Elizabeth Younge (1740 – 15 March 1797)Her epitaph in Westminster Abbey states that she died at the age of 52 but ''The New Monthly Magazine'' which gave her d.o.b. as 1940 wrote, "How this error in her age arose there is no possibility of ever guessing, as her real age was so well known." was an English actress who specialized in

Shakespearean William Shakespeare ( 23 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

roles. ''The New Monthly Magazine'' (1838) pp. 95-102, Henry Colburn, London
/ref>

Biography

Younge was born near Old Gravel Lane,

Southwark Southwark ( ) is a district of Central London situated on the south bank of the River Thames, forming the north-western part of the wider modern London Borough of Southwark. The district, which is the oldest part of South London, developed ...

. An Elizabeth Young, daughter of Samuel and Mary Young, was baptized at St Olave's, Southwark, on 14 January 1744, but it is not known if this was the same person. She received her early education at a day-school with other working-class children. After she left school, she became apprenticed to a milliner.John Fyvie (1909) ''Tragedy Queens of the Georgian Era'', Dutton, New York
/ref> Her parents died while she was still young and she had to support herself. In her leisure time, she did a great deal of reading and devoted herself to studying the best poets, especially the dramatic ones. She made friends with a young woman who was the daughter of an actor named Mr. Thompson. Around 1767–8, Younge was introduced by Thompson to George Garrick, younger brother of the

theatre manager Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors to present experiences of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The performers may communicat ...

David Garrick David Garrick (19 February 1716 – 20 January 1779) was an English actor, playwright, Actor-manager, theatre manager and producer who influenced nearly all aspects of European theatrical practice throughout the 18th century, and was a pupil a ...

. The younger Garrick was sufficiently impressed by Younge's acting that he took her to his brother. The timing was fortunate for Younge, as it was during that season that the actress

Hannah Pritchard Hannah Pritchard (née Vaughan, 1711 – 1768) was an English actress who regularly played opposite David Garrick. She performed many significant Shakespearean roles and created on stage many important female roles by contemporary playwrights. ...

retired, and Garrick was having difficulties with Ann Barry. Garrick liked to keep a good actress in reserve, and not only hired Younge for the

Drury Lane Drury Lane is a street on the boundary between the Covent Garden and Holborn areas of London, running between Aldwych and High Holborn. The northern part is in the borough of London Borough of Camden, Camden and the southern part in the City o ...

company, but also gave her personal tuition. Younge's début at Drury Lane was on 22 October 1768, when she appeared as Imogen in ''

Cymbeline ''Cymbeline'' (), also known as ''The Tragedie of Cymbeline'' or ''Cymbeline, King of Britain'', is a play by William Shakespeare set in British Iron Age, Ancient Britain () and based on legends that formed part of the Matter of Britain concer ...

''. Garrick was pleased enough to raise her salary from £2 to £3 per week, while William Hopkins, the prompter, wrote of her performance in his diary,

Miss Younge – an elegant Figure in both dresses, has a very good voice, but wants management, — a great deal of acting about her, and would make a great figure, if she had a better face. Upon the whole she played the part amazingly well, and had deserved the applause.

Younge's next parts were Jane Shore in ''The Tragedy of Jane Shore'' by Nicholas Rowe and Ovisa in the première of

Alexander Dow Alexander Dow (1735 or 1736 – 31 July 1779) was a Scottish Orientalist, writer, playwright and army officer in the East India Company. Life He was a native of Crieff, Perthshire. Alexander Dow's father worked at the Customs at Dunbar. The yo ...

's ''Zingis''. This play was not well received, and Younge was hissed by the audience. On 7 April 1769, she played

Perdita Perdita (Italian for "loss", from Latin for "lost woman"), may refer to: People *Perdita (given name), the history and usage of the name *Perdita Barran, English chemist * Perdita Buchan (born 1940), Anglo-American author *Perdita Felicien (born ...

in ''Florizel and Perdita'', Garrick's adaptation of ''

The Winter's Tale ''The Winter's Tale'' is a play by William Shakespeare originally published in the First Folio of 1623. Although it was grouped among the comedies, many modern editors have relabelled the play as one of Shakespeare's late romances. Some criti ...

''. That summer, she worked at Richmond with James Love, but in the autumn she returned to Drury Lane and on 2 October, she played

Juliet Juliet Capulet () is the female protagonist in William Shakespeare's romantic tragedy ''Romeo and Juliet''. A 13-year-old girl, Juliet is the only daughter of the patriarch of the House of Capulet. She falls in love with the male protagonist Ro ...

in ''

Romeo and Juliet ''The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet'', often shortened to ''Romeo and Juliet'', is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare about the romance between two young Italians from feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's ...

