# Edgar Ray

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**Edgar Ray** (24 April 1828 – 23 August 1905)[1] was an English entrepreneur who launched two magazines in Australia, *[Melbourne Punch](/source/Melbourne_Punch)* and *[Sydney Punch](/source/Sydney_Punch)*. On his return to England, he is credited with founding another, named *[Touchstone or The New Era](/source/Touchstone_or_The_New_Era)*.

## History

Ray was born in [Bristol](/source/Bristol), England, a son of Edward Adam Ray (1766–1853) and Eliza Ray, née Weller (c. 1793–1884). His father was a merchant who turned theatre manager. A sister, [Matilda Ray](/source/Matilda_Ray) (c. 1790–1842), was a successful actor, married to the musician and composer [Charles Edward Horn](/source/Charles_Edward_Horn). Ray and his half-brother[a] William C. Lyon received some musical instruction from [William Hawes](/source/William_Hawes_(composer)), with whom they boarded in London.[1]

Ray sailed to Australia by the *Lady Eveline*, arriving in Melbourne in October 1852 in company with three or four singers making up a choir, the "City of London Glee and Madrigal Union"[1] who staged a concert at the "Mechanics' Institution" on 4 December 1852.[2] The same musicians gave a "Grand Concert of Sacred Music" at the Mechanics' Institution (or Institute, later [Athenaeum](/source/Melbourne_Athenaeum), Collins Street) on 18 January 1853.[3] This may have been Ray's last public performance as a chorister. His half-brother William Charles Lyon died 18 July 1853.[4]

He established a print shop, operated by [Harvey Roulston](/source/Harvey_Roulston) (founder in 1858 of *[The Richmond Australian](/source/The_Richmond_Australian)*),[5] [William Fenton](/source/William_Fenton_(printer)), and one Green, and founded the daily newspaper *The Auction Mart Advertiser* and in August 1855 the weekly *Melbourne Punch*, with [Frederick Sinnett](/source/Frederick_Sinnett) as editor and chief writer.[6] Around 1860 Ray sold his business and interest in *Melbourne Punch* to Capt. [Henry Butler Stoney](/source/Henry_Butler_Stoney) (1816–1894),[6] author of *A Residence in Tasmania* and *Victoria during the Ballarat Riots in 1854*.

In 1863 he employed a team of artists to produce a great diorama *Christmas in Old England* which he exhibited in Melbourne late that year. Contributors included G. A. Appleton (brother of [F. C Appleton](/source/F._C_Appleton)), [Nicholas Chevalier](/source/Nicholas_Chevalier), H. Freyberger, E. J. Greig (first cartoonist for [Sydney Punch](/source/Sydney_Punch), drowned 1864), [John Hennings](/source/John_Hennings), and J. Willis.[7]

He moved to Sydney and in May 1864 issued a [prospectus](/source/Prospectus_(finance)), announcing the establishment of *Sydney Punch* on the 27th, and soliciting investors.[8] Ray divested himself of his interest in the paper around 1866 or 1867.

In September 1867 he took over the lease of the [Prince of Wales Theatre](/source/Prince_of_Wales_Theatre,_Sydney), from David Crabb,[9] who declared insolvency. He "poached" J. E. Hall as stage manager from the [Victoria Theatre](/source/Victoria_Theatre,_Sydney), introduced Alice and Laura Wiseman (sisters of Mrs Hall, née Emily Wiseman) to the Sydney stage, and recruited [A. C. Habbe](/source/A._C._Habbe) as scenic designer;[10] opening on 14 September with the drama *Our Village*.[11] The expected crowds failed to arrive;[12] in October he applied for a certificate of insolvency[13] and by 15 November [George Coppin](/source/George_Coppin) had taken over as lessee and [J. R. Greville](/source/J._R._Greville) as stage manager.

After several positions in insurance and banking Ray left for England by the *Nubia* on 7 October 1875.

In 1877 he started a London newspaper called *Touchstone or The New Era*. This annoyed [Edward Ledger](/source/Edward_Ledger), editor and proprietor of *[The Era](/source/The_Era_(newspaper))*, "The Actor's Bible", which had a columnist calling himself "Touchstone". After a legal dispute, Ray was cleared of any wrongdoing.[14] In the issue of 9 November 1879, Ray published a biography of [Henry Labouchère](/source/Henry_Labouch%C3%A8re), the editor of London *[Truth](/source/Truth_(British_periodical))*, with the promise of a similar article on [Edmund Yates](/source/Edmund_Yates), editor of *[The World](/source/The_World_(journal))*, prompting a threat of physical violence from that gentleman.[15] The founding of this short-lived periodical has been attributed to [F. B. Chatterton](/source/F._B._Chatterton), with [George Augustus Sala](/source/George_Augustus_Sala) a significant contributor.[16]

He died in [Kew](/source/Kew), England, on 23 August 1905. [17]

## Personal

Ray married Charlotte Goodriff Pitman (c. 1832–1907) in Melbourne on 15 November 1853.[18] They had three children:

- Edgar Ray (born 9 August 1855)[19]
- Edith Henrietta Ray (born 24 August 1857)[20]
- Alice Frederica Ray (born 1 June 1860)[21]

## Notes and references

1. A convenient term, but their actual relationship is unknown and perhaps unknowable.[1]

1. Graeme Skinner. ["AustralHarmony: Ray, Edgar"](https://www.sydney.edu.au/paradisec/australharmony/register-R-1.php). University of Sydney. Retrieved 19 September 2021. This article goes into great detail on Ray's family and early life.

