Francis Albert Marshall (November 1840 in

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

– 28 December 1889 in London) was a British

playwright A playwright or dramatist is a person who writes plays. Etymology The word "play" is from Middle English pleye, from Old English plæġ, pleġa, plæġa ("play, exercise; sport, game; drama, applause"). The word "wright" is an archaic English ...

Life

He was the fifth son of

William Marshall (1796–1872) William Marshall (1796 – 16 May 1872) was a British politician. He served as the Member of Parliament for Petersfield (1826–1830), for Leominster (1830–31), for Beverley (1831–1832), for Carlisle (1835–1847), and for East Cumberland ...

of Patterdale Hall and Hallstead, Westmoreland. The father was M.P. for Beverley (1831–2), Carlisle (1835–47) and East Cumberland (1847–65) and married, 17 June 1828, Georgiana Christiana, seventh daughter of George Hibbert of Munden,

Hertfordshire Hertfordshire ( or ; often abbreviated Herts) is one of the home counties in southern England. It borders Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire to the north, Essex to the east, Greater London to the south, and Buckinghamshire to the west. For govern ...

. Francis was educated at Harrow, and matriculated from

Exeter College, Oxford Exeter College (in full: The Rector and Scholars of Exeter College in the University of Oxford) is one of the Colleges of the University of Oxford, constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England and the fourth-oldest college of the un ...

, on 14 June 1859, but did not take a degree. For several years a clerk in the audit office in

Somerset House Somerset House is a large Neoclassical complex situated on the south side of the Strand in central London, overlooking the River Thames, just east of Waterloo Bridge. The Georgian era quadrangle was built on the site of a Tudor palace ("O ...

, but soon began contributing to newspapers and periodicals, and in 1868 resigned his appointment. He had already made some reputation as a playwright, and soon afterwards became dramatic critic to the ''

London Figaro ''The London Figaro'' was a London periodical devoted to politics, literature, art, criticism and satire during the Victorian era. It was founded as a daily paper in 1870 with the backing of Napoleon III but after a year re-established itself as a ...

''. With

W. G. Wills William Gorman Wills (28 January 182813 December 1891), usually known as W. G. Wills, was an Irish dramatist, novelist and painter. Early life and career Wills was born at Blackwell lodge in the neighbourhood of Kilmurry, County Kilkenny, Ire ...

he produced ''Cora'', a drama in three acts, Globe Theatre, 28 February 1877. For his friend

Henry Irving Sir Henry Irving (6 February 1838 – 13 October 1905), christened John Henry Brodribb, sometimes known as J. H. Irving, was an English stage actor in the Victorian era, known as an actor-manager because he took complete responsibility ( ...

he wrote two pieces: a drama in four acts, founded on the history of

Robert Emmet Robert Emmet (4 March 177820 September 1803) was an Irish Republican, orator and rebel leader. Following the suppression of the United Irish uprising in 1798, he sought to organise a renewed attempt to overthrow the British Crown and Protes ...

, and a version of ''Werner'', altered and adapted for the stage. The latter was produced at the Lyceum Theatre on the occasion of the benefit given to Westland Marston by Henry Irving on 1 June 1887. Marshall's ''Robert Emmet'' has not been put on the stage. During his last years he edited, with the assistance of many competent scholars, a new edition of the works of Shakespeare, called ''The Henry Irving Edition''. (Sir) Henry Irving contributed an introduction. Marshall was a genial companion, and collected a valuable library. He died, after some years of declining health, at 8 Bloomsbury Square, London, 28 December 1889. His first wife died on 19 February 1885; he married his second wife, actress

Ada Cavendish Ada Cavendish (1839 – 5 October 1895) was an English actress known for her Shakespearean roles and for popularising the plays of Wilkie Collins in America . Life After her stage debut in August 1863, beginning in musical burlesques by F. ...

, on 2 May 1885.

Plays

#''Mad as a Hatter'', a farce produced at the

Royalty Theatre The Royalty Theatre was a small London theatre situated at 73 Dean Street, Soho. Established by the actress Frances Maria Kelly in 1840, it opened as Miss Kelly's Theatre and Dramatic School and finally closed to the public in 1938.

, 7 Dec. 1863. #''Corrupt Practices'', a drama in two acts, Lyceum Theatre, 22 Jan. 1870. #''Q. E. D., or All a Mistake'', a comedietta, Court Theatre, 25 Jan. 1871. #''False Shame'', a comedy in three acts,

Globe Theatre The Globe Theatre was a theatre in London associated with William Shakespeare. It was built in 1599 by Shakespeare's playing company, the Lord Chamberlain's Men, on land owned by Thomas Brend and inherited by his son, Nicholas Brend, and gra ...

, 4 Nov. 1872. #''Brighton'', a comedy in four acts, founded on Bronson Howard's '' Saratoga'', Court Theatre, 25 May 1874. #''Biohn'', a romantic opera in five acts, with music by Lauro Rossi, Queen's Theatre, 17 Jan. 1877, in which his wife, Mrs. Fitzinman Marshall, appeared as Elfrida, and was a failure. #''Family Honours'', a comedy in three acts, Aquarium Theatre, 18 May 1878. #''Lola, or the Belle of Baccarato'', a comic opera, with music by Antonio Orsini,

Olympic Theatre The Olympic Theatre, sometimes known as the Royal Olympic Theatre, was a 19th-century London theatre, opened in 1806 and located at the junction of Drury Lane, Wych Street and Newcastle Street. The theatre specialised in comedies throughout m ...

, 15 Jan. 1881.

Printed works

#''A Study of Hamlet'', 1875. #''Henry Irving, Actor and Manager, by an Irvingite'', 1883. #''L. S. D.'', an unfinished novel, brought out in the ''Britannia Magazine''.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Marshall, Francis Albert 1840 births 1889 deaths People educated at Harrow School Alumni of Exeter College, Oxford English male dramatists and playwrights 19th-century English dramatists and playwrights 19th-century English male writers