Jane Rogers (died 1718) was an English

stage actress An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), lite ...

. To distinguish her from her daughter she is sometimes referred to as Jane Rogers the Elder. She first appeared at

Theatre Royal, Drury Lane 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 Dr ...

in 1692 in

Thomas Shadwell Thomas Shadwell ( – 19 November 1692) was an English poet and playwright who was appointed Poet Laureate in 1689. Life Shadwell was born at either Bromehill Farm, Weeting-with-Broomhill or Santon House, Lynford, Norfolk, and educated at Bury ...

's '' The Volunteers''. Following the split of the

United Company The United Company was a London theatre company formed in 1682 with the merger of the King's Company and the Duke's Company. Both the Duke's and King's Companies suffered poor attendance during the turmoil of the Popish Plot period, 1678&ndas ...

in 1695, she remained at Drury Lane with Christopher Rich's company rather than join the breakaways under

Thomas Betterton Thomas Patrick Betterton (August 1635 – 28 April 1710), the leading male actor and theatre manager during Restoration England, son of an under-cook to King Charles I, was born in London. Apprentice and actor Betterton was born in August 16 ...

. She benefited from the departed of

Anne Bracegirdle Anne Bracegirdle (possibly 167112 September 1748) was an English actress. Biography Bracegirdle was born to Justinian and Martha (born Furniss) Bracegirdle in Northamptonshire. She was baptised in Northampton on 15 November 1671, although her to ...

with whom she had been competing for roles and became one of the leading members of the company. Sometimes in the 1690s she gave birth to Jane Rogers reportedly following a liaison with fellow actor

Robert Wilks Robert Wilks (''c.'' 1665 – 27 September 1732) was a British actor and theatrical manager who was one of the leading managers of Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in its heyday of the 1710s. He was, with Colley Cibber and Thomas Doggett, one of the ...

. Her daughter later became an actress as part of the

Lincoln's Inn Fields Lincoln's Inn Fields is the largest public square in London. It was laid out in the 1630s under the initiative of the speculative builder and contractor William Newton, "the first in a long series of entrepreneurs who took a hand in develo ...

company, where she married

Christopher Bullock Sir Christopher Llewellyn Bullock, KCB, CBE (10 November 1891 – 16 May 1972), a prominent member of the Bullock family, was Permanent Under-Secretary at the British Air Ministry from 1931 to 1936. Appointed at the age of 38, he remains one o ...

and was consequently known by his surname. The elder Rogers continued at Drury Lane until 1706, when she switched to the new Queen's Theatre in the

Haymarket Haymarket may refer to: Places Australia * Haymarket, New South Wales, area of Sydney, Australia Germany * Heumarkt (KVB), transport interchange in Cologne on the site of the Heumarkt (literally: hay market) Russia * Sennaya Square (''Hay Squ ...

. She then returned to Drury Lane where she stayed, apart from another season spent at the Haymarket until 1714, although she was increasingly in dispute with the company and found several of her roles given to

Anne Oldfield Anne Oldfield (168323 October 1730) was an English actress and one of the highest paid actresses of her time. Early life and discovery She was born in London in 1683. Her father was a soldier, James Oldfield. Her mother was either Anne or Eliz ...

. She was then recruited by

John Rich John Rich (born January 7, 1974) is an American country music singer-songwriter. From 1992 to 1998, he was a member of the country music band Lonestar, in which he played bass guitar and alternated with Richie McDonald as lead vocalist. After d ...

for the revived Lincoln's Inn Fields, where her daughter began acting shortly afterwards. The elder Rogers remained with the company until her death in November 1718.Highfill, Burnim & Langhans p.71

Selected roles

* Winifred in '' The Volunteers'' (1692) * Maria in ''

The Maid's Last Prayer ''The Maid's Last Prayer: Or, Any Rather Than Fail'' is a 1693 comedy play by the Irish writer Thomas Southerne. It was first staged at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane by the United Company. The original cast included George Powell (playwright), G ...

'' (1693) * Lucy in ''

The Female Virtuosos ''The Female Virtuosos'' is a 1693 comedy play by the English writer Thomas Wright. It is based on the 1672 play ''Les Femmes Savantes'' by the French writer Molière about two young sisters who try and get out of a marriage arrangement with a fo ...

'' (1693) * Mirvan in ''

The Ambitious Slave ''The Ambitious Slave; Or, A Generous Revenge'' is a 1694 tragedy by the English writer Elkanah Settle. It was first staged at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane by the United Company. The original cast included John Bowman as King of Persia, John ...

'' (1694) * Jacinta in ''

The Canterbury Guests ''The Canterbury Guests; or, A Bargain Broken'' is a 1694 comedy play by the English writer Edward Ravenscroft. It was the only new work performed by the United Company that autumn, amidst tensions that eventually led to a split.Price p.198 The o ...

