Marie Lydia Standish papers, 1894-1953 | Louisiana Research Collection

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Collection Overview

Title: Marie Lydia Standish papers, 1894-1953

ID: LaRC/Manuscripts Collection 555

Primary Creator: Standish, Marie Lydia.

Extent: 2.0 Boxes

Arrangement: The collection is arranged by topic as follows: correspondence, performance notes, lyrics and songs, photographs, reviews, clippings, programs, and other papers. The collection consists of two boxes, one oversize folder and one scrapbook.

Subjects: Folk songs, French., Standish, Marie Lydia., Women entertainers.

Forms of Material: Awards., Clippings (information artifacts), Correspondence., Notebooks., Photographs., Scrapbooks., Songs (document genre), Souvenir programs., Translations.

Languages: English, French

Scope and Contents of the Materials

The collection represents the professional work of Marie Lydia Standish as a diseuse during the 1920s, interpreting French folk songs that she collected and often translated. Items include correspondence, performance notes, translations of songs from French to English, newspaper clippings of reviews, performance programs, and photographs. A scrapbook contains clippings, letters, and memorabilia. In addition, the collection contains Standish's Legion d'Honneur citation as well as a citation from the French Minister of Education.

Biographical Note

Marie Lydia Standish, a daughter of J. M. Winship, was originally named Lydia Winship. She was brought up in a family that participated in New Orleans, La., Carnival festivities, and she was named queen of the Twelfth Night Revellers Mardi Gras krewe in 1897. She became interested in French folklore, poetry, drama, and music, and became known as a "diseuse" or performer of mediaeval French "story-songs." She also lived and performed in various other places in the United States, such as Chicago and San Francisco, and did return to New Orleans in the 1920s to perform these French musical readings, calling herself Mme. Marie Lydia Standish. She translated French literature into English, and also arranged background music for the poetry readings. In Chicago, she participated in the local Alliance française. Her husband was Harold S. Standish of Illinois. Mrs. Standish's name sometimes appears as Marie-Lydia Standish.

Subject/Index Terms

Folk songs, French.
Standish, Marie Lydia.
Women entertainers.

Administrative Information

Repository: Louisiana Research Collection

Access Restrictions: Collection is open to the public. No known restrictions.

Use Restrictions: Physical rights are retained by the Louisiana Research Collection. Copyright is retained in accordance with U.S. copyright laws.

Acquisition Source: Rathboone.

Acquisition Method: Gift.

Preferred Citation: Marie Lydia Standish papers, Manuscripts Collection 555, Louisiana Research Collection, Howard-Tilton Memorial Library, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118.

Processing Information: Collection processed in 1978 by DWG.

Finding Aid Revision History: Finding aid information entered into Archon by LAC Group in 2011.

Other Note: OCLC Number: 809383694

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Box:

[Box 1: Correspondence, songs, and lyrics],
[Box 2: Journals, notes, photographs, reviews, clippings, and programs],
[Oversize folder 1],
[Volume 1: Scrapbook, 1892-1931],
[All]

Oversize folder 1: Contains Marie Lydia Standish's Legion d'Honneur citation and a citation from the French Minister of Education, and two three-colored illustrated songs: "Le Roi Dagobert" and "La Marseillaise."

Browse by Box:

[Box 1: Correspondence, songs, and lyrics],
[Box 2: Journals, notes, photographs, reviews, clippings, and programs],
[Oversize folder 1],
[Volume 1: Scrapbook, 1892-1931],
[All]

Tulane University Special Collections