Carrie Pringle – some answers

Posted on June 4, 2011 by Stephen Gadd

Written in response to the excellent article by David Cormack, ‘Wir welken und sterben dahinnen’: Carrie Pringle and the Solo Flowermaidens of 1882 [Source: The Musical Times, Vol. 146, No. 1890 (Spring, 2005), pp. 16-31]

This article caught my attention because:

  • Carrie Pringle was one of the original flowermaidens in Wagner’s Parsifal, and is said to have been his last lover, and
  • My wife, Claire Rutter, also an opera singer of some note, had a grandfather whose middle name (from his mother) was Pringle, and
  • Both Carrie Pringle and Claire’s grandfather were in the same part of Brighton, England in the late 1920′s.

Well, I’ve established that this is entirely coincidental, but along the way have made some interesting discoveries about Carrie Pringle’s family, and found some evidence that she continued to perform after settling in England. These findings answer questions raised by David Cormack, and previously by Stewart Spencer, who in 2005 lacked some of the invaluable resources which have since come online.

Cormack is correct to assume some Dutch family connection. Carrie’s great-grandfather, John Pringle, served in the Scots Brigade of the British Army’s Dutch Service. While stationed at Venlo in Holland, his wife (Mary Hope) gave birth in 1782 to Volkier Rudolph Pringle. He was the last of their 9 children, dropped at various points around Holland since 1761. (They are listed along with John’s other descendants at the bottom of this page).

Rudolph and his brother Colin, like their father, were also military men. When Hanover was overrun by Napoleon’s troops in 1803, they joined the exodus of soldiers from continental Europe to England, and took commissions in the King’s German Legion.

Rudolph resigned from the Army just a few weeks before the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, whereas Colin by this time was a Major, and is quoted in written accounts of the battle. Colin Pringle had married well in 1813 (to a lawyer’s daughter), retired to Dunkerque on an army pension, and died in 1857 leaving the bulk of his not inconsiderable estate to Rudolph and to his spinster niece Mary Home (daughter of their sister, Margaret). Alone, the cash sum inherited by Rudolph amounted to the modern equivalent of about £125,000.

Yet this was not the main source of Carrie’s family’s wealth. Rudolph had been able to take early retirement thanks to his marriage in 1809 to Caroline Townley, who brought with her a dowry equivalent now to a little under a quarter of a million pounds. More on the illustrious Townleys in a moment.

Basil Pringle, Carrie’s father, was the 5th of six sons born to Rudolph and Caroline. I haven’t established how many of them survived to adulthood, or beyond 1870 when they might have expected to inherit a share of Rudolph’s wealth.

The cutting here from the Neue Wiener Musik-Zeitung in 1856 (before his marriage) illustrates that Basil’s violin-playing was notable. But given their lifestyle it seems very likely that Basil and his wife were the beneficiaries of some valuable annuity already settled on them by Rudolph. In 1862, “landowner Basil Pringle” was a solo violinist at a concert given by Anton Bruckner’s Liedertafel “Frohsinn” in Linz, which suggests that Pringle was by then a serious but not professional musician.

From "Bruckner-Studien", Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, 1975

Basil died shortly after the family moved to London, but in the 1886 & 1887 Post Office Directories is listed at their home address, 32 Eardley Crescent as a “Professor of Music”. His wife, Isabella, remained at that address, listed as a music teacher, until 1895.

Caroline Townley was the daughter of dynamic parents. Her mother, Mary Gosling, was an accomplished artist with, unusually for a woman in that period, architectural skills which she was allowed to put into practice. Her husband, James Townley, amassed some wealth as a successful lawyer, ending his days as Proctor of the Arches Court, and this wealth was put to work along with Mary’s skills, in property development. Townley House, designed by Mary Townley, was occupied by Princess Victoria on childhood holidays, and still stands here in Ramsgate, looking rather more elegant than it does in this drawing.

Caroline’s grandfather, another James Townley, was a clergyman and professionally successful playwright.

I’ve been unable, as yet, to establish the origins of Carrie’s mother, the pianist Isabella Latinovics de Borsód. It may be entirely coincidental that Ludwig Bösendorfer, son of the piano-factory founder, married a widow (or divorcee) named Henriette Latinovics de Borsód. More on the family of that name can be found here, suggesting that funding may well have reached the Pringles from this side of the family too – I shall update this post if solicited information arrives from the owner of that web site.

Carrie Pringle’s singing was already noteworthy at the age of 17: a visitor to Gotha in 1876 wrote of ’Carry Pringle’s magnificent singing‘. But nothing among the  few newspaper clippings I have found suggests that her post-Bayreuth career reached any greater heights than her appearance in the premiere of Parsifal, indeed this seems, sadly, to be her only selling point.

The Morning Post, London, 21 Jun 1889 

The Standard, London, 27 Apr 1892 

The Herald, Glasgow, 23 Apr 1895 

The Morning Post, London, 6 Jul 1896 

The Era, London, 11 Jul 1896 

The Morning Post, London, 12 Dec 1896 – note that Carrie’s mother here is advertising as a singing teacher (Lamperti method), while here sisters too are soliciting for work.