''. Remaining at Drury Lane, Younge took the part of Imogen again, in the new season in 1770. This was followed by Alcmena in ''

Amphitryon Amphitryon (; Ancient Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων, ''gen''.: Ἀμφιτρύωνος; usually interpreted as "harassing either side", Latin: Amphitruo), in Greek mythology, was a son of Alcaeus, king of Tiryns in Argolis. His mother was named ...

'', Lady Easy in ''

The Careless Husband ''The Carless Husband'' is a comedy play by the English writer Colley Cibber. It premiered at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane on 7 December 1704. The original cast featured Cibber as Lord Foppington, George Powell as Lord Morelove, Robert Wilks as ...

'', and Almera in ''

The Mourning Bride ''The Mourning Bride'' is a tragedy written by English playwright William Congreve. It premiered in 1697 at Betterton's Co., Lincoln's Inn Fields. The play centers on Zara, a queen held captive by Manuel, King of Granada, and a web of love and ...

'', but after quarrelling with Garrick over her salary, she left Drury Lane for the short-lived

Capel Street Theatre Capel Street Theatre was an 18th-century theatre located on Capel Street in Dublin, Ireland. The Capel Street Theatre had two distinct periods in its history. The first theatre on the site was called the 'New Theatre in Capel Street' or 'City ...

Dublin Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...

,Robert Farquharson Sharp (1909) ''A Short History of the English Stage: From Its Beginnings to the Summer of the Year 1908'' p.312, Walter Scott Publishing Company, London and New York
/ref> where she met with considerable success. She spent the summer of 1771 in

Bristol Bristol () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, the most populous city in the region. Built around the River Avon, Bristol, River Avon, it is bordered by t ...

, and, after coming to some agreement with Garrick, returned to Drury Lane to play Imogen once again on 26 September. Her performance, according to Hopkins, was "receiv'd with Great Applause". Younge remained at Drury Lane until 1778, though in the summer months she also performed in other cities. Her relationship with Garrick seems to have been an uneven one: he greatly respected her talent, but was irritated by her temperament, and at one stage gave a leading role to a lesser actress to belittle her. She played the role of Viola in front of

King George III George III (George William Frederick; 4 June 173829 January 1820) was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland, Ireland from 25 October 1760 until his death in 1820. The Acts of Union 1800 unified Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and ...

, though Garrick was forced to send her a threatening letter after she attempted to withdraw from the play on the grounds of having a cough. Younge was the fifth highest paid actress at Drury Lane theatre at the time of Garrick's retirement, earning £12 per week. Following a dispute with his successor,

Thomas Sheridan Thomas Sheridan may refer to: *Thomas Sheridan (divine) (1687–1738), Anglican divine *Thomas Sheridan (actor) (1719–1788), Irish actor and teacher of elocution *Thomas Sheridan (soldier) (1775–1817/18) *Thomas B. Sheridan (born 1931), America ...

, over money, she moved to Covent Garden after the 1778–9 season, and remained there until her death. Younge married

Alexander Pope Alexander Pope (21 May 1688 Old Style and New Style dates, O.S. – 30 May 1744) was an English poet, translator, and satirist of the Age of Enlightenment, Enlightenment era who is considered one of the most prominent English poets of the early ...

, a young Irish artist and actor, on 9 August 1785. They had one son. Younge was forced to give up her career on 26 January 1797, because of a serious illness. She died on Wednesday 15 March 1797, at her home, 5 Half Moon Street. Some sources give her age at death as fifty-two; others report it as fifty-seven. She was buried at

Westminster Abbey Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is an Anglican church in the City of Westminster, London, England. Since 1066, it has been the location of the coronations of 40 English and British m ...

on 22 March.

Selected roles

* Ovisa in ''

Zingis ''Zingis'' is a genus of air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Urocyclidae Urocyclidae is a family (biology), family of air-breathing land snails, semi-slugs and land slugs, terrestrial molluscs, ...

'' by

(1768) * Emily in '' The Maid of Kent'' by

Francis Godolphin Waldron Francis Godolphin Waldron (1744–1818) was an English writer and actor, known also as an editor and bookseller. Life Waldron became a member of David Garrick's company at Drury Lane, and is heard of on 21 October 1769, when he played a part i ...

(1773) * Bella in '' The Runaway'' by Hannah Cowley (1776) * Matilda in ''

The Battle of Hastings The Battle of Hastings was fought on 14 October 1066 between the Norman-French army of William the Conqueror, William, Duke of Normandy, and an English army under the Anglo-Saxons, Anglo-Saxon King Harold Godwinson, beginning the Norman Conq ...

'' by

Richard Cumberland Richard Cumberland may refer to: * Richard Cumberland (philosopher) Richard Cumberland (15 July 1631 (or 1632) – 9 October 1718) was an English philosopher, and Bishop of Peterborough from 1691. In 1672, he published his major work, ''De leg ...