'' (1694) * Berinthia in ''

The Rival Sisters ''The Rival Sisters: or, The Violence of Love'' is a 1695 tragedy by the English writer Robert Gould. Gould's previous attempt to have a tragedy ''Innocence Distress'd'' staged by the United Company was blocked and by the time his second work was ...

'' (1695) * Marina in '' The Mock Marriage'' (1695) * Claudia in ''

Bonduca ''Bonduca'' is a Jacobean tragi-comedy in the Beaumont and Fletcher canon, generally judged by scholars to be the work of John Fletcher alone. It was acted by the King's Men c. 1613, and published in 1647 in the first Beaumont and Fletcher ...

'' (1695) * Imoinda in ''

Oroonoko ''Oroonoko: or, the Royal Slave'' is a work of prose fiction by Aphra Behn (1640–1689), published in 1688 by William Canning and reissued with two other fictions later that year. It was also adapted into a play. The eponymous hero is an Afri ...

'' (1695) * Agnes de Castro in '' Agnes de Castro'' (1695) * Bellario in ''

Philaster Philaster may refer to: * Philastrius (died 390s), bishop of Brescia in the fourth century * ''Philaster'' (play), play by Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher, published in 1620 * ''Philaster'' (genus), a genus of ciliates in the family Philasterid ...

'' (1695) * Amanda in ''

Love's Last Shift ''Love's Last Shift, or The Fool in Fashion'' is an English Restoration comedy by Colley Cibber from 1696. The play is regarded as an early herald of a shift in audience tastes away from the intellectualism and sexual frankness of Restoration ...

'' (1696) * Marina in '' The Lost Lover'' (1696) * Anchilthea in '' Pausanius'' (1696) * Morena in ''

Ibrahim, the Thirteenth Emperor of the Turks ''Ibrahim, the Thirteenth Emperor of the Turks'' is a she-tragedy written by Mary Pix, first performed in 1696. Pix's first play, it purported to describe incidents in the life of Ibrahim of the Ottoman Empire, Ibrahim, Sultan of the Ottoman Emp ...

'' (1696) * Evanthe in ''

The Unhappy Kindness ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

'' (1696) * Amanda in ''

The Relapse ''The Relapse, or, Virtue in Danger'' is a Restoration comedy from 1696 written by John Vanbrugh. The play is a sequel to Colley Cibber's '' Love's Last Shift, or, The Fool in Fashion''. In Cibber's ''Love's Last Shift'', a free-living Resto ...

'' (1696) * Alinda in ''

Neglected Virtue ''Neglected Virtue'' is a 1696 tragedy by the Irish writer Charles Hopkins.Watson p.765 It is also known by the longer title ''Neglected Virtue; or, The Unhappy Conquerour''. The original Drury Lane cast included George Powell as Phraates, Hild ...

'' (1696) * Emelia in '' Woman's Wit'' (1697) *Bellamira in '' The Triumphs Of Virtue'' (1697) * Sylvia in '' A Plot and No Plot'' (1697) * Florella in '' The Sham Lawyer'' (1697) * Lucinda in ''

Love and a Bottle ''Love and a Bottle'' is a 1698 comedy play by the Irish writer George Farquhar.Earnshaw p.136 Written shortly after Farquhar, an Irish Protestant originally from Derry, moved to London its central character is an Irishman Roebuck who has fled fr ...

'' (1698) * Honoria in '' Love Without Interest'' (1699) * Angelica in ''

The Constant Couple ''The Constant Couple'' is a 1699 play by the Irish writer George Farquhar. It is part of the Restoration comedy tradition, and is often described as a sentimental comedy. It marked the first major success of Farquhar's career. A series of comic ...

'' (1699) * Ann in ''

Richard III Richard III (2 October 145222 August 1485) was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 26 June 1483 until his death in 1485. He was the last king of the House of York and the last of the Plantagenet dynasty. His defeat and death at the Battl ...

'' (1699) * Angelica in ''

Sir Harry Wildair ''Sir Harry Wildair'' is a 1701 comic play by the Irish writer George Farquhar. It is a sequel to the 1699 hit ''The Constant Couple'', portraying the further adventures of the most popular character from the earlier play. The original Drury Lan ...

'' (1701) * Armida in ''

The Generous Conqueror ''The Generous Conqueror'' is a 1701 tragedy by the English writer Bevil Higgons. It was published in January the following year, and is sometimes dated 1702 by this. Higgons was a well-known Jacobite who had been implicated in the 1696 Jacobi ...

'' (1701) * Margarita in ''

The Unhappy Penitent ''The Unhappy Penitent'' is a 1701 tragedy by the English writer Catharine Trotter Cockburn, Catherine Trotter.Nicoll p.361 It is set at the French court of the late fifteenth century where Charles VIII of France, Charles VIII plans to break his ...

'' (1701) * Sophronia in '' The Bath'' (1701) * Cassandra in ''

The Virgin Prophetess ''The Virgin Prophetess, or The Fate of Troy'' is a 1701 tragedy by Elkanah Settle featuring music by Gottfried Finger. It is a semi-opera with masque-like elements breaking up the scenes. The original cast included John Mills as Menelaus, Phili ...

