On this day Julius Soubise, a young man of African origin and of great talent, who had achieved notoriety in British society for his lifestyle, arrived in Madras (Chennai). He was on his way to Calcutta, which he would reach in March. Soubise, the son of a Jamaican woman, had been brought to England as a slave for a duchess, who freed him, gave him his name and brought him up as her own son.

Soubise gained prominence in the highest circles of London society as a young man about town and a violinist, singer and actor. He was taught oration by the great actor David Garrick. He was also an accomplished lancer and horseman. He would call himself the “Black Prince”. Possibly a sexual offence allegation made him flee England and land in Calcutta, where he tried to find his footing.

This was not easy, as he was not protected by his earlier privilege and faced harsher racial discrimination. In Calcutta, Soubise founded a fencing and riding school. In 1780, he acted in a performance of Othello, as Othello, in which Desdemona was played by a “Mr H”. Soubise tried his hand at other projects, as well, but he did not achieve much success. He remained in debt and the whiff of notoriety never left him.

He died from an injury sustained from trying to break in a horse.

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