E. W. Royce

In 1870 at York he married Emily Watson (born 1850),[3] and with her had a son, James William Royce Reddall (1870–1964),[4] who later performed and choreographed as E. W. Royce, Jr.[5] Emily presumably died in childbirth or soon afterwards, and in 1873, listed as a widower and a comedian, at Lambeth he married Marie Wood Smithers (1855–1932), an actress and singer[6] and later a teacher of stage dancing.

[11] Owing to ill-health Royce ceased acting in 1882 but had recovered sufficiently by early 1886 to join May Fortescue's London company in a tour of W. S. Gilbert's Gretchen, among other plays.

Later in 1886 he went to Australia to play in comedies, burlesques, dramas and pantomime, taking his family with him and remaining there until 1892, touring with the Brough-Boucicault London Gaiety Company, under engagement to Williamson, Garner and Musgrove.

[6] On his return to England in 1892 he began to direct and choreograph, as well as continuing to act, playing Jabez Pasha in Don Juan (1893) at the Gaiety.

He took part in the last night performance there in 1903, before its demolition, along with Gaiety stars past and present, including Constance Loseby, Lionel Brough, Richard Temple and Henry Irving.