(1778) * Emmelina in ''

The Fatal Falsehood ''The Fatal Falsehood'' is a 1779 tragedy by the British writer Hannah More. It premiered at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden in London on 7 May 1779. The original cast included Matthew Clarke as Earl Guilford, William Thomas Lewis as Rivers, his ...

'' by

Hannah More Hannah More (2 February 1745 – 7 September 1833) was an English religious writer, philanthropist, poet, and playwright in the circle of Johnson, Reynolds and Garrick, who wrote on moral and religious subjects. Born in Bristol, she taught at ...

(1779) * Princess in '' The Law of Lombardy'' by

Robert Jephson Robert Jephson (1736 – 31 May 1803) was an Irish dramatist and politician. Life He was born in Ireland, a younger son of John Jephson, Archdeacon of Cloyne. He entered Trinity College, Dublin in 1751, but left without a degree. He then jo ...

(1779) * Letitia Hardy in ''

The Belle's Stratagem ''The Belle's Stratagem'' is a romantic comedy of manners, the most successful work of its playwright, Hannah Cowley. It received its premiere on 22 February 1780, filling the 2,000-seat Drury Lane theatre.Swale, Jessica. "The Belle of London: H ...

'' by Hannah Cowley (1780) * Lady Danvers in '' The World as it Goes'' by Hannah Cowley (1781) * Clara in '' Duplicity'' by

Thomas Holcroft Thomas Holcroft (10 December 174523 March 1809) was an English dramatist, miscellanist, poet, novelist and translator. He was sympathetic to the early ideas of the French Revolution and helped Thomas Paine to publish the first part of ''The Ri ...

(1781) * Hortensia in ''

The Count of Narbonne ''The Count of Narbonne'' is a 1781 tragedy by the Irish writer Robert Jephson. It was inspired by Horace Walpole's novel ''The Castle of Otranto''. It premiered at the Covent Garden Theatre. The original cast featured John Henderson as Austin, ...

'' by

(1781) * Bloomer in ''

Which is the Man? ''Which is the Man?'' is a 1782 comedy play by the British writer Hannah Cowley. The original Covent Garden cast included John Henderson as Fitzherbert, William Thomas Lewis as Beauchamp, Richard Wroughton as Belville, John Quick as Pendragon, ...

'' by Hannah Cowley (1782) * Miss Archer in ''

More Ways Than One ''More Ways Than One'' is a 1783 comedy play by the British writer Hannah Cowley.Nicoll p.249 The original Covent Garden cast included William Thomas Lewis as Bellair, John Quick as Doctor Freelove, John Edwin as Sir Marvel Mushroom, Ralph We ...

'' by Hannah Cowley (1783) * Charlotte in ''

He Would Be a Soldier ''He Would Be a Soldier'' is a 1786 comedy play by the Irish writer Frederick Pilon. It premiered at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden on 18 November 1786. The original cast included Francis Aickin as Colonel Talbot, John Quick as Sir Oliver Oldst ...

'' by

Frederick Pilon Frederick Pilon (1750–1788) was an Irish actor and dramatist. Life Born in Cork, Pilon was educated there and then was sent to Edinburgh University to study medicine. He appeared at the Edinburgh Theatre as Oroonoko, in Thomas Southerne's play ...

(1786) * Ethelberta in ''

The Siege of Berwick ''The Siege of Berwick'' is a four-act verse tragedy by Edward Jerningham, acted in 1793 and published the following year. The text was republished in the third volume of Jerningham’s ''Poems and Plays'' (1806) and then in a separate edition as ' ...

'' by

Edward Jerningham Edward Jerningham was a poet who moved in high society during the second half of the 18th century. Born at the family home of Costessey Park in 1737, he died in London on 17 November 1812. A writer of liberal views, he was savagely satirised later ...

(1793) * Martilda in ''

The Siege of Meaux ''The Siege of Meaux'' is a 1794 historical tragedy by the English writer Henry James Pye. It premiered at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden on 19 May 1794.Greene p. 4501 It is set around the fighting at Meaux in the wake of the Battle of Poitiers ...

'' by

Henry James Pye Henry James Pye (; 20 February 1745 – 11 August 1813) was an English poet, and Poet Laureate from 1790 until his death. His appointment owed nothing to poetic achievement and was probably a reward for political favours. Pye was merely a ...

(1794) * Adela in '' The Days of Yore'' by

(1796)

Notes

References

External links

Terry Enright: ''Elizabeth Pope''
at the ''

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography The ''Dictionary of National Biography'' (''DNB'') is a standard work of reference on notable figures from History of the British Isles, British history, published since 1885. The updated ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' (''ODNB'') ...

'' {{DEFAULTSORT:Younge, Elizabeth 1797 deaths 18th-century English actresses Actresses from London English Shakespearean actresses Year of birth missing Actors from the London Borough of Southwark English stage actresses People from Southwark