1. ["Advertising"](http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4788340). *[The Argus (Melbourne)](/source/The_Argus_(Melbourne))*. No. 1150. 3 December 1852. p. 5. Retrieved 19 September 2021. – via National Library of Australia.

1. ["Advertising"](http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4789010). *[The Argus (Melbourne)](/source/The_Argus_(Melbourne))*. No. 1788. 18 January 1853. p. 8. Retrieved 19 September 2021. – via National Library of Australia.

1. ["Family Notices"](http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4794794). *[The Argus (Melbourne)](/source/The_Argus_(Melbourne))*. No. 1943. 22 July 1853. p. 4. Retrieved 19 September 2021. – via National Library of Australia.

1. ["Death of Mr H. Roulston"](http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article264241573). *[The San Remo Times and Phillip Island and Bass Valley Advertiser](/source/The_San_Remo_Times_and_Phillip_Island_and_Bass_Valley_Advertiser)*. No. 4. 28 February 1896. p. 3. Retrieved 19 September 2021. – via National Library of Australia.

1. ["Origin of Melbourne Punch"](http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article175796514). *[Melbourne Punch](/source/Melbourne_Punch)*. Vol. 100. 27 August 1907. p. 9. Retrieved 19 September 2021. – via National Library of Australia.

1. ["Christmas in Old England"](http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article5739862). *[The Argus (Melbourne)](/source/The_Argus_(Melbourne))*. No. 5,454. 28 November 1863. p. 5. Retrieved 2 October 2021. – via National Library of Australia.

1. ["Prospectus"](http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article13094922). *[The Sydney Morning Herald](/source/The_Sydney_Morning_Herald)*. Vol. XLIX, no. 8082. 4 May 1864. p. 1. Retrieved 20 September 2021. – via National Library of Australia.

1. ["Punch's Evening Amusements"](http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article253222177). *[Sydney Punch](/source/Sydney_Punch)*. 7 September 1867. p. 7. Retrieved 20 September 2021. – via National Library of Australia.

1. ["Theatricals"](http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article65468366). *[Bell's Life in Sydney and Sporting Chronicle](/source/Bell's_Life_in_Sydney_and_Sporting_Chronicle)*. Vol. XI, no. 546. 14 September 1867. p. 3. Retrieved 20 September 2021. – via National Library of Australia.

1. ["Advertising"](http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article28607466). *[The Sydney Morning Herald](/source/The_Sydney_Morning_Herald)*. Vol. LVI, no. 9145. 12 September 1867. p. 8. Retrieved 20 September 2021. – via National Library of Australia.

1. ["Entertainments."](http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article119441211). *[Freeman's Journal](/source/The_Freeman's_Journal_(Sydney))*. Vol. XVIII, no. 1277. 28 September 1867. p. 10. Retrieved 20 September 2021. – via National Library of Australia.

1. ["Insolvency court"](http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article166801431). *[The Sydney Mail](/source/The_Sydney_Mail)*. Vol. VIII, no. 383. 2 November 1867. p. 2. Retrieved 20 September 2021. – via National Library of Australia.

1. ["The Mail News"](http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article5926502). *[The Argus (Melbourne)](/source/The_Argus_(Melbourne))*. No. 9,678. 22 June 1877. p. 6. Retrieved 20 September 2021. – via National Library of Australia.

1. ["Fight Between the Fashionable Papers"](http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article162809167). *[The Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser](/source/The_Sydney_Mail_and_New_South_Wales_Advertiser)*. Vol. XXVII, no. 967. 11 January 1879. p. 74. Retrieved 20 September 2021. – via National Library of Australia.

1. Robert Whelan (2018). ["Touchstone, a Forgotten Theatrical Newspaper"](https://www.thefreelibrary.com/TOUCHSTONE%3a+A+FORGOTTEN+THEATRICAL+NEWSPAPER.-a0561566006). The Society for Theatre Research. Retrieved 20 September 2021.

1. ["The Sydney Punch"](http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article13086042). *[The Sydney Morning Herald](/source/The_Sydney_Morning_Herald)*. Vol. XLIX, no. 8103. 28 May 1864. p. 4. Retrieved 19 September 2021. – via National Library of Australia.

1. ["Family Notices"](http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4799553). *[The Argus (Melbourne)](/source/The_Argus_(Melbourne))*. No. 2039. 16 November 1853. p. 4. Retrieved 19 September 2021. – via National Library of Australia.

1. ["Family Notices"](http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article154895506). *[The Age](/source/The_Age)*. No. 253. 10 August 1855. p. 4. Retrieved 21 September 2021. – via National Library of Australia.

1. ["Family Notices"](http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article7137632). *[The Argus (Melbourne)](/source/The_Argus_(Melbourne))*. No. 3496. 25 August 1857. p. 4. Retrieved 21 September 2021. – via National Library of Australia.

1. ["Family Notices"](http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article154843853). *[The Age](/source/The_Age)*. No. 1,751. 4 June 1860. p. 4. Retrieved 21 September 2021. – via National Library of Australia.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Edgar Ray](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_Ray) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_Ray?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.