BALFE, MICHAEL WILLIAM (_only son of Balfe of Dublin, violinist 1783–1823_). _b._ 10 Pitt st. Dublin 15 May 1808; played the violin at a concert in Royal Exchange, Dublin, May 1816; first violinist in Drury Lane orchestra 1823; chief baritone at Italian opera, Paris 1827–29; sang in Italy 1829–35; lessee of English opera house Lyceum 9 March 1841 to 13 May 1841; conductor at Her Majesty’s theatre 3 March 1846 to 1852 when house closed; went to St. Petersburg 1852; purchased Rowney Abbey, Ware, Herts and turned gentleman farmer 1864; chevalier of Legion of honour 22 March 1870; composed _Rivals_ 1829, _Siege of Rochelle_ 1835, _Bohemian Girl_ 1843 (produced at Drury Lane 27 Nov. 1843, performed in almost every European country), _Rose of Castille_ 1857, _Puritan’s daughter_ 1861, _Il Talismano_ produced at Her Majesty’s theatre 1874; arranged _Moore’s Irish Melodies_ as duets and quartets. (_m._ Lina Rozer a Hungarian prima donna). _d._ Rowney Abbey 20 Oct. 1870. _Balfe, his life and work by W. A. Barrett_ 1882, _portrait_; _A memoir of M. W. Balfe by C. L. Kenny_ 1875; _Illust. Review v_, 671–77, _portrait_; _Recollections of J. R. Planché i_, 241 (1872), _portrait by Thackeray_. NOTE.—A statue of him was placed in the vestibule of Drury Lane theatre 24 Sep. 1874, his memorial window in St. Patrick’s cathedral, Dublin, was uncovered 14 April 1879, and his memorial tablet in Westminster Abbey was unveiled 20 Oct. 1882. BALFE, VICTOIRE (_2 dau. of the preceding_). _b._ Rue de la Victoire, Paris 1 Sep. 1837; made her first appearance in London at Lyceum Theatre 28 May 1857 as Amina in opera of _La Sonnambula_; sang with great success in England, Italy and at St. Petersburg 1857–59. (_m._ (1) 31 March 1860 Sir John Fiennes Twisleton Crampton 2 Baronet, marriage was annulled on her petition 20 Nov. 1863, she _m._ (2) 1864 Duc de Frias and _d._ Madrid 22 Jany. 1871.) _bur._ Burgos cathedral. _Illust. news of the world iii_, 328 (1859), _portrait_; _I.L.N. xxxi_, 116 (1857), _portrait, lviii_, 115 (1871). BALFOUR, BLAYNEY TOWNLEY. _b._ 28 May 1769; sheriff of Louth 1792; M.P. for Belturbet in Irish parliament 1797–98. _d._ Townley hall near Drogheda 22 Dec. 1856. BALFOUR, BLAYNEY TOWNLEY (_eld. son of the preceding_). _b._ 1799; lieutenant governor of the Bahamas 1833 to 1834; sheriff of co. Louth 1841. _d._ Townley hall 5 Sep. 1882.