Frances Cross (1707-1781) was a British

stage actress An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), lit ...

. From 1727 as Frances Shireburn she appeared at the

Drury Lane Theatre The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, commonly known as Drury Lane, is a West End theatre and Grade I listed building in Covent Garden, London, England. The building faces Catherine Street (earlier named Bridges or Brydges Street) and backs onto Dru ...

. During her early years she established herself in a number of roles that she played repeatedly throughout her career including in Lady Darling in '' The Constant Couple'', Mademoiselle D'Epingle in '' The Funeral'', Mademoiselle in ''

The Provoked Wife ''The Provoked Wife'' (1697) is the second original comedy written by John Vanbrugh. It made its first appearance in Lincoln's Inn Fields in May, 1697. The often-repeated claim that Vanbrugh wrote part of his comedy ''The Provoked Wife'' in th ...

'' and Regan in ''

King Lear ''King Lear'' is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare. It is based on the mythological Leir of Britain. King Lear, in preparation for his old age, divides his power and land between two of his daughters. He becomes destitute and insane a ...

'', Lady Bountiful in ''

The Beaux' Stratagem ''The Beaux' Stratagem'' is a comedy by George Farquhar, first produced at the Theatre Royal, now the site of Her Majesty's Theatre, in the Haymarket, London, on March 8, 1707. In the play, Archer and Aimwell, two young gentlemen who have falle ...

'' and Mrs Motherly in

The Provoked Husband ''The Provoked Husband'' is a 1728 comedy play by the British writer and actor Colley Cibber, based on a fragment of play written by John Vanbrugh. It is also known by the longer title ''The Provok'd Husband: or, a Journey to London''. Vanbrug ...

. She also appeared at

Bartholomew Fair The Bartholomew Fair was one of London's pre-eminent summer charter fairs. A charter for the fair was granted to Rahere by Henry I to fund the Priory of St Bartholomew; and from 1133 to 1855 it took place each year on 24 August within the precin ...

during the summer months.Highfill, Burnim & Langhans p.71-72 From 1735 she became involved in with fellow actor Richard Cross and began styling herself as Mrs Cross, although she did not formally marry him until 1751.Highfill, Burnim & Langhans p.67 She was widowed in 1760, and had a son also named Richard Cross who appeared alongside her at Drury Lane. Apart from during the Actor Rebellion of 1733 when she briefly moved to the

Haymarket Theatre The Theatre Royal Haymarket (also known as Haymarket Theatre or the Little Theatre) is a West End theatre on Haymarket in the City of Westminster which dates back to 1720, making it the third-oldest London playhouse still in use. Samuel Foot ...

and two seasons at

Covent Garden Covent Garden is a district in London, on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit-and-vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist sit ...

from 1739 and 1741, she spent the remainder of her career as an established part of the Drury Lane company.Highfill, Burnim & Langhans p.72 She has been described as a "

workhorse A draft horse (US), draught horse (UK) or dray horse (from the Old English ''dragan'' meaning "to draw or haul"; compare Dutch ''dragen'' and German ''tragen'' meaning "to carry" and Danish ''drage'' meaning "to draw" or "to fare"), less often ...

" of the company playing numerous new roles as well as established ones each year, "rarely getting leading roles, but seldom being assigned tiny ones". Cross died on 29 June 1781 in Hart Street, Bloomsbury.

References

Bibliography

* Highfill, Philip H, Burnim, Kalman A. & Langhans, Edward A. ''A Biographical Dictionary of Actors, Actresses, Musicians, Dancers, Managers, and Other Stage Personnel in London, 1660-1800: West to Zwingman''. SIU Press, 1973. 18th-century British people English stage actresses British stage actresses 18th-century English actresses 18th-century British actresses 1707 births 1781 deaths Actresses from London {{UK-stage-actor-stub