Editing Gabrielle Ray (section)

== Biography==
Ray was born in [[Cheadle Hulme|Cheadle]], Stockport, England.<ref name=Edwardes>Edwardes, Robin. [http://www.gabrielleray.com/gabrielle-ray-biography-by-robin-edwardes.php "A Short Biography of Gabrielle Ray"], (1997)</ref>  She was the fourth child of William Austin Cook, a prosperous iron merchant and a [[Justice of the Peace]] for Cheshire, and his wife Anne Maria Elizabeth ''née'' Holden.<ref>Walsh, Josie. [https://web.archive.org/web/20070928201716/http://www.gabrielleray.co.uk/ "About Gabrielle Ray"], '' A Picture Postcards Tribute'' (2006)</ref><ref name=dnb>Gänzl, Kurt.  [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/53572 "Ray, Gabrielle (1883–1973)"], Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004, accessed 18 September 2008, {{doi|10.1093/ref:odnb/53572}}</ref>

===Early career===
Known as 'Gabs' to family and friends,<ref name=Divorce/> Ray first appeared in London's [[West End theatre|West End]] at the age of ten in the role of Eveleen in [[John Hollingshead]]'s production of a musical play called ''Miami'' at the Royal [[Princess's Theatre]].  This was followed by juvenile roles in a series of plays in London and on tour.  The next year, she played a role in ''A Celebrated Case''.  She was also a dancer in the Blackpool ballet.<ref name=dnb/>  At the Richmond Theatre from 1893, she played Cupid in ''Little Red Riding Hood'', Adrienne in ''Proof'', and Cissie in ''The Silver King'', among other plays and [[pantomime]]s.  In 1899, she appeared in ''Sinbad the Sailor'' at the Hammersmith Lyric Opera House.  Manager [[Ben Greet]] noticed her dancing skills and engaged her to tour with his company.  With Greet, she toured for three years in the roles of Mamie Clancy in ''[[The Belle of New York (theatre)|The Belle of New York]]'' and Dolly Twinkle in ''[[The Casino Girl]]'' (1901).<ref name=Vaughan>Vaughan, Roger.  [http://www.rogerco.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/gallery/ray-g.htm "Ray, Gabrielle: Actress and dancer"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080915225441/http://www.rogerco.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/gallery/ray-g.htm |date=15 September 2008 }}, Roger Vaughan Picture Library (2004)</ref>  Ray was back at the Lyric in 1902 to play the title character in the pantomime ''Little Red Riding Hood''.<ref name=Gillan>Gillan, Don. [http://www.dgillan.screaming.net/stage/th-main.html "Gabrielle Ray biography"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180630005207/http://www.dgillan.screaming.net/stage/th-main.html |date=30 June 2018 }}, at the Stage Beauty website</ref>

[[File:Gabrielle Ray, Raphael Tuck & Sons T 524.jpg|upright|left|thumb|Ray in the early 1900s]]
During the first decade of the 20th century, Ray's career had progressed to the point where she was performing at leading West End venues and gaining attention as a beautiful young dancer and actress.  Her photograph was much sought after by the various trade publications and leading photographers such of the day.<ref>Henry Jaremko, [http://www.gabrielleray.com/ Gabrielle Ray website]</ref>{{unreliable source|date=January 2023}}  Known across Europe for her looks, she was admired by men such as [[Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt]] and [[Manuel II of Portugal|King Manuel of Portugal]].<ref name=Loder>Gillan, Don. [http://www.dgillan.screaming.net/stage/th-fourgr.html "London's Four Greatest Beauties Broken Hearted"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923214111/http://www.dgillan.screaming.net/stage/th-fourgr.html |date=23 September 2015 }}, ''The San Antonio Light'', 22 June 1913, reprinted at stagebeauty.net</ref>

[[George Edwardes]] hired Ray to understudy [[Gertie Millar]] in ''[[The Toreador]]'' at the [[Gaiety Theatre, London]], in 1902, where she had the chance to play the role on many occasions.<ref name=Vaughan/>  She then took over for [[Letty Lind]] in ''[[The Girl from Kays]]'' at the [[Apollo Theatre]], earning good notices for her graceful, acrobatic dancing in particular.  Next, she earned considerable fame playing Thisbe in the hit musical ''[[The Orchid]]'' (1903), where she danced in pink pyjamas while singing "The Pink Pyjama Girl".  She continued to appear in Edwardes' productions in 1905 and 1906, including three successes at the [[Prince of Wales Theatre]]: ''[[Lady Madcap]]'' (1905, in which she performed a popular Parisian dance, "La Maxixe"), Lady Dorothy Congress in ''The Little Cherub'' (1906)<ref>Culme, John. [http://footlightnotes.tripod.com/ArchivePressText2008/20080712.html "Gabrielle Ray, Lily Elsie, Zena Dare and Grace Pindar play football in ''The Little Cherub''"], Footlight Notes, 12 July 2008</ref> and So-Hie in ''See See'' (1906). The same year she also played Eglé in ''[[The Merveilleuses]]''.<ref name=Edwardes/> In 1907, Ray played Frou Frou in Edwardes' adaptation of ''[[The Merry Widow]]'', which ran for 778 performances at [[Daly's Theatre]]. Ray's dance number, complete with handstands and high kicks, all performed on a table at Maxim's held head high by four men, was a show stopper.<ref name=Gillan/>  Next she was Daisy in ''[[The Dollar Princess]]'' (1909) at Daly's and Polly in ''[[Peggy (musical)|Peggy]]'' (1911) at the Gaiety.<ref name=Edwardes/>

