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William E. SheridanPrint Page 
The marble tombstone was erected over the grave of American stage actor, William E. Sheridan, who died while on tour in Australia in 1887.
William E. Sheridan (1839 – 1887), was an American stage actor and Civil War veteran, active on stage from 1858 until his death in 1887. Sheridan was a respected actor who played both lead and supporting roles, but was probably best suited when cast as the villain. Reportedly, Sheridan was most at ease when he starred in productions of Casimir Delavigne's Louis XI and John Brougham's The Duke's Motto. The role he was most identified with over his career was as Joseph Fioretti, a part he played numerous times in Leonard Grover's farce melodrama, Our Boarding House. Sheridan was also remembered for his renditions of Hamlet, Richard III, Cardinal Richelieu and most certainly other classical and contemporary roles played over a near thirty-year career.
In the early 1880s Sheridan's tours of the American West Coast and Australia were met with success and in 1886 he returned to Australia for what would turn out to be his final performances. By this time Sheridan’s health had been in decline for some time. A condition that, even before his departure for Australia, would at times leave him too frail to take to the stage. The end came in the early morning hours of May 18, 1887, in Sydney, just a few hours after suffering a stroke as he sat in the audience of local theatre.
About 400 persons met in the Waverley Cemetery on Sunday afternoon to witness the unveiling of a handsome marble tombstone, which has been erected over the grave of the late Mr. William E. Sheridan, the tragedian and Shakesperian elocutionist. The tomb is in a sheltered angle of the grounds, overlooking the Pacific Ocean, and is about 50 yards from that of the Australian poet, the late Henry Kendall. It had been profusely strewn with immortelles, violets, and spring flowers, native and English. The monument stands about 5ft. in height, and is of pure white marble, admirably carved, having at its apex a representation of a volume of Shakespeare's works. The superscription runs as follows:—
In the Memory of William Edward Sheridan, Tragedian. Died May 18, 1887, Aged 48 Years.
"Oh for the touch of a vanished hand
And the sound of a voice that is still.
He was —
Words are wanting to say what
Say what is just and kind.
And he was that—
[Erected by a few of his admirers.]
Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW),
6 September 1887.
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William E. Sheridan (1839 – 1887), was an American stage actor and Civil War veteran, active on stage from 1858 until his death in 1887. Sheridan was a respected actor who played both lead and supporting roles, but was probably best suited when cast as the villain. Reportedly, Sheridan was most at ease when he starred in productions of Casimir Delavigne's Louis XI and John Brougham's The Duke's Motto. The role he was most identified with over his career was as Joseph Fioretti, a part he played numerous times in Leonard Grover's farce melodrama, Our Boarding House. Sheridan was also remembered for his renditions of Hamlet, Richard III, Cardinal Richelieu and most certainly other classical and contemporary roles played over a near thirty-year career.
In the early 1880s Sheridan's tours of the American West Coast and Australia were met with success and in 1886 he returned to Australia for what would turn out to be his final performances. By this time Sheridan’s health had been in decline for some time. A condition that, even before his departure for Australia, would at times leave him too frail to take to the stage. The end came in the early morning hours of May 18, 1887, in Sydney, just a few hours after suffering a stroke as he sat in the audience of local theatre.
About 400 persons met in the Waverley Cemetery on Sunday afternoon to witness the unveiling of a handsome marble tombstone, which has been erected over the grave of the late Mr. William E. Sheridan, the tragedian and Shakesperian elocutionist. The tomb is in a sheltered angle of the grounds, overlooking the Pacific Ocean, and is about 50 yards from that of the Australian poet, the late Henry Kendall. It had been profusely strewn with immortelles, violets, and spring flowers, native and English. The monument stands about 5ft. in height, and is of pure white marble, admirably carved, having at its apex a representation of a volume of Shakespeare's works. The superscription runs as follows:—
In the Memory of William Edward Sheridan, Tragedian. Died May 18, 1887, Aged 48 Years.
"Oh for the touch of a vanished hand
And the sound of a voice that is still.
He was —
Words are wanting to say what
Say what is just and kind.
And he was that—
[Erected by a few of his admirers.]
Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW),
6 September 1887.
Location
| Address: | St Thomas & Trafalgar Streets, Waverley Cemetery, Bronte, 2024 |
|---|---|
| State: | NSW |
| Area: | Foreign |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -33.907222 Long: 151.264167 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Grave |
|---|---|
| Monument Theme: | People |
| Sub-Theme: | Foreigners |
Dedication
Front Inscription
Source: MA In Memory
of
WILLIAM EDWARD
SHERIDAN,
Tragedian.
Died May 18, 1887,
Aged 48 Years.
"Oh for the touch of a vanished hand
And the sound of a voice that is still.
He Was —
Words Are Wanting To Say What
Say What Is Just And kind.
And He Was That —
Erected By A Few Of His Admirers.
Monument details supplied by Monument Australia - www.monumentaustralia.org.au
