▁working ▁at ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁West ▁End ▁the at res . ▁By ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 2 0 , ▁he ▁was ▁man aging ▁the at res ▁for ▁Richard ▁D ' O y ly ▁Car te . ▁In ▁ 1 8 8 5 , ▁Edward es ▁became ▁a ▁manager ▁at ▁the ▁G ai ety ▁Theatre ▁with ▁John ▁H oll ings head , ▁who ▁soon ▁retired . ▁ ▁For ▁the ▁next ▁three ▁dec ades , ▁Edward es ▁ruled ▁a ▁the atr ical ▁emp ire ▁including ▁the ▁G ai ety , ▁Dal y ' s ▁Theatre , ▁the ▁Adel phi ▁Theatre ▁and ▁others , ▁and ▁sent ▁tour ing ▁companies ▁around ▁Britain ▁and ▁abroad . ▁In ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 8 9 0 s , ▁Edward es ▁recogn ised ▁the ▁changing ▁t ast es ▁of ▁musical ▁theatre ▁aud ien ces ▁and ▁led ▁the ▁movement ▁away ▁from ▁bur les que ▁and ▁com ic ▁opera ▁to ▁Edward ian ▁musical ▁comedy . ▁ ▁Life ▁and ▁career ▁Edward es ▁was ▁born ▁at ▁Great ▁Gr ims by , ▁Lincoln shire , ▁England . ▁He ▁was ▁the ▁el dest ▁of ▁four ▁sons ▁and ▁three ▁daughters ▁of ▁James ▁Edwards , ▁compt roller ▁of ▁custom s , ▁and ▁his ▁wife , ▁Ele an or ▁W id dup . ▁Edward es ' ▁parents ▁were ▁Roman ▁C athol ics ▁from ▁W ex ford , ▁Ireland . ▁He ▁attended ▁St ▁James ' s ▁College , ▁in ▁C lee , ▁after ▁which ▁he ▁was ▁sent ▁to ▁London ▁to ▁take ▁the ▁exam ination ▁for ▁the ▁Royal ▁Military ▁Academy . ▁