===Marriage and later years===

[[File:Ray-g013.jpg|upright|thumb|As Daisy in ''[[The Dollar Princess]]'']]
Ray announced her retirement to marry the wealthy Eric Raymond Loder (1888–1966) in early 1912 and left the production of ''Peggy''. She did not appear at the well-attended scheduled wedding ceremony at St Edwards Roman Catholic Church in [[Windsor, Berkshire|Windsor]] because of Loder's failure to sign the prenuptial contract that guaranteed her financial security, but he claimed it was an oversight, and the marriage took place three days later. In 1913 Loder committed adultery and deserted Ray, ignoring her letters pleading with him to return to her. She filed for [[restitution of conjugal rights]], but Loder did not respond to the legal order, and the couple divorced in 1914.<ref name=Divorce>[https://www.ancestry.co.uk/interactive/2465/41353_635001_7517-00000/75099?backurl=https://www.ancestry.co.uk/family-tree/person/tree/1453431/person/432110287375/facts/citation/1162151216719/edit/record#?imageId=41353_635001_7517-00002 England & Wales, Civil Divorce Records, 1858–1918: 1914], 05161-05170, 05161: Loder via Ancestry.com {{subscription required}}</ref><ref name=Loder/>

The broken marriage was difficult for Ray, but in 1915 she returned to the stage to play the role of Estelle in the musical ''[[Betty (musical)|Betty]]'' at the Gaiety Theatre and, in the following year, appeared in the [[revue]] ''Flying Colours'' at the [[London Hippodrome]]. These were her last appearances in the West End, but for nearly a decade afterwards, she appeared occasionally in provincial [[variety show|variety]] tours and pantomimes, finally leaving the stage about 1924.<ref name=Gillan/> Roles during this decade included Maid Marian in ''[[Babes in the Wood]]'' at Prince's Theatre in [[Bradford]] at Christmas 1919 and Mother Goose at the Theatre Royal, Manchester, at Christmas 1920.<ref name=Vaughan/>

After this, Ray struggled with depression and [[alcoholism|alcohol abuse]]. In 1936 she suffered a mental breakdown and was institutionalised for 37 years<ref name=Loder/> at [[Holloway Sanatorium]] in [[Egham]], Surrey. In 1939 she was listed there as "Incapacitated".<ref>[https://www.ancestry.co.uk/interactive/61596/tna_r39_1890_1890a_016/17429989?backurl=https://www.ancestry.co.uk/family-tree/person/tree/1453431/person/432110287375/facts/citation/1162151220372/edit/record "Gabrielle E C Loder"], 1939 England and Wales Register, Surrey, Egham UD via Ancestry.com {{subscription required}}</ref> Registered as Mrs Eric Loder, at least part of her long stay at the sanatorium was happy. Ray continued to care for her personal appearance, having a liking for smart clothes and hats. Other [[Gaiety Girls]] visited her, including [[Gertie Millar]] and [[Lily Elsie]], but she was never visited by family members. Hospital staff later recalled her infectious smile and that she enjoyed walks into the nearby village for shopping and car rides. After her death one of her nurses said, "she was a very quiet lady, small and neat, who did not give any indication of the high life she must have enjoyed".<ref>Blythman, Guy. (2014) ''The Holloway Sanatorium'', Egham and Runnymede Historical Society, p. 65</ref>

Ray died in 1973 at the Holloway Sanatorium at the age of 90 and was buried in Englefield Green cemetery.<ref name=dnb/> In her will she left £17,441.<ref>[https://www.ancestry.co.uk/interactive/1904/46452_b294004-00056/20001036?backurl=https://www.ancestry.co.uk/family-tree/person/tree/1453431/person/432110287375/facts/citation/1162151219396/edit/record "Gabrielle Elizabeth Clifford Loder"], England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858–1995 (1973) via Ancestry.com {{subscription required}}</ref> A [[blue plaque]] has been erected on the site of her birth.<ref>[http://openplaques.org/plaques/3616 Text of Ray's blue plaque], openplaques.org, accessed 22 September 2010</ref>