Mary Amelia Warner (''

née The birth name is the name of the person given upon their birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name or to the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a births registe ...

'' Huddart; 1804–1854), best known by her stage name Mrs Warner, was an English actress and

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 ...

Life

Warner was born in

Manchester Manchester () is a city and the metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It had an estimated population of in . Greater Manchester is the third-most populous metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, with a population of 2.92&nbs ...

in 1804 to Thomas Huddart, a chemist from Dublin, and his wife, Ann née Gough of

Limerick Limerick ( ; ) is a city in western Ireland, in County Limerick. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and is in the Mid-West Region, Ireland, Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. W ...

. Her father had acted at the

Crow Street Theatre Crow Street Theatre was a theatre in Dublin, Ireland, originally opened in 1758 by the actor Spranger Barry. From 1788 until 1818 it was a patent theatre. History Spranger Barry and Henry Woodward The actor Spranger Barry (1719–1777), born ...

in Dublin. After playing at

Greenwich Greenwich ( , , ) is an List of areas of London, area in south-east London, England, within the Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county of Greater London, east-south-east of Charing Cross. Greenwich is notable for its maritime hi ...

for her father's benefit, Mary Huddart became at the reputed age of fifteen a member of Brunton's company at Plymouth, Exeter, Bristol, and Birmingham. In 1829 she was acting in Dublin.

On the London stage

On 22 November 1830, as Miss Huddart from Dublin, she appeared at

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 ...

, playing Belvidera in ''

Venice Preserved ''Venice Preserv'd'' is an English Restoration play written by Thomas Otway, and the most significant tragedy of the English stage in the 1680s. It was first staged in 1682, with Thomas Betterton as Jaffeir and Elizabeth Barry as Belvidera. The ...

'' to the Pierre of

William Macready William Charles Macready (3 March 179327 April 1873) was an English stage actor. The son of Irish actor-manager William Macready the Elder he emerged as a leading West End performer during the Regency era. Career Macready was born in London ...

, to whose recommendation she owed her engagement by the managers Polhill and Lee. She had previously been seen in London at the Surrey and Tottenham Street theatres. She then returned to Dublin, and played leading business under Calcraft. In 1836, under

Alfred Bunn Alfred Bunn (8 April 1796 in London20 December 1860 in Boulogne-sur-Mer) was an English theatrical manager. He married Margaret Somerville, a minor actress, in 1819. Biography Bunn was appointed stage manager of Drury Lane Theatre, London, in ...

's management, Mary Huddart was again at Drury Lane, where she supported

Edwin Forrest Edwin Forrest (March 9, 1806December 12, 1872) was a nineteenth-century American Shakespearean actor. His feud with the British actor William Macready was the cause of the deadly Astor Place Riot of 1849. Early life Forrest was born in Phila ...

as Lady Macbeth, Emilia, and other characters, and was the original Marian in Sheridan Knowles's '' The Wrecker's Daughter'': her success in it led to her engagement at the Haymarket for the first production in London of '' The Bridal'', an adaptation by Knowles of ''

The Maid's Tragedy ''The Maid's Tragedy'' is a play by Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher. It was first published in 1619. The play has provoked divided responses from critics. Date The play's date of origin is not known with certainty. In 1611, Sir George B ...

''. In this she played on 26 June 1837 Evadne, opposite Macready as Melantius. She also played Portia to

Samuel Phelps Samuel Phelps (13 February 1804 – 6 November 1878) was an English actor-manager. He is known for reviving the fortunes of the neglected Sadler's Wells Theatre and for his productions of Shakespeare's plays which were presented with attenti ...

Shylock Shylock () is a fictional character in William Shakespeare's play '' The Merchant of Venice'' ( 1600). A Venetian Jewish moneylender, Shylock is the play's principal villain. His defeat and forced conversion to Christianity form the climax ...

, and Helen McGregor to his Rob Roy. At about this period she married. In the autumn of 1837 Mrs. Warner joined Macready 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 ...

, where she stayed two years, supporting him in many Shakespearean parts and building a reputation. She was the original Joan of Arc in Thomas James Serle's play of the name. She had been prevented by illness from playing at Covent Garden the heroine of

Thomas Noon Talfourd Sir Thomas Noon Talfourd SL (26 May 179513 March 1854) was an English judge, Radical politician and author. Early life Talfourd was born at Reading, Berkshire, son of Edward Talfourd, a wealthy brewer, and Ann, daughter of Rev. Thomas Noon, ...

's '' The Athenian Captive'', but took the part at the Haymarket on 4 August 1838. Warner accompanied Macready to Drury Lane, and was on 29 April 1842 the Queen in ''

Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play. Set in Denmark, the play (the ...

'', and on 10 December the original Lady Lydia Lynterne in Westland Marston's '' The Patrician's Daughter''. In 1843 she acted with Samuel Phelps in Bath, and on 27 May 1844, with him and T. L. Greenwood, began the management of

Sadler's Wells Sadler's Wells Theatre is a London performing arts venue, located in Rosebery Avenue, Islington. The present-day theatre is the sixth on the site. Sadler's Wells grew out of a late 17th-century pleasure garden and was opened as a theatre buil ...

, opening as Lady Macbeth, and speaking an address by Serle.In the course of the first season she was seen as Emilia, Mrs. Haller, Mrs. Oakley, Gertrude in ''Hamlet'', Lady Allworth in ''

A New Way to pay Old Debts ''A New Way to Pay Old Debts'' (c. 1625, printed 1633) is an English Renaissance drama, the most popular play by Philip Massinger. Its central character, Sir Giles Over-reach, became one of the more popular villains on English and American sta ...

