I had to deny the rumour in print. Nobody guessed it was the brother I loved all the time.'' 'The Hon. Maurice Brett, who is twenty-seven years old, has only recently been promoted to a captaincy in the Coldstream Guards, of which regiment he is one of the most enthusiastic and hard-working officers. 'After being educated at Eton, he went to the Royal Military College at Sandhurst, where he won the sword of honour at the age of nineteen. He is a member of the Victorian Order, and his is a Chevalier of the Legion of Honour and an aide-de-camp to Sir John French. 'He has published a book called ''Maxims of War,'' and he is known in clubland as a ''jolly good sort.'' 'His father, Viscount Esher, is one of the most distinguished men in the country. In fact, Mr. W.T. Stead when to the great length some weeks ago of calling him the cleverest man in England. 'Lord Esher is the chairman of the Territorial Force Association of the County of London, a promiment member of the Committee of Imperial Defence, a Royal Trustee of the British Museum, and he was editor of Queen Victori's letters which were published after her death. 'Like his sons, and, indeed, all members of his family, he is very fond of the theatre, and no fashionable ''first night'' is complete without him. (Photographs on pages 1, 8 and 9.) 'MISS DARE' CAREER. 'Miss Zena dare is, of course, a sister of Miss Phyllis Dare and a daughter of Mr. Arthur Dones, who was Mr. Justice Bigham's clerk until that eminent Judge retired. 'Rumour has engaged her, at various times, to many of the younger members of the peerage, and she is so charming that few of the fiance's that talk has found for her have taken the trouble to deny it. 'Miss Dare, who was born on February 4, 1887, made her first real appearance on the stage as a ''solo dancer'' in Manchester, and her next engagement was in Mr. Seymour Hicks' play, ''The English Daisy,'' the heroine of which she played so daintily that when Mr. Hicks settled upon taking a holiday from ''The Catch of the Season'' with Miss Ellaline Terriss, he arranged that she should fill his popular wife's part in their absence. 'Since then she has appeared with Mr. Hicks with seldon-failing regularity, and lovers of musical comedy regard her as one of the most charming and talented of our actresses. 'Among the plays in which she has appeared are ''Sergeant Brue,'' ''Lady Madcap,'' ''The Little Cherub,'' ''The Girl on the Stage,'' ''The Beauty of Bath,'' and ''The Gay Gordons.'' She lives with her parents at Randolph-road, Maida Vale.' The Daily Mirror, London, 16 January 1911, p. 3a/b 'THE NEW JUDGE. - Mr. Justice Bigham has appointed Mr. Arthur Dones his chief clerk.' The Daily News, London, Wednesday, 20 October 1897, p. 3f 'DAY TO DAY IN LIVERPOOL . . . 'With the elevation of his emplyer - Mr. Bigham - Mr. Arthur Dones, who has been associated with the new judge as principal clerk almost from the very outset of his career, will occupy a similar office in the court of the Queen's Bench. Mr. Dones is highly popualr amongst barristers, solicitors, and barristers' clerks on the Northern Circuit, and all join in congratulating him upon the continuance of his association with Mr. Justice Bigham.' The Liverpool Mercury, Liverpool, Thursday, 21 October 1897, p. 8a 'ROYAL COURT THEATRE.
'MISS REHAN AS ROALIND.
'The appearance of the Royal Court Theatre last night indicated that the playgoers of Liverpool are beginning, though somewhat tardily, to realise that they ahve now the opportunity of seeing one of the most brilliant and accomplished actresses who ever donned doublet and hose. She exquisite a performance as Miss Ada Reham's impersonation of Rosalind will long be a fragrant memory with those who witnesses hits charm. She brings to her living rendering of the part all the qualifications which Shakespeare himself has postulated for the heroine, who was, perhaps, the favourite child of his imagination -

Helen's cheek, but not her heart;
Cleopatra's majesty,
Atalanta's better part,
Sad Lucretia's modesty.

'Miss Rehan is all this, and something more. She combines a bewitching archness and a sunny vivacity with an intelligence which does full justice to the merry wit of Rosalind. She looks well, acts well, and speaks well. No actress now living, with the doubtful exception of Miss Ellen Terry, has so pure and musical an enunciation. To listen to her is to realise what is meant when a sweet voice is compared with silver bells. It is not surprising that last night's audience became more and more enthusiastic as the evening wore on, and it may be anticipated that to-night, and especially to-morrow evening, when Miss Rehan will appear in Twelfth Night, there will be crowded houses. It is bare justice to add that the clever actress is upported by a good all-round company. Mr. Charles Richman is a vigorous and manly Orlando, and Mr. George Clarke would be hard to excel as the melancholy Jaques, while Mr. Sidney Herbert plays the difficult part of Touchstone in a mirth-provoking manner. The songs were all admirably rendered.'
(The Liverpool Mercury, Liverpool, Thursday, 21 October 1897, p. 8f) 'The Catch of the Season will certainly prove a catch for the Vaudeville. It is something of a novely in musical comedy. There is a funny and irresponsible song about a butterly in love. It has no relation to the plot, but these sort of songs seldom have. The Catch of the Season is simply a new version of Cinderlla illustrated in modern fashion. The Fairy Godmother is an aunt, who brings Cinderella a splendid dress from Paris, and thus enables her to go to the ball. But I think the pretty old legend might have been worked out without so many incongruous incidents. Mr. Seymour Hicks is excellent as the lover, and the scene where he proposes to Cinderella is charming. The two ugly sisters are a couple of ultra-fashionable women. Miss Zena Dare plays the heroine, which part was, I think, intended for Miss Ellaline Terriss.'
The Penny Illustrated Paper and Illustrated Times, London, Saturday, 17 September 1904, p. 190c/d