John Edwin (c. 1768 – 22 February 1805) was an English stage actor, active over the late-18th and early-19th centuries.

Life and career

Known as John Edwin the younger, he was the son of the English actor John Edwin. An early mention of Edwin's name comes in a 1777 correspondence between his father and

George Colman the Elder George Colman (April 1732 – 14 August 1794) was an English dramatist and essayist, usually called "the Elder", and sometimes "George the First", to distinguish him from his son, George Colman the Younger. He also owned a theatre. Early lif ...

in which the elder Edwin offers the theatre manager the use of his wife and son Jack in return for a salary advancement. On 30 July 1778, Edwin debuted as Hengo at London's Haymarket Theatre in a revival of '' Bonduca'', written by

Beaumont and Fletcher Beaumont and Fletcher were the English dramatists Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher, who collaborated in their writing during the reign of James I (1603–25). They became known as a team early in their association, so much so that their joi ...

. Over his early years, Edwin often appeared with his father at the Haymarket or the Old Orchard Street Theatre in Bath, Somerset. His first known adult role as Dick in ''The Apprentice of Murphy'', came in a benefit performance for his ailing father at London's Covent Garden Theatre on 26 March 1788. Edwin later befriended

Richard Barry, 7th Earl of Barrymore Richard Barry, 7th Earl of Barrymore (14 August 1769 – 6 March 1793) was an English nobleman of Irish heritage, as well as an infamous rake, gambler, sportsman, theatrical enthusiast and womanizer. He was known as ''Hellgate'' and ''the Rake ...

, and for some years performed in amateur theatre productions staged at a theatre Barry had built near his home in

Wargrave Wargrave () is a historic village and civil parish in Berkshire, England. The village is primarily on the River Thames but also along the confluence of the River Loddon and lies on the border with southern Oxfordshire. The village has many old ...

, Berkshire. In 1791, Edwin married actress Elizabeth Rebecca Richards, the daughter of actor William Talbot Richards (died 1813). Edwin soon brought his bride to Wargrave, where her extended stay eventually caused friction between his wife and

Tate Wilkinson Tate Wilkinson (27 October 173916 November 1803) was an English actor and manager. Life He was the son of a clergyman and was sent to Harrow. His first attempts at acting were badly received, and it was to his wonderful gift of mimicry that h ...

, manager of the

York York is a cathedral city with Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. It is the historic county town of Yorkshire. The city has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a ...

circuit. On 20 June 1792, the two appeared together at the Haymarket in ''The Virgin Unmasked'' taken from ''An Old Man Taught Wisdom''. The play was a ballad farce written by

Henry Fielding Henry Fielding (22 April 1707 – 8 October 1754) was an English novelist, irony writer, and dramatist known for earthy humour and satire. His comic novel ''Tom Jones'' is still widely appreciated. He and Samuel Richardson are seen as founders ...

in which Edwin played Blister to his wife's Lucy. Edwin escorted his wife to

Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of the Wicklow Mountains range. At the 2016 c ...

and

Doncaster Doncaster (, ) is a city in South Yorkshire, England. Named after the River Don, it is the administrative centre of the larger City of Doncaster. It is the second largest settlement in South Yorkshire after Sheffield. Doncaster is situated in ...

in 1794, and traveled with her on most of her provincial tours over the remainder of their marriage.

Death

Edwin drank himself to death one night in Dublin on 22 February 1805 after a satirical poem, ascribed to

John Wilson Croker John Wilson Croker (20 December 178010 August 1857) was an Anglo-Irish statesman and author. Life He was born in Galway, the only son of John Croker, the surveyor-general of customs and excise in Ireland. He was educated at Trinity College Dubl ...

, called Edwin, the "lubbard spouse of Mrs. Edwin", and "the degenerate son of a man 'high on the rolls of comic fame". A tombstone, erected by Elizabeth Rebecca Edwin in St. Werburgh's churchyard, Dublin, attributes her husband's death to the acuteness of his sensibility.

''Edwin was best known at Bath, where he was held in some parts equal or superior to his father, he was an excellent country actor, and would probably, but for his irregular life, have made a high reputation. Tate Wilkinson praises his Lenitive in "The Prize" and his Nipperkin in "The Sprigs of Laurel," and says that as Mr. Tag in "The Spoil'd Child" he is better than any comedian he (Wilkinson) has hitherto seen. He adds that Mr. Edwin dresses his characters better and more characteristic than any comic actor I recollect on the York stage' (Wandering Patentee, iv. 204)''. Dictionary of National Biography, 1908.

References

External links

John Edwin's portrait, British Museum
{{DEFAULTSORT:Edwin, John 1768 births 1805 deaths 18th-century English male actors 19th-century English male actors Male actors from Berkshire Male actors from London British expatriate actors English expatriates in Ireland English male stage actors Actors from Bath, Somerset People from Wargrave Suicides in Ireland Alcohol-related deaths in Ireland 1800s suicides

Life and career

Death

See also

References

External links