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In January 1918 Nellie Briercliffe, one of the most famous of all D'Oyly Carte soubrettes, temporarily left the Company. It was war time, and interest in Gilbert and Sullivan had been low ever since the end of the Savoy revivals by Mrs. Helen D'Oyly Carte in 1908. With the departure of some of the old principals a new company was gradually being built up, perhaps the most significant change having been the return of Bertha Lewis to take over the contralto roles from Louie Reni in December 1914.
It was against this background that the Company engaged a new soubrette, Catherine Ferguson, to play all the major soubrette parts except Mad Margaret; Ruddigore up to this time had never been revived.
Henry Lytton was principal comedian; Frederick Hobbs principal bass; Leo Sheffield played Shadbolt, Don Alhambra, the Learned Judge, and no fewer than seven other parts; Dewey Gibson was principal tenor; and Helen Gilliland and Phyllis Dicksee principal sopranos. It is interesting that this remained more or less the set-up until the famous post-war season at the Prince's from September 1919 to January 1920.
During this "interim" period Catherine Ferguson had been steadily building up her reputation, and appeared to have claimed the soubrette roles for her own, when Mr. Rupert D'Oyly Carte made an all-out effort for maximum strength at the Prince's, and back came Nellie Briercliffe. And with two additional stars Sydney Granville and Derek Oldham - now with the operas, Catherine, relegated to small parts for the eighteen week London season, found herself in distinguished company.
After the Prince's season was over, however,Nellie Briercliffe once more departed, and Catherine was able to settle in as the Company's regular soubrette, which she remained to the end of her career.
One of the highlights of this career was undoubtedly playing the part of Mad Margaret in the first revival of "Ruddigore" since its original production. After some thirty-two years of neglect, this now popular opera was produced in Glasgow in December 1920 and from this time on has been performed pretty regularly. With the great artist Leo Sheffield as Sir Despard, Catherine Ferguson made a hit as the despised Margaret, later reunited with her lover in the role of district visitors. Her "mad" scene was splendidly done, and the duet and dance with Sheffield in the second Act, followed by the patter trio with Leo and Henry Lytton, gradually became popular.
She was married to Arthur Lucas who was a principal tenor with the company from 1918 to 1920
During her time with the company, 1918 - 1923, she played Constance, Hebe, Edith, Kate (Pirates), Lady Angela, Lady Saphir, Leila, Iolanthe, Melissa, Peep-Bo, Pitti-Sing, Mad Margaret. Phoebe Meryll, Vittoria and Tessa.
From July 1921 until she retired in June 1923, Catherine Ferguson sustained ten soubrette parts regularly.
Miss Ferguson died on May 22nd 1972.
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