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The Collation

International Dog Day: Delightful Dogs From the Photo Album of Ellen Terry

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A small white dog with dark ears pulls himself up on the top of a floral upholstered sofa.

Ellen Terry was a well-known actress from around 1874 to 1920, probably most famous for her Shakespearian roles, such as Portia in The Merchant of Venice and Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing. I first encountered her not as an actress, but as a painting; John Singer Sargent’s “Ellen Terry as Lady Macbeth” has been one of my favorite pieces of artwork since I was young, and it was only recently that I began to learn about the woman behind the painting and acting.

A painting of a woman holding a crown over her head. Her hair is long and red, her dress flowing and green. Her expression is intense.
Ellen Terry as Lady Macbeth, John Singer Sargent, 1889. Accessed through Wikimedia Commons.
A sepia-toned photograph of a woman with long hair and flowing clothes. In flowing handwriting, it is captioned
Ellen Terry as Lady Macbeth, Folger 272976, item 4.6, leaf 7a recto

I think it’s fitting that I am now getting to know her better through digitizing a very personal work of art: her photo album. I now know she liked to collect plants and feathers and photos of her companions, and, perhaps most importantly, that she loved dogs.  

In honor of International Dog Day, here are all the dogs I found while digitizing one of her photo albums: Ellen Terry’s photograph album, 1888-1898, Michael Meredith collection of Henry Irving and Ellen Terry material, Folger 272976, item 4.6.

A dog named Drummy, or Drummie, appears to be Ellen Terry’s and features heavily in this photo album:

A faded out-of-focus photograph of an arm cradling a dog with dark ears. The dog appears wrapped in a scarf or blanket and its eyes are closed in what looks like happiness.
Drummie, leaf 7 recto
A sepia-toned photograph of a small white dog with dark ears and a dark collar. The dog is perched on a cushion.
Drummie, sitting very prim and proper, leaf 18 verso
A small white dog with dark ears pulls himself up on the top of a floral upholstered sofa.
Drummie lounging in 1890, leaf 28 recto
A black and white photograph of a group of five seated women and three standing men. On the lap of the woman fourth from the left is a small white dog with dark ears. The photo is labeled in flowing handwriting.
Drummy and friends. leaf 7 verso

Ellen Terry’s acting partner, Henry Irving, is frequently pictured with a dog named Fussie:

A faded sepia-toned photograph of a group of people in a garden seated and standing around garden furniture. A small white dog with dark ears is standing on a chair next to a seated woman. The photo is captioned in flowing handwriting.
"Fuss" and friends, leaf 30 verso
A round faded sepia-toned photograph showing a man standing in the middle of the road. Beside him a small white dog with dark ears holds a cane in its mouth.
Fussie very helpfully holding what looks to be Henry Irving's cane, leaf 46 recto
A round sepia-toned photograph of a man seated in a beach chair. On his lap, he holds a small white dog with dark ears and a dark spot on his side.
Fussie and Henry Irving in 1892, leaf 48 verso

A few randos:

A faded sepia-toned photograph of a bearded man stretched out beside a big tan or white dog. The photograph is captioned Monday 16. July:
Unidentified dog, dated Monday 16 July, leaf 2 recto
A cutout of a sepia-tone photograph of a woman sitting in the grass with large dark dogs. The photo is captioned
Two big ol' dogs, leaf 27 verso
A sepia-toned portrait photograph of a mustachioed man in a suit standing with arm around a well-groomed dog standing on a table.
"Jackson & Graham", leaf 30 recto
A ink drawing of a seated man in park-like scenery. He is leaning down to pet a small dog, one large dog lies behind his seat, and another large dog stand to the side. The dogs are labeled in a flowing hand. Perhaps Charlie, Benoit, and Sylvie.
A sketch of Henry Irving with dogs, leaf 35 verso

Last but certainly not least, my personal favorite, Lord Kitchener:

A sepia-toned photograph of a small dog with curly hair sits on a cushion embroidered with the words Lord Kitchener of Khartoum. The photograph is labeled in a flowing hand.
"'Commended' but not prized!! 29 June-99", with a note that Kitchener was 10 months old, leaf 53 recto
A sepia-toned photograph of a young girl in a long white dress playing with a small dog with curly hair who is preparing to jump.
"Rosie & Kitchener", leaf 53 recto

Honorable mention: this big, weird dog:

A faded sepia-toned photograph of two people in a gig hitched to a small, dark horse.
leaf 30 verso

Chris Naulty

is an Imaging Associate at the Folger Shakespeare Library and is passionate about expanding access to the Folger’s collection through digitization. You can usually find her at her workstation, very gently wrestling books into submission. — View all posts by Chris Naulty

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