Louisa, Countess of Craven, originally Louisa Brunton (1782–1860), was an English actress.

Birth and background

Her father, John Brunton (1741-1819), son of a soap dealer in

Norwich Norwich () is a cathedral city and district of the county of Norfolk, England, of which it is the county town. It lies by the River Wensum, about north-east of London, north of Ipswich and east of Peterborough. The population of the Norwich ...

, was at one time a grocer in Drury Lane. He became an actor, and appeared at

Covent Garden Theatre The Royal Opera House (ROH) is a theatre in Covent Garden, central London. The building is often referred to as simply Covent Garden, after a previous use of the site. The ROH is the main home of The Royal Opera, The Royal Ballet, and the Orch ...

, 11 April 1774, as Cyrus, and, 3 May 1774, as Hamlet. He then played at Norwich and at

Bath, Somerset Bath (Received Pronunciation, RP: , ) is a city in Somerset, England, known for and named after its Roman Baths (Bath), Roman-built baths. At the 2021 census, the population was 94,092. Bath is in the valley of the River Avon, Bristol, River A ...

, becoming ultimately manager of the Norwich theatre. Louisa Brunton was the one of seven sisters,

Ann Brunton Merry Ann Brunton Merry (30 March 1769 – 28 June 1808) was an English actress popular in the Kingdom of Great Britain and later in the United States of America. Life Ann (or Anne) Brunton was born 30 May 1769 in Covent Garden, England, one of 14 ...

, an actress, married

Robert Merry Robert Merry (1755–1798) was an English poet and dilettante. He was born in London. Both his father and grandfather were involved in the governance of the Hudson's Bay Company. His mother was the eldest daughter of Sir John Willes (judge), Jo ...

. Elizabeth (1771-1799), also an actress, married Peter Columbine. Her eldest brother, John Brunton (1775–1849), also became an

actor-manager An actor-manager is a leading actor who sets up their own permanent theatrical company and manages the business, sometimes taking over a theatre to perform select plays in which they usually star. It is a method of theatrical production used co ...

; he married Anna Ross, the sister of Frances Mary Ross. John and Anna's eldest daughter was the actress Elizabeth Yates. According to some biographers, she was born in February 1785; but the date may have been two or three years earlier.

Stage career

In September 1803 it was reported that Brunton had been engaged by Covent Garden Theatre for the season on £10 per week. Her brother, who appeared at Covent Garden 22 September 1800 as Brunton the younger, was with her during her entire time at the theatre. On 5 October 1803 Brunton made her first stage appearance, at Covent Garden, playing Lady Townley in '' The Provoked Husband'' to the Lord Townley of Kemble and Lady Grace of Mrs Siddons. On 2 November she played Beatrice in ''

Much Ado about Nothing ''Much Ado About Nothing'' is a Shakespearean comedy, comedy by William Shakespeare thought to have been written in 1598 and 1599.See textual notes to ''Much Ado About Nothing'' in ''The Norton Shakespeare'' (W. W. Norton & Company, 1997 ) p. ...

'' and it was said 'her archness, vivacity, and spirit of the part, were well depicted. She was the original creator of some roles in pieces of Thomas Morton, and William Dimond. On 21 October 1807 she played Clara Sedley in Frederick Reynolds's comedy '' The Rage''. This is the last appearance recorded by John Genest.

Marriage

Brunton left the stage aged 22–25 in December 1807, and married, 12 December 1807, William Craven, 1st Earl of Craven at his house in Berkeley Square, London. After the death of her husband, 30 July 1825, she lived in privacy, and died, almost forgotten, 27 August 1860.

Notes

;Attribution {{DEFAULTSORT:Craven, Louisa Craven, Countess of 1780s births 1860 deaths British countesses English stage actresses 19th-century English actresses

Birth and background

Stage career

Marriage

See also

Notes