brownlow created the role of sir richard cholmondeley, the lieutenant of the tower of london in the next savoy opera, "the yeomen of the guard", in 1888 at the savoy theatre. coincidentally, his father had been drill master of the yeomen of the queen's body guard. he next created the role of luiz in "the gondoliers", which he played from the opera's premiere in december 1889 until april 1891. brownlow left the d'oyly carte opera company to play prince john in arthur sullivan's grand opera "ivanhoe" and as the duc de longueville in "la basoche" at the royal english opera house. he next played in a number of comic operas in london through 1893, including the role of william in "blue-eyed susan", composed by f. osmond carr, at the prince of wales's theatre in 1892.