The Young Phenomena--Juvenile Actors of the early 1800s

 In 1804, a fad, a trend, or a craze--call it what you will--was noted in British theatre. Children were acting adult parts, on stage with adult actors, in adult plays. It must have made for some awkward performances, and uncomfortable scenes

The most notable, creating a stir wherever he went, was William Henry West Betty, or Master Betty, also known as the young Roscius. The original Roscius (d. 62 AD) was a Roman actor of great fame and actors of excellence were (and still may be?) given this 'title'.

illustration from 

"Shakspere to Sheridan; a book about the theatre of yesterday and to-day (1922)"

Master Betty was thirteen at the height of his fame, and made enough money to live a comfortable life for many years.

There were juvenile stars even younger, however.

illustration from Walker's Hibernian Magazine July 1805

Little Miss Mudie was only seven years old. She performed to great acclaim as the Young Norval in Belfast in May 1805, but was later hissed at on stage in a version of The Country Girl. I have not discovered her ultimate fate.

The Monthly Mirror, a journal focusing on theatre matters, published from 1795 to 1811, contained the following article in its May 1805 issue.

It makes one wonder, knowing the difficulties modern child actors have faced in later life, what happened to these youngsters. Of this list, six seem to have disappeared without a trace. Did they live out their lives on the fringes of the theatre or suffer destitution and life on the streets?

 

A luckier few continued to be noticed.

Miss (Catherine) Lee Sugg, the infant Billington and Roscius, remained in the theatre world, and was later in life known as Mrs. Halkett.

The Ormskirk Roscius, Frederic Brown, was also known as Roscius the Second, but had neither the talent nor the skills of Master Betty. He seemed, even with equivocal reviews, set to continue in the theatre.

Master (Nicholas) Mori the young Orpheus, a violinist, was the greatest success story of all. He was a prodigy at eight, and continued to grow in skill as he aged. Held in great respect in adulthood, he held the patronage of three royal Dukes. He became a founder-associate of The Philharmonic Society, and performed throughout his life until his death in 1839.

It is sad to consider that most of the 'prodigies' did not find success. The fad for child actors was short-lived.

'Til next time,

 

Lesley-Anne

A Sporting Tour 1804

 In 1804, Colonel Thomas Thornton published an accounting of his extensive tour of northern England and the Highlands of Scotland.

 The tour, it appears, took place in about 1786 the year in which the portrait below of Thornton may have been painted. A brief but comprehensive entry on Colonel Thornton may be found on Wikipedia. He was a most unusual man who lived a varied and uncommon life.

But it is his book that is my topic here. As interesting in its way as the diaries of Parson Woodforde and even Samuel Pepys, the journal is detailed and exhaustive, and very entertaining. It contains countless descriptions of 'sport'--that is, fishing, shooting, hunting and hawking. He would shoot, it seemed, anything that moved, and fished endlessly. One can only hope that the spoils of this orgy of killing were distributed to the needy of the areas through which the Colonel's party passed. Certainly there was too much foodstuff caught to be eaten by his fellows alone.

The sporting tour was planned with the precision of a military campaign, though I don't believe Thornton ever saw active service.

 There was a plethora of supplies ordered.

Ordered in two large chests of biscuits, several Cheshire and Gloucester

 

Besides the accounts of 'sport', which can become a little tedious unless you are as devoted to them as Thornton was, the Colonel had a fine, poetical turn of phrase in describing the countryside through which his party passed.  

 In order to record his epic tour, Thornton hired an artist, George Garrard (31 May 1760 – 8 October 1826), who was just coming into prominence with talented landscape and animal studies. Garrard produced numerous drawings and paintings during the tour and sixteen were engraved for inclusion in the book.

 Thornton waxed poetic on the many lochs of the Highlands and Garrard painted them.

 In addition Colonel Thornton commented on the social activities and social conditions he encountered on his trip,

and some unusual local pursuits. He encountered Golf at Glasgow on July 21.

And Mr. Garrard continued to draw and paint:

So, nearly twenty years after the trip, Thornton (in common with many British travellers in the 1800s) published a record of his excursion. His work is entertaining and as he says in his conclusion

I cannot better repay my obligations to that romantic country, for the amusement it has afforded me, than by recommending its highly-varied charms to the notice of future travellers...

The Sporting Tour by Colonel Thomas Thornton may be downloaded from Google Books. Enjoy!

'Til next time,

Lesley-Anne