Talk:Anna Ross

First Performance
The Bury and Norwich Post of 22 October 1788 page 2 contains an advert for the Benefit performance for Miss Ross of a one night performance of The Cottagers: or Virtue Rewarded, at the Theatre, Bury. It states it had been intended as a first night at the Theatre-Royal at Covent Garden but had not had sufficient time to complete it. Mr Welford - Mr Harley, Captain Harwin - Mr Brown, Lotharia - Miss Ross, and Charlotte - Mrs Brown. This then, would appear to be the first performance. Fenlandier (talk) 12:26, 11 July 2020 (UTC) User:Fenlandier, what is the Title of the article/advert? -- Ssilvers (talk) 08:37, 12 July 2020 (UTC)

Theatre Bury. Fenlandier (talk) 16:34, 12 July 2020 (UTC)


 * Thanks. Now added. What date does the newspaper say the performance was?  Same day as the ad?  -- Ssilvers (talk) 09:28, 13 July 2020 (UTC)

For a Friday performance 24 October 1788.

Is this her as Mrs Brunton, if so she appears to have done a season with Robertson as the Stamford Mercury 5 November 1802 page 3 states Title= Theatre Newark 'Mr Robertson most respectfully informs. The town and vicinity of Newark that Mrs Brunton's engagement expired at the End of Lincoln season, but he has prevailed upon her to perform TWO more nights previous to her departure for London... her engagement in London prevents her continuing the season. On Saturday 6 November Tragedy of Douglas - The Padlock - Leonora Mes Brunton Monday 8 Nov The Cabinet - Floretta - Mrs Brunton Fenlandier (talk) 17:50, 13 July 2020 (UTC)


 * Good catch. Yes, that must be her, and she did indeed perform as "Mrs Brunton", according to Highfill.  Please check what I did.  Is The Padlock the work mentioned, or something else with the same name?  -- Ssilvers (talk) 09:13, 14 July 2020 (UTC)

The Farce of THE PADLOCK, Leonora - Mrs Brunton is all it says. Presumably the same. Her mother was Elizabeth Mills before marriage hence the John Mills Brown half brother. Fenlandier (talk) 19:55, 16 July 2020 (UTC)


 * Thanks. I added her mother's name, but please add a cite for "Elizabeth Mills". -- Ssilvers (talk) 08:56, 18 July 2020 (UTC)

Done. Anna's younger half sister Mary Clarke (nee Brown) was wife of John Henry Clarke of the Stamford company, she moved to Stamford while decorating a muslin dress a candle fell into her and her clothes caught fire. She rushed into the street 'but the flames caught new vigour from the air and in a few moments the unhappy woman was one terrible blaze, from the ground to a considerable height above her head. She lingered for a few hours in great agony but then died.' Trading the Boards (2016) neil R Wright SLHA pages 134-135 and refers to the Stamford Mercury report. Awful end, it's not clear whether she was making her own dress or a costume for the theatre company. Fenlandier (talk) 16:55, 18 July 2020 (UTC)

1814 Benefit for "Mr Robertson"
A playbill in the Wisbech & Fenland Museum collection for the theatre, Wisbech
 * Benefit of Mr Robertson on Friday evening 29th April 1814. T.Morton's comedy EDUCATION
 * Broadcast - Mr Brown
 * George, his son - Miss Brunton
 * Dame Broadcast - Mrs Brown, Etc

Followed by a song then
 * The Miller and his Men; The piece is prepared with every attention, the scenery and machinery entirely new, under the direction of Mr Brown.

Other handbills name the Browns etc. Fenlandier (talk) 10:30, 17 July 2020 (UTC)


 * Which "Mr. Robertson"? Thomas Shaftoe? Also, did Anna Ross appear in this benefit?  If not, this doesn't belong here, but it should go in the appropriate Robertson article. -- Ssilvers (talk) 09:06, 18 July 2020 (UTC)

Thomas Robertson. Anna is not named, only her mother, stepfather and a Brunton daughter/sister-in-law?


 * Then please move this information to the appropriate article or Talk page. -- Ssilvers (talk) 06:06, 20 July 2020 (UTC)

1820 appearances, or 1810?
Mrs Brunton does appear on the playbill for the performances at Wisbech of Wednesday 16th May, 1820. *Pizarro; or, The Conquror of Peru. -- The Vocal parts by Mrs Brunton, Mrs Meggett. &c. Others credited include Mr.Brown and Mr.W.Brown And following was Of Age Tomorrow -- Mrs.Brunton.as Maria Her relations the Browns feature in many of these performance but not her husband. Fenlandier (talk) 18:06, 18 July 2020 (UTC)
 * On 15th The Mountaineers, credited as Agnes,
 * On the 14th Killing no murder -- Credited as Miss Nancy.
 * On the 11th Foundling of the forest -- Credited as Rosabelle followed by BLUEBEARD CREDITED as Fatima
 * May 2nd Again as Miss Nancy
 * On 27th April 1810 -- Foundling of the forest (her credit as Rosabelle states 'Her first appearance these 3 years'.) followed by Garrick's The Jubilee, credited as 1st country girl.

User:Fenlandier: What? I'm thoroughly confused about which of these are in 1810, and which are 1820. Nothing in between? If you're going to list things, please list them in chronological order and give the complete date. I've put them all into the article now, but see if I interpreted you correctly. -- Ssilvers (talk) 06:21, 20 July 2020 (UTC)


 * Also, does she have a named role in Pizarro? -- Ssilvers (talk) 06:43, 20 July 2020 (UTC)

Name of the Theatre
How is the Wisbech theatre referred to in these playbills? Can you send me the scan of one that shows the name of the theatre, date, name of play presented and cast list showing Mrs. Brunton? I'll e-mail you. -- Ssilvers (talk) 19:55, 18 July 2020 (UTC)


 * Ok I'm getting some forwarded via the Friends. The theatre also have copies. Fenlandier (talk) 21:10, 18 July 2020 (UTC)


 * They have forwarded some, let me know if they don't arrive. Fenlandier (talk) 21:29, 18 July 2020 (UTC)


 * Hi, I got them. All I needed to know from them is that they refer to the theatre as "Theatre, Wisbech".  The rest was overwhelming, as I'm going through some health stuff and have limited time to comb through this stuff. -- Ssilvers (talk) 06:42, 20 July 2020 (UTC)