Representative women of New England/Annie A. Hawley
ANNIE ANDROS HAWLEY, librettist and musical composer, the wife of A. George Hawley, was born in Cambridge, Mass., being the daughter of Henry Sanford and Adelaide Eleanor (Little) Andros. On her father's side she is descended from the well-known Andros family of Connecticut, one of her direct ancestors having been Benjamin Andros, of Norwich, who was prominent in State and town affairs about the middle of the eighteenth century.
Mrs. Hawley's musical talent comes by inheritance from both her parents. Her father, the late Henry Andros, was endowed by nature with a rarely sweet tenor voice, and was, moreover, a thorough musician by education and training. For thirty consecutive years he filled the position of choirmaster of St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Cambridge, being the incumbent of that position until within two years of the time of his death, which occurred suddenly in August, 1902.
Mrs. Hawley's mother is a grand-daughter of Captain Abraham Shackleton, of Nottingham, England, who was an officer in the Oxford Blues, and fought under Wellington at the battle of Waterloo. An accomplished musician, Mrs. Andros has been organist at St. Peter's ever since her husband began his directorship, and since his death has filled the dual office of organist and chorister. She is also a teacher of sight reading and harmony, and a successful trainer of men's voices.
Mrs. Hawley's native musical talent was carefully fostered by her parents, she receiving from an early age competent instruction in vocal and instrumental music as well as in harmony. Her general education was obtained in the public schools of Cambridge and at Radcliffe College, which she entered soon after graduating from the English High School. Her literary ability was early displayed in the writing of lyrics, which were soon followed by the words and music of plays. The first work by which she became publicly known was a
musical comedy entitled "The Dove's Supper," which was first given at the Bijou Theatre in 1896. This was afterward enlarged and changed to "A Social Escapade," and given at the Tremont Theatre. Some of her most attractive songs have been widely sung by some of the best known comic opera stars before the public. "The Potentate," a comic opera of which she wrote the libretto, lyrics, and music, was chosen by the Algonquin Club of Brockton out of fifty submitted to them for production in February, 1903. The piece was given a large and costly production, and received much enthusiastic commendation. The number of comic opera writers has long been so small that for a number of years all the comic operas produced have been the work of a very few men. Thus enterprising managers hail with delight the advent of this young authoress and composer. Her work is attracting the at- tention of some of the most prominent managers in the country.
Mr. and Mrs. Hawley reside in Winchester.
Mr. Hawley is a choir director of Boston, and himself a fine singer. For a number of years previous to her marriage, which took place in April, 1897, Mrs. Hawley played 'cello in the "Fadettes" (women's orchestra), and she is still a valued member of that organization, though her many duties deter her from often playing with them. She possesses a rich soprano voice, and is an advanced pupil of Mme. Gertrude Franklin Salisbury. She has done much church and concert singing, and her voice has both flexibility and compass. She is, without doubt, the only woman before the public who is both a librettist and a musical composer. With her ambition, talent, and industry, a brilliant future seems to be assured her.