Memoirs of the Celebrated Mrs Woffington: Adieu for now

Thursday 29 January 2009

Adieu for now

I won’t be blogging again until Monday but while I'm away you might be interested in this news item about a rare 18th-century guide to amputations and operations from 1712, recently discovered in Lichfield by Hansons Auctioneers. Hansons seems to be enjoying an extraordinary run of luck at the moment, having also turned up a guide to dentistry from 1770.

And if that's isn't enough medical reading material, The Doctor is always ready with his scalpel. Ouch!

Above: William Hogarth, The Country Inn Yard; or, The Stage Coach (June 1747).

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1 comment:

HMSAcasta.com said...: Oh these are FANTASTIC! If only I could lay hands on them to add to my collection.

I do hope that someone will make reproductions of these fine books, especially now that I have the tools to perform both the amputation AND the dentistry.

Thanks also for the mention in your post. :); 29 January 2009 at 21:06

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Who was Mrs Woffington?

Virtually forgotten today, Margaret Woffington (also known as Peg or Peggy) would rise from humble origins to become one of Georgian London’s most famous actresses, sharing the stage with the likes of David Garrick and excelling in so-called ‘breeches roles’. Born around the year 1720 in Dublin, her childhood years were marred by the death of her father, which plunged her family into poverty. Having reputedly sold watercress barefoot in the streets of the Irish capital, she was soon talent-spotted by a tumbler known as Violante, who staged populist entertainments in booths around the city. Violante had a troupe of child actors called the Liliputians, and before long Woffington was making her debut as Polly Peachum in their version of The Beggar’s Opera. Moving to London, she gained plaudits for both her outstanding beauty and her talent – particularly in comedy – appearing at both Covent Garden and Drury Lane. Known for her quick wit and no-nonsense attitude, she had high-profile affairs with Garrick, Lord Darnley and Charles Hanbury Williams; she was also a generous benefactor, supporting her elderly mother and may even have endowed some almshouses in Teddington, where she had settled at the height of her success. She died, unmarried, in 1760, having suffered a long wasting illness, and is buried in Teddington's parish church of St Mary’s.

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