- Shaw, Mrs. Alfred
[E] Shaw, Mrs. Alfred, born Mary Postans,
contralto vocalist, born at Lee, Kent, in 1814.
She studied at R.A.M., and under Sir George
Smart, and appeared in 1834-5 at the Concert
of Ancient Music, and at York Festival. She
married Alfred Shaw, artist, in 1835. Sang
afterwards at all the pjrincipal festivals, and
sang the contralto part in Mendelssohn's
" St. Paul," on its first production in England.
Sang at Leipzig, 1838 ; in Italy, 1839, and
afterwards in England. She was married a
second time to J. F. Robinson. Her voice
failed owing to the shock caused by the
appearance of insanity in her first husband,
who died in a private asylum, Hoxton, No-
vember 23, 1847, and she retired from public
life soon after. She died at Hadleigh Hall,
Suffolk, September 9, 1876.entry id: 368-L-54
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