Constance Beerbohm

Who was Constance Beerbohm?

Constance Beerbohm was the oldest daughter of Julius Ewald Edward Beerbohm, of Dutch, Lithuanian, and German origin, who had come to England in about 1830 and set up as a prosperous corn merchant. He married an Englishwoman, Constantia Draper, and the couple had four children. Constance Beerbohm's brother was the renowned actor-manager Herbert Beerbohm Tree; another brother was the engineer, author and explorer Julius Beerbohm. A younger half-brother was the caricaturist and parodist Max Beerbohm.

Constance was the only female member of Julius Beerbohm's first family. She was described as plain, unselfish and very tender-hearted. Eliza Beerbohm, who was her stepmother and also her aunt, made it quite clear that she preferred her own daughters, and to Constance's dismay, when she had grown up she had to leave the family home and set up on her own. One afternoon she called on her family, hiding a parcel containing her belongings in the bushes in the drive. Staying until nearly supper-time, her stepmother said "You had better stay to supper". After supper, Constance lingered until nearly bedtime: "You had better stay the night" said her stepmother. Constance fetched her parcel from the bushes and stayed for the rest of her life, taking on the practical management of the household, and helping to bring up her five younger half-siblings, including Max Beerbohm.