'' (1701) * Constance in ''

The Twin Rivals ''The Twin Rivals'' is a 1702 comedy play by the Irish writer George Farquhar. It was one of the author's least successful plays.Bond & Sherburn p.777 A younger son schemes to cheat his elder brother out of the family estate. The original Drury L ...

'' (1702) * Leonora in ''

The False Friend ''The False Friend'' is a 1917 American silent drama film directed by Harry Davenport and starring Robert Warwick, Gail Kane and Jack Drumier.Parish p.157 Cast * Robert Warwick as William Ramsdell * Gail Kane as Virginia Farrell * Jack Drumie ...

'' (1702) * Teraminta in '' The Patriot'' (1702) * Isabella in ''

All for the Better ''All for the Better'' is a 1702 comedy play by the English writer Francis Manning. The original Drury Lane cast included Thomas Simpson as Mendez, Robert Wilks as Woodvil, John Mills as Johnson, Charles Fairbank as Young Mendez, John Bickerstaf ...

'' (1702) * Belinda in ''

Tunbridge Walks ''Tunbridge Walks'' is a 1703 comedy play by the English writer Thomas Baker. It starred the droll actor William Pinkethman in a leading role. It is also known by the longer title ''Tunbridge Walks, or the Yeoman of Kent''. It was part of a gro ...

'' (1703) * Lucinda in ''

Love's Contrivance ''Love's Contrivance'' is a 1703 comedy play by the English writer Susanna Centlivre. The cast featured Robert Wilks as Bellmie, Anne Oldfield as Belliza, William Bullock (actor), William Bullock as Selfwill, Benjamin Johnson (actor), Benjamin Joh ...

'' (1703) * Penelope in '' The Lying Lover'' (1703) * Annabella in ''

Vice Reclaimed ''Vice Reclaimed'' is a 1703 comedy play by Richard Wilkinson. It is also known by the longer title ''Vice Reclaim'd: Or, the Passionate Mistress''. It premiered at the Drury Lane Theatre included Benjamin Johnson as Sir Feeble Goodwill, Robert ...

'' (1703) * Zelinda in ''

The Faithful Bride of Granada ''The Faithful Bride of Granada'' is a 1704 tragedy by the English writer William Taverner. It was the only tragedy by Tarverner, better known for his comedies.Nicoll p.79 The original cast included John Mills as Abdolin, Robert Wilks as Abinom ...

'' (1704) * Melinda in ''

The Recruiting Officer ''The Recruiting Officer'' is a 1706 play by the Irish writer George Farquhar, which follows the social and sexual exploits of two officers, the womanising Plume and the cowardly Brazen, in the town of Shrewsbury (the town where Farquhar himse ...

'' (1706) * Clarinda in ''

The Double Gallant ''The Double Gallant'' is a 1707 comedy play by the British writer Colley Cibber. It was originally performed on 1 November 1707 at the Queen's Theatre in the Haymarket with a cast that included Benjamin Johnson as Sir Solomon, Barton Booth a ...

'' (1707) * Isabinda in ''

The Busie Body ''The Busie Body'' is a Restoration comedy written by Susanna Centlivre and first performed at the Drury Lane Theatre in 1709. It focuses on the legalities of what constitutes a marriage, and how children might subvert parental power over whom t ...

'' (1709) * Virginia in ''

Appius and Virginia ''Appius and Virginia'' is an early 17th-century stage play, a tragedy by John Webster (and perhaps Thomas Heywood). It is the third and least famous of his tragedies, after ''The White Devil'' and '' The Duchess of Malfi''. Heywood On the bas ...

'' (1709) * Lucia in ''

The City Ramble ''The City Ramble'' is a 1711 comedy play by the British writer Elkanah Settle. It should not be confused with the 1715 play ''A City Ramble''. The original Drury Lane cast included Barton Booth as Rinaldo, Henry Norris as Count, John Mills as ...

'' (1711) * Luciana in ''

The Perfidious Brother ''The Perfidious Brother'' is a 1716 tragedy by the British writer Lewis Theobald. A dispute rose of the authorship of the play when a watchmaker and aspiring playwright Henry Meystayer claimed that Theobald had stolen it from him.Carnegie & Tayl ...

'' (1716) * Lady Outside in '' Woman Is a Riddle'' (1716)

References

Bibliography

* Highfill, Philip H, Burnim, Kalman A. & Langhans, Edward A. ''A Biographical Dictionary of Actors, Actresses, Musicians, Dancers, Managers, and Other Stage Personnel in London, 1660-1800: Volume 13''. SIU Press, 1991. {{DEFAULTSORT:Rogers, Jane 17th-century English people 18th-century English people 17th-century English actresses 18th-century English actresses 18th-century British actresses English stage actresses British stage actresses Year of birth unknown 1718 deaths