Herbert Sullivan

He was co-author of a 1927 biography of Arthur Sullivan, well regarded in its day, but later discredited because of its suppression of the composer's diary entries that mentioned his gambling and philandering.

[6] Arthur Sullivan's health was precarious from the 1880s onwards, and Herbert often accompanied his uncle to the South of France and other resorts where the composer rested or spent holidays.

[7] In late 1890, at 22 years of age, Herbert left his uncle's home for an engineering job connected with the laying of a cable between Haiti and Brazil.

[9] When Arthur died, the German Emperor Wilhelm, an admirer of Sullivan's works, sent Herbert a personal message of condolence.

[10] Herbert remained friendly with his uncle's collaborator, W. S. Gilbert, after Arthur's death; when Herbert organised a Garrick Club dinner in 1908, in honour of Gilbert, the dramatist wrote, "My dear Sullivan, There is little need to tell you how deeply I appreciate the good feeling that actuated you in organizing yesterday's most successful dinner.

He lived in Brightlingsea Manor House from 1903 until 1921; an accomplished sailor, he organised an annual regatta at the nearby Colne Yacht Club, of which he was a member.

[13] During the First World War, Herbert became a King's Messenger, using his yacht, "Zola", to deliver messages to Belgium and also to pose as a tourist, while observing German naval activities.

Subsequently, when wider access to the diaries became possible, it was seen that Sullivan had suppressed mention of his uncle's gambling and womanising, and this evasion, combined with the lack of musical analysis in the biography, led to a lowering of its status among scholars.