(March 15, 1856 - April 20, 1920)
Robinson Locke was born in Toledo to Martha and David Ross Locke, the former editor, writer, and owner of the Toledo Blade. Not wanting his son to miss out on opportunities and education that he may not have been exposed to growing up in the midwest, David Ross Locke sent Robinson to school outside the U.S. Locke studied French, German, and music in France and Switzerland, and later traveled with his father to Europe on occasion. But his place was in the newspaper business. After an extremely successful career as editor, owner and political satirist, David Ross Locke (pen name "Petroleum V. Nasby") died in 1888, leaving the business to Robinson. Locke settled in Toledo and married Kate King, who died eight years later. In 1909 he married Mabel Dixey, a former stage actress from Yonkers, New York and the sister of prominent actor Henry E. Dixey. Once married to a New Yorker, he made frequent trips to New York, where he was also a respected critic.
Just as his father had entertained readers with his "Nasby" writings about anti-slavery (of which Abraham Lincoln was said to be a fan), Locke wanted to give Blade readers a column that spoke of his own individual interest. He chose the theatre. Aside from being a heavily influential contributor and member of the North West Ohio Historical Society; President of the Toledo Symphony Orchestra League; and founder of the Civic Music League, the Toledo Institute of Musical Art, and the Toledo Art Loan Association, Locke also wanted to bring to his Blade readers a taste of his love of the performing arts by way of criticism.
He began writing under the pen name "Rodney Lee," critiquing productions that came through Toledo and the surrounding area. His critiques were at times brash and comical, but always an honest description of what he had seen. Along with being a critic, he was also a major collector of theatre-related newspaper clippings from across the U.S. He searched for other production reviews as well as any form of gossip concerning actors, musicians, producers, managers, and anyone else associated with the theatre. He compiled his findings into around 500 bound sections that included clippings, photos, and other forms of memorabilia. To this day his collection is regarded as one of the most extraordinary gatherings of theatrical history from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The Robinson Locke Collection and is housed by the New York Public Library, as was Locke's request after his death. The NYPL has digitalized the collection for easier viewing.
Robison Locke died on April 20, 1920 in the Toledo Hospital three days after an operation on his appendix. His obituary ran in The New York Times on April 21, 1920.
Resources
"Robinson Locke." CAC Manuscripts: Robinson Locke Papers-MS 332. http://www.bgsu.edu/Colleges/library/cac/ms0332.html.
"Robinson Locke." Benton, Joshua, Blog Archive. "Blade Editor Built Toledo Arts, Left Superb Theater Memorabilia." http://www.clipfile.org/1999/12/23/392/.
"Robinson Locke and Mabel Dixey." The New York Times. www.nytimes.com.
"Robinson Locke." "Browsing Among Memories of Performances Past." The New York Times. www.nytimes.com.
"Robinson Locke." Archival Chronicle v. 26.2 "Way Off-Broadway: Live Theater in Northwest Ohio." http://www.bgsu.edu/colleges/library/cac/ac0708.html.