Family
Kemble was born Priscilla Hopkins in 1756, the daughter of a prompter named William Hopkins, who was employed for many years at Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, Drury Lane and his wife the actress Elizabeth Hopkins. Her mother (died September 1801) was a respected actress in David Garrick's company. An elder sister appeared as Miss Hopkins at Drury Lane on 14 November 1771 playing Cupid, a postilion, in ''A Trip to Scotland;'' on 19 April 1773 she made "her first appearance on any stage" as Celia (As You Like It), Celia in ''As You Like It;'' and acted with success for a few seasons, then married a wealthy man, and retired from the stage. She eventually returned to acting, as Mrs. Sharp, in 1779 and 1780.Knight, 1892.Early acting career
Priscilla Hopkins was first known for being a member of Garrick's company at Drury Lane, playing Mildred in ''Old City Manners'', an adaptation of ''Eastward Hoe!'' on 9 November 1775. She had probably been previously seen as Fanny in the ''The Clandestine Marriage, Clandestine Marriage'' on 20 November, and Maria in the ''Maid of the Oaks'' on the 28th. On 15 February 1776 she was the original Harriet in Hannah Cowley (writer), Hannah Cowley's ''The Runaway (play), The Runaway'' and on 7 March the original Eliza in George Colman the Elder, Colman's ''Spleen, or Islington Spa''. During the following season she played Sylvia in the ''The Old Bachelor, Old Bachelor'' at Drury Lane. Kemble was the original Kitty Sprightly in Isaac Jackman's ''All the World's a Stage'', and on 8 May 1777 the original Maria in the ''The School for Scandal, School for Scandal''. Other parts followed: Bridget in ''Every Man in his Humour'', Arabella in the ''Committee'', Mademoiselle in the ''Provoked Wife'', and Fanny in the ''Clandestine Marriage'', played for the benefit of ''the Miss Hopkins's'' on 1 May 1778. Kemble was a very pretty, piquante was married to William Brereton (actor), William Brereton (1751–1787), an actor of some position, who had played for some years at Drury Lane. Her marriage to Brereton was not a happy one due to a number of reasons.Later acting career
On 8 October 1778, as Louisa Dudley in the ''West Indian'', she appeared for the first time at Drury Lane as Mrs. Brereton, late Miss P. Hopkins. Her married life was reputable, and she occupied in a satisfactory fashion a secondary part on the stage, playing Lady Constant in ''The Way to Keep Him'', Charlotte in the ''Gamester'', Sylvia in ''The Double Gallant'', Elizabeth (an original part) in Mrs. Cowley's ''Who's the Dupe?'' Mariana in the ''Miser'', Perdita, Amanda in the ''Trip to Scarborough'', Fidelia in the ''Foundling'', Angelina in ''Love Makes a Man''. Rose in the ''Recruiting Officer'', Maria (Twelfth Night), Maria in ''Twelfth Night'', Donna Viola (an original part) on 25 November 1786 in Mrs. Cowley's ''A School for Greybeards'', Margaret in ''A New Way to Pay Old Debts'', and many other parts, original and other, chiefly secondary. Brereton, her husband, went in 1785 to Dublin, where he attempted suicide; it is hinted through a passion for Sarah Siddons, Mrs. Siddons. A partial recovery was effected, but he was kept in charge at Hoxton. Brereton died on 17 February 1787 and was buried in St Leonard's, Shoreditch, Shoreditch churchyard, in which a stone is erected to his memory. His widow appeared at Drury Lane on 12 March 1787 as the original Emily in Thomas Holcroft, Holcroft's ''Seduction''. On the opening night of the next season, 20 September 1787, she was Dorinda in the ''The Beaux' Stratagem, Stratagem''. On 8 December 1787 she married John Philip Kemble, and as Mrs. Kemble appeared on 10 December as Anne Neville, Lady Anne in ''Richard III of England, Richard III''. Hero in ''Much Ado about Nothing'' was her next part. She was the original Aurora in Kemble's ''Panel'', and Flora in his ''Farm House''. On 2 December 1788 she was Lady Lambert in the ''Hypocrite'', on 15 January 1790 Sylvia in ''The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Two Gentlemen of Verona'' and on 8 March 1790 the original Valeria in her husband's ''Love in many Masks''. With the company she went to the Her Majesty's Theatre, Haymarket Opera House, where she was, on 20 April 1792, the original Miss Manly in Richardson's ''Fugitive''.Personal life
Despite being Kemble's wife, important parts including those in which she had won acceptance, were withheld from her. On 23 May 1796 accordingly, as Flavia in Kemble's ''Celadon and Florimel, or the Happy Counterplot'', then first performed, she delivered an address, and retired from acting. She accompanied her husband in his travels after his retirement, and after his death retired to Royal Leamington Spa, Leamington. She was popular and retained her faculties until she died in May 1845 aged 90. Since she had no children, her property and possessions went to members of the Kemble and Siddons family. John Genest, Genest speaks of her as pretty, but not very capable, and says she was seen to perform the best in parts like Maria in the ''School for Scandal''.Citations
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* {{DEFAULTSORT:Kemble, Priscilla 1756 births 1845 deaths 18th-century English actresses 19th-century English actresses English stage actresses Kemble family