Noël Sullivan
Noël Sullivan, possibly also Reginald Noel Sullivan,[1][2] (1890–1956) was a wealthy American concert singer, philanthropist and patron of the arts, who is remembered for entertaining performers, artists and writers in his opulent residence on Hyde Street, San Francisco. He befriended many African Americans, providing support for their welfare.[3][4]
Early life and education
Born in San Francisco on 25 December 1890, Noël Sullivan was the son of Alice Phelan and Francis "Frank" J. Sullivan whose father, the Irish immigrant John Sullivan, had arrived in California in 1844.[5] He was given the name Noël (French for Christmas) as he had been born on Christmas Day.[6]
Sullivan was brought up in an affluent, influential home, attending first St. Ignatius College and then Santa Clara College. Although not academically inclined, he was interested in music, developing his singing talents abroad and performing as an amateur singer. For a time, he had a home in Paris. In World War I he served with the American Field Service as an ambulance driver.[3][6] During this period, he wrote a number of letters to his aunt, Mary Louise Phelan (1896–1930).[2][7]
Adult life
Following serious problems with his father's health, in 1925 Sullivan returned to San Francisco to take care of him in the family home on 2323 Hyde Street. The house had initially been acquired by his mother for the Carmelite nuns who later moved to Santa Clara.[8] He lived in the house for many years, frequently entertaining friends from the world of art and literature. He developed an excellent relationship with his household staff, most of whom were African Americans. These included his housekeeper, his cook and his chauffeur.[9]
In the early 1930s, he supported the music scene in San Francisco, gaining a reputation as an adept amateur concert singer himself. As chairman of the California branch of the American League to Abolish Capital Punishment, he also campaigned vigorously for the abolition of capital punishment.[3]
References
- ^ "All results for Noel Sullivan". Ancestry. Retrieved 17 March 2018.
- ^ a b ""Somewhere in France"; Personal Letters of Reginald Noel Sullivan, S. S. U. 65 of the American Ambulance Field Service". Swan's fine books. Retrieved 17 March 2018.
- ^ a b c "Finding Aid to the Noël Sullivan papers, [ca. 1911-1956]". Bancroft Library, University of California. 1997. Retrieved 17 March 2018.
- ^ Loftis, Anne (1998). Witnesses to the Struggle: Imaging the 1930s California Labor Movement. University of Nevada Press. pp. 19–. ISBN 978-0-87417-305-5.
- ^ O'Laughlin, Michael C. (2003). Irish Families on the California Trail: Pioneers and 49ers from the Earliest Days Including the Gold Rush & San Francisco. Irish Roots Cafe. pp. 6–. ISBN 978-0-940134-61-4.
- ^ a b Brooks, Christopher A.; Sims, Robert (2014). Roland Hayes: The Legacy of an American Tenor. Indiana University Press. pp. 167–. ISBN 978-0-253-01539-6.
- ^ "Guide to the Mary Louise Phelan papers, [ca. 1896-1930]". Bancroft Library, University of California. Retrieved 17 March 2018.
- ^ "Carmelite monastery- Bond ranch - Santa Clara, CA". Waymarking.com. Retrieved 17 March 2018.
- ^ Hill, Ruth Edmonds (1991). The Black Women Oral History Project. Cplt. De Gruyter. pp. 5–. ISBN 978-3-11-097391-4.
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