The Glasgow Herald, 13 Jan 1900 

Obituary of Godfrey Pringle, 1900 

THE PRINGLEs

Generation: 1

  1. John PRINGLE
    John m. Mary Hope 1761, Namur, Wallony, Belgium. [Group Sheet] 

    Children:

    1. 2. Robert PRINGLE Descendancy chart to this point b. 13 Jul 1761; c. 15 Jul 1761, Namur, Wallony, Belgium.
    2. 3. Margaret PRINGLE Descendancy chart to this point b. 21 Jan 1765, Nijmegen, Gelderland, Netherlands.
    3. 4. James PRINGLE Descendancy chart to this point b. 25 Nov 1767, Sluys, Holland.
    4. 5. May PRINGLE Descendancy chart to this point b. 17 Jun 1769, Maastricht, Holland.
    5. 6. Alexander PRINGLE Descendancy chart to this point b. 21 Jun 1771, Maastricht, Holland.
    6. 7. Jemima PRINGLE Descendancy chart to this point b. 05 Nov 1776, Phillippine, Holland.
    7. 8. Sarah Mary PRINGLE Descendancy chart to this point b. 06 Jul 1777, Bergen op Zoom, Holland.
    8. 9. Colin Robert PRINGLE Descendancy chart to this point b. 09 Aug 1778, Venlo, Holland; d. 07 Jun 1857, Dunkerque, France.
    9. 10. Volkier Rudolph PRINGLE Descendancy chart to this point b. 13 Feb 1782, Venlo, Holland; d. 1870, Gotha, Erfurt, Germany.

Generation: 2

  1. Robert PRINGLE Descendancy chart to this point (1.John1) b. 13 Jul 1761; c. 15 Jul 1761, Namur, Wallony, Belgium.
  2. Margaret PRINGLE Descendancy chart to this point (1.John1) b. 21 Jan 1765, Nijmegen, Gelderland, Netherlands.
    Margaret m. George HOME 16 Jul 1783, Brigade Scottish Church,Rotterdam,Zuid Holland,Netherlands.Children: 

    1. 11. Mary HOME Descendancy chart to this point d. 1865; bur. Gotha, Erfurt, Germany.
    2. 12. Jeanette HOME Descendancy chart to this point d. Bef 31 Mar 1853.
  3. James PRINGLE Descendancy chart to this point (1.John1) b. 25 Nov 1767, Sluys, Holland.
  4. May PRINGLE Descendancy chart to this point (1.John1) b. 17 Jun 1769, Maastricht, Holland.
  5. Alexander PRINGLE Descendancy chart to this point (1.John1) b. 21 Jun 1771, Maastricht, Holland.
  6. Jemima PRINGLE Descendancy chart to this point (1.John1) b. 05 Nov 1776, Phillippine, Holland.
  7. Sarah Mary PRINGLE Descendancy chart to this point (1.John1) b. 06 Jul 1777, Bergen op Zoom, Holland.
  8. Colin Robert PRINGLE Descendancy chart to this point (1.John1) b. 09 Aug 1778, Venlo, Holland; d. 07 Jun 1857, Dunkerque, France.
    Colin m. Ann DOWSE 30 Jul 1813, St. Clement Danes, London. (daughter of John DOWSE) [Group Sheet]
  9. Volkier Rudolph PRINGLE Descendancy chart to this point (1.John1) b. 13 Feb 1782, Venlo, Holland; d. 1870, Gotha, Erfurt, Germany.
    Volkier m. Caroline TOWNLEY 19 Aug 1809, St. George’s Hanover Square, London, Middlesex. (daughter of James TOWNLEY and Mary GOSLING)Children: 

    1. 13. Rudolph James Henry PRINGLE Descendancy chart to this point c. 30 Jun 1810, St Luke, Chelsea, London.
    2. 14. George Alexander PRINGLE Descendancy chart to this point c. 04 May 1819, St. Lawrence, Thanet, Kent, England.
    3. 15. Alexander Volkier PRINGLE Descendancy chart to this point b. 01 Jan 1821, Düsseldorf, Preußen, Germany.
    4. 16. Stepney Hope PRINGLE Descendancy chart to this point b. 23 Sep 1822, Düsseldorf, Preußen, Germany.
    5. 17. Basil John Charles PRINGLE Descendancy chart to this point b. 07 Feb 1825, Düsseldorf, Preußen, Germany; d. 09 Dec 1886, 32 Eardley Crescent SW, Earl’s Court, London.
    6. 18. Thomas Aloys Maximillian PRINGLE Descendancy chart to this point c. 28 Jun 1826, Düsseldorf, Preußen, Germany.