'', Queen Margaret in ''

Richard III Richard III (2 October 1452 – 22 August 1485) was King of England from 26 June 1483 until his death in 1485. He was the last king of the Plantagenet dynasty and its cadet branch the House of York. His defeat and death at the Battle of Boswor ...

'', Portia, Mariana in ''The Wife'' (Knowles), Evadne, Constance, Lady Frugal in

Philip Massinger Philip Massinger (1583 – 17 March 1640) was an English dramatist. His plays, including '' A New Way to Pay Old Debts'', '' The City Madam'', and '' The Roman Actor'', are noted for their satire and realism, and their political and soci ...

's ''City Madam'', Queen Katharine in ''

Henry VIII Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is known for his Wives of Henry VIII, six marriages and his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. ...

''; a new character in Serle's ''Priest's Daughter'', and probably some other parts. On 21 May 1845 she took an original part in Robert Sulivan's ''King's Friend'', and played during the season 1845–6 Julie in ''Richelieu'' by

Edward Bulwer Edward George Earle Lytton Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton (; 25 May 1803 – 18 January 1873) was an English writer and politician. He served as a Whig member of Parliament from 1831 to 1841 and a Conservative from 1851 to 1866. He was Secr ...

, Mrs. Beverly, Belvidera, Isabella, Elvira in ''

Pizarro Francisco Pizarro, Marquess of the Atabillos (; ; – 26 June 1541) was a Spanish ''conquistador'', best known for his expeditions that led to the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire. Born in Trujillo, Spain, to a poor family, Pizarro chose ...

'' (

Richard Brinsley Sheridan Richard Brinsley Butler Sheridan (30 October 17517 July 1816) was an Anglo-Irish playwright, writer and Whig politician who sat in the British House of Commons from 1780 to 1812, representing the constituencies of Stafford, Westminster and I ...

), Hermione, Lady Randolph, Clara Douglas in ''Money'' (Bulwer), Alicia in ''Jane Shore'', and other parts. Warner then retired from the management of Sadler's Wells, and took on that of the

Marylebone Theatre The Theatre Royal, Marylebone (also known as the Marylebone Theatre, among other names) was a Victorian era theatre in the Marylebone area of London. Built in 1831, at various other times it was a music hall, a cinema and warehouse until it was d ...

, which opened on 30 September 1847 with ''

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 ...

''. She took on parts such as Julia in '' The Hunchback'' (Knowles), Lady Teazle, and Lady Townley 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''. Vanbrugh ...

'' ( John Vanburgh and

Colley Cibber Colley Cibber (6 November 1671 – 11 December 1757) was an English actor-manager, playwright and Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom, Poet Laureate. His colourful memoir ''An Apology for the Life of Colley Cibber'' (1740) describes his life in ...

) for which her years began to disqualify her. She revived in November ''

The Scornful Lady ''The Scornful Lady'' is a Jacobean era stage play, a comedy written by Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher, and first published in 1616, the year of Beaumont's death. It was one of the pair's most popular, often revived, and frequently reprint ...

'', adapted by Serle, playing in it the Lady; and in April 1848 ''

The Double Marriage ''The Double Marriage'' is a Jacobean era stage play, a tragedy written by John Fletcher and Philip Massinger, and initially printed in the first Beaumont and Fletcher folio of 1647. Date and performance Though firm evidence on the play's da ...

'', again in Serle's adaptation.

Emigration

Retiring with a financial loss, Warner supported Macready at the Haymarket during his farewell performances. On 28 July 1851 Sadler's Wells was opened for a few nights before the beginning of the regular season, to give her an opportunity of playing her best known characters before starting for America. What proved to be her last appearance in England was made in August as Mrs. Oakley in ''

The Jealous Wife ''The Jealous Wife'' is a 1761 British play by George Colman the Elder. A comedy, it was first performed at the Drury Lane Theatre on 12 February 1761 and ran for 19 performances in its first season and 70 by the end of the century. It was trans ...

''. She met with great success in America. Signs of cancer showing themselves, Warner came to England, underwent an operation, and revisited New York. Unable to fulfil her engagements, she returned to London an invalid.

Last years

On 10 December 1853, in part through her husband's fault, Warner went through the insolvency court. A fund, to which the Queen and

Angela Burdett-Coutts Angela Georgina Burdett-Coutts, 1st Baroness Burdett-Coutts ( Burdett; 21 April 1814 – 30 December 1906) was a British philanthropist, the daughter of Sir Francis Burdett, 5th Baronet and Sophia, formerly Coutts, daughter of banker Thomas Co ...

contributed, was raised, and a benefit was run at Sadler's Wells. Charge of her children, a boy and a girl, was taken respectively by Macready and Burdett-Coutts. After enduring a prolonged agony, Warner died on 24 September 1854 at 16 Euston Place,

Euston Square Euston Square is a large square in the London Borough of Camden in Central London. It lies on Euston Road, and Euston railway station and Euston bus station are on its northernmost side. Although “Euston Square” strictly refers to the squ ...

and was buried on the western side of

Highgate Cemetery Highgate Cemetery is a place of burial in North London, England, designed by architect Stephen Geary. There are approximately 170,000 people buried in around 53,000 graves across the West and East sides. Highgate Cemetery is notable both for so ...

in a grave (no.6111) which no longer has a readable inscription. In public esteem as an actress she was surpassed in her time only by

Helen Faucit Helena Saville Faucit, Lady Martin (11 October 1817 – 31 October 1898) was an English actress. Early life Born in London, she was the daughter of actors John Saville Faucit and Harriet Elizabeth Savill. Her parents separated when she was a ...

and Mrs. Charles Kean.

Family

Around 1837 Mary Huddart married Robert William Warner, the landlord of the Wrekin Tavern, Broad Court, Bow Street, frequented by actors and literary men.

Notes