Mary Emma Ebsworth (2 September 1794 – 13 October 1881) was an English dramatist.

Life

Ebsworth was the daughter of Robert Fairbrother, member of the

Glovers' Company The Worshipful Company of Glovers is one of the Livery Companies of the City of London. Glovers were originally classified as Cordwainers, but eventually separated to form their own organization in 1349. They received a Royal Charter of inco ...

, and in later years a pantomimist and fencing-master, was born in London. Her father was an affectionate friend of Richard Brinsley Sheridan, and though he had lost several thousand pounds by him would never permit one word to be spoken in his disparagement. He was also the schoolmate and lifelong friend of

Mrs. Jordan Dorothea Jordan, née Bland (21 November 17615 July 1816), was an Anglo-Irish actress, as well as a courtesan. She was the long-time mistress of Prince William, Duke of Clarence, later William IV, and the mother of ten illegitimate children by ...

; great efforts were made to induce him to surrender her letters, many from the Duke of Clarence; but he indignantly refused any bribe, and himself destroyed all his papers, lest his descendants might be tempted. Under the avowed signature of 'Sheridonicus' he wrote some papers in 'Thalia's Tablet, or Melpomene's Memorandum Book,’ of which No. 1 was published on Saturday, 8 December 1821. Fairbrother married Mary Bailey, who had been brought up in a nunnery at St. Omer. One of their sons, Samuel Glover Fairbrother, became a well-known theatrical publisher; another son, Benjamin Smith Fairbrother, who died on 28 August 1878, aged 76, was prompter, stage manager, and treasurer in succession at the chief theatres in London.

Work

French was so habitually spoken and read by Mrs. Fairbrother in the early days of her married life that her daughter, Mary Emma, turned to translating books for the publishers, one of these being a romance of 'Masaniello.' On 22 June 1817 she was married to

Joseph Ebsworth Joseph Ebsworth (1788–1868) was an English dramatist and musician. Early life The elder son of Joseph and Isabella Ebsworth, he was born at Islington, London, on 10 October 1788, and was early apprenticed to a watch-jeweller named Cornwall; h ...

, and lived at 3 Gray's Walk, Lambeth, where five of their ten children were born, the eldest being Emilie Marguerite, born in 1818, afterwards wife of Samuel H. Cowell, comedian. Before December 1826 she went to Edinburgh. She was closely associated in dramatic composition and translations with her husband; but several of her independent works were published in John Cumberland's acting drama: 'Payable at Sight; or the Chaste Salute,’ acted at the

Surrey Theatre The Surrey Theatre, London began life in 1782 as the Royal Circus and Equestrian Philharmonic Academy, one of the many circuses that provided entertainment of both horsemanship and drama (hippodrama). It stood in Blackfriars Road, near the jun ...

, &c.; 'The Two Brothers of Pisa,’ with music by T. Hughes, at the Royal Coburg, printed 1828; 'Ass's Skin;’ and, among many others, perhaps her best work, often acted, 'The Sculptor of Florence.' She was of a most retiring and unselfish nature, loving a private life with the constant care of her children and of her parents, who joined her in Edinburgh. Mrs. Ebsworth survived her husband thirteen years; all but three of her children died before her. She returned to London in 1879, and died at Walworth, aged 87; she was buried on the 19th at West Norwood Cemetery.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ebsworth, Mary Emma 1794 births 1881 deaths 19th-century English dramatists and playwrights Writers from London Burials at West Norwood Cemetery English women dramatists and playwrights 19th-century English women writers