Generation: 3

  1. Mary HOME Descendancy chart to this point (3.Margaret2, 1.John1) d. 1865; bur. Gotha, Erfurt, Germany.
  2. Jeanette HOME Descendancy chart to this point (3.Margaret2, 1.John1) d. Bef 31 Mar 1853.
  3. Rudolph James Henry PRINGLE Descendancy chart to this point (10.Volkier2, 1.John1) c. 30 Jun 1810, St Luke, Chelsea, London.
  4. George Alexander PRINGLE Descendancy chart to this point (10.Volkier2, 1.John1) c. 04 May 1819, St. Lawrence, Thanet, Kent, England.
  5. Alexander Volkier PRINGLE Descendancy chart to this point (10.Volkier2, 1.John1) b. 01 Jan 1821, Düsseldorf, Preußen, Germany.
  6. Stepney Hope PRINGLE Descendancy chart to this point (10.Volkier2, 1.John1) b. 23 Sep 1822, Düsseldorf, Preußen, Germany.
  7. Basil John Charles PRINGLE Descendancy chart to this point (10.Volkier2, 1.John1) b. 07 Feb 1825, Düsseldorf, Preußen, Germany; d. 09 Dec 1886, 32 Eardley Crescent SW, Earl’s Court, London.
    Basil m. Isabella Latinovics, de Borsód 15 Jun 1858, Vienna, Austria. Isabella b. Abt 1830, Hodsak, Hungary; d. Q3 1906, Chelsea Reg’n District, London.Children: 

    1. 19. Caroline Mary Isabelle PRINGLE Descendancy chart to this point b. Mar 1859, Linz, Austria; c. 19 Mar 1859, Linz, Austria; d. 12 Nov 1930, Kemptown, Brighton, Sussex.
    2. 20. Catherina Lavinia PRINGLE Descendancy chart to this point b. 24 Apr 1860.
    3. 21. Basil Rudolph PRINGLE Descendancy chart to this point b. 31 May 1861; d. 05 Jun 1861.
    4. 22. Volkier Colin Stepney Pringle PRINGLE Descendancy chart to this point b. 1863; d. 1864.
    5. 23. Mary Jane Home PRINGLE Descendancy chart to this point b. Abt 1865, Germany; d. 25 Sep 1932, 10 Arundel Street, Brighton, Sussex.
    6. 24. John Charles Godfrey PRINGLE Descendancy chart to this point b. 30 Nov 1867, Coburg Gotha, Germany; d. Q1 1900, Chelsea Reg’n District, London.
    7. 25. Lydia Caroline Louisa PRINGLE Descendancy chart to this point b. Abt 1870, Germany; d. 30 Mar 1947, Brighton Municipal Hospital.
    8. 26. Elisabeth Caroline Anna Jenny PRINGLE Descendancy chart to this point b. Abt 1870.
  8. Thomas Aloys Maximillian PRINGLE Descendancy chart to this point (10.Volkier2, 1.John1) c. 28 Jun 1826, Düsseldorf, Preußen, Germany.

Generation: 4

  1. Caroline Mary Isabelle PRINGLE Descendancy chart to this point (17.Basil3, 10.Volkier2, 1.John1) b. Mar 1859, Linz, Austria; c. 19 Mar 1859, Linz, Austria; d. 12 Nov 1930, Kemptown, Brighton, Sussex.
  2. Catherina Lavinia PRINGLE Descendancy chart to this point (17.Basil3, 10.Volkier2, 1.John1) b. 24 Apr 1860.
  3. Basil Rudolph PRINGLE Descendancy chart to this point (17.Basil3, 10.Volkier2, 1.John1) b. 31 May 1861; d. 05 Jun 1861.
  4. Volkier Colin Stepney Pringle PRINGLE Descendancy chart to this point (17.Basil3, 10.Volkier2, 1.John1) b. 1863; d. 1864.
  5. Mary Jane Home PRINGLE Descendancy chart to this point (17.Basil3, 10.Volkier2, 1.John1) b. Abt 1865, Germany; d. 25 Sep 1932, 10 Arundel Street, Brighton, Sussex.
  6. John Charles Godfrey PRINGLE Descendancy chart to this point (17.Basil3, 10.Volkier2, 1.John1) b. 30 Nov 1867, Coburg Gotha, Germany; d. Q1 1900, Chelsea Reg’n District, London.
  7. Lydia Caroline Louisa PRINGLE Descendancy chart to this point (17.Basil3, 10.Volkier2, 1.John1) b. Abt 1870, Germany; d. 30 Mar 1947, Brighton Municipal Hospital.
    Lydia m. Arthur ELLIS 26 Feb 1913, Wandsworth, Surrey. [Group Sheet]
  8. Elisabeth Caroline Anna Jenny PRINGLE Descendancy chart to this point (17.Basil3, 10.Volkier2, 1.John1) b. Abt 1870.
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One Response to Carrie Pringle – some answers

  1. Mike Ashman says:
    August 5, 2011 at 05:42

    Stephen, I’ve only just found this (while doing a show in New Zealand!). Will be back to you when I’ve digested it more. Thanks very much. Mike

    Reply

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