42:
418:
409:, which allowed the couple to financially prosper. In addition, he was appointed to the lay office Auditor-General of the Revenues of America. Woffington and her husband were also able to acquire wealth through their family's wills. As Peg's designated heir, Woffington received the majority of her sister's property after her death in 1760. Through Walpole's will, she and her family received £1,500 while Earl Cholmondeley, whose finances had partly recovered, made her sons residual legatees of some properties in London in his will.
362:... as vivacious as she was playful in her conversation. Lively, amusing, full of life, she succeeded in attracting people. Well fitted to fascinate those she moved among, she could be serious, grave, even austere when she judged such an attitude necessary to win a good opinion for herself. Above all she excelled in subtle flattery, not going out of her way to be complimentary, but it was quite natural, quite uncalculating. On every possible occasion when she was with friends she would praise the absent.
390:, and clergymen". Woffington was popular in London drawing rooms for her "engaging personality and quick intelligence", as well as her connections in theatrical and intellectual circles, and she came to have a "modest salon". Woffington was a frequent subject of Walpole's letters; he squired her in France and introduced her to
471:
Robert
Cholmondeley died on 6 June 1804. Mary Woffington died in England on 4 April 1811 following a long illness, outliving her sister by 51 years. In her will, Woffington ensured her son George was "amply provided for" and transferred all of the property she received in her sister's will to her
339:: "My family has just undergone a severe trial: my nephew has married the sister of a play-actress", and stated the marriage threatened to ruin the Cholmondeley family. Upon meeting Woffington, however, Walpole was charmed by "her beauty, grace, and wit", and he insisted on introducing her to the
394:, who in turn sponsored her in Parisian high society. After spending a year in France, Woffington became disinterested in high society, preferring to be "in the company of artists, actors, and literary folk". She and Johnson maintained their close friendship until his death in 1784.
435:
Woffington and
Cholmondeley had ten children together, though there are conflicting accounts of how many survived into adulthood. Byrne-Costigan states nine of the ten "made splendid marriages", while according to Philip H. Highfill and
343:. Earl Cholmondeley was convinced by Peg, who said: "My lord, I have much more reason to be offended at it than your lordship, for I had before but one beggar to maintain, and now I have two", because the couple lived in a house in
440:, only four and five, respectively, survived past infancy. Of these five, three died relatively young; one daughter Henrietta Maria died as a child sometime after 1760, another daughter was killed in a carriage accident at
247:
would later become a successful stage actor in
Ireland and England. Little is known about Mary's youth but it is likely she had minor roles in her sister's productions, including nearly 100 performances of
279:, where she began courting members of the local gentry. During this period, Mary determined to become an actor like her sister and fortune-tellers predicted a successful career. Peg, with the help of
254:
at New Booth
Theatre, Dublin. Her father died when she was young, and she remained in Ireland with her mother while her sister pursued an acting career in England. Woffington joined her sister in
397:
According to Byrne-Costigan, Woffington's husband "adored her and treated her like a spoiled child". After leaving the army, he declared himself a "man of peace" and became a priest in the
315:
Following her brief acting career, Mary
Woffington returned to Teddington and continued to court the local gentry. By mid 1746, she courted Robert Cholmondeley, a disgraced captain in the
307:. Her performance was mediocre, though critics and audience were "indulgent" and "courteous". After this, Mary lost interest in acting and did not take to the stage again.
825:
243:, Ireland, in 1729. She was nicknamed Polly, and was the second daughter of Catholic bricklayer Arthur or John Woffington and his wife Hannah. Mary's older sister
335:, the already-impoverished Earl Cholmondeley wrote the marriage had alarmed his creditors, forcing him to sell much of his remaining property. Walpole wrote to
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41:
320:
212:
182:
332:
1179:
700:
672:
1214:
755:
1194:
1189:
1033:
297:
at
Teddington. Mary's professional debut occurred on 30 March 1745, when she performed the role of the maidservant Cherry in
771:
710:
682:
1219:
1021:
A Biographical
Dictionary of Actors, Actresses, Musicians, Dancers, Managers and Other Stage Personnel in London, 1660-1800
765:
930:
904:
784:
465:
1112:
1025:
852:
24:
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in 1772 and died there on 29 April 1777. Of the two remaining known children, their daughter Hester
Frances married
1229:
1184:
244:
417:
1169:
1164:
327:, without the approval of either of their families. The marriage was initially opposed by Earl Cholmondeley and
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In mid 1744, aged 15, Woffington returned to
England and moved into her sister's country house at
1224:
299:
527:(11 May 1745) fairly hid himself, for which he was disgracefully broke at the head of the army".
456:
and their eldest son George James
Cholmondeley was married three times; his fathers-in-law were
453:
375:
1007:"Their Majesties' Servants": Annals of the English Stage, from Thomas Betterton to Edmund Kean
1104:
1053:
480:
445:
265:
250:
1154:
1149:
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963:
457:
351:
8:
1063:
The Life and Adventures of Peg Woffington: With Pictures of the Period in which She Lived
1001:
483:
and is based on the life of Woffington's sister. Among the actors who portrayed Mary are
437:
383:
293:
288:
386:, frequently dining at Reynolds's house. She became acquainted with "scholars, artists,
989:
524:
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260:
258:
in 1740. On 20 April 1741, Mary had a minor role as a child dancer in a performance of
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211:. After a failed attempt at an acting career, Mary married the second son of the
47:
268:. Later that year, Peg funded Mary's education at a Catholic convent school in
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366:
Woffington was quickly welcomed into high society, becoming close friends with
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and chose to live as a socialite. With connections in both English and French
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Men, Women and Books: Selection of Sketches, Essays, and Critical Memoirs
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1018:
Highfill, Philip H.; Burnim, Kalman A.; Langhans, Edward A. (1993).
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546:
374:. Through Johnson, she became associated with other members of
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240:
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in 1806 while serving as lady-in-waiting for Crown Princess
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and others, aided Mary by staging a practice performance of
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641:
448:, and their second son Robert Francis travelled to the
1017:
749:
722:
635:
608:
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203:(1729 – 4 April 1811) was an Irish socialite of the
1086:Woffington: A Tribute to the Actress and the Woman
475:Mary Woffington is a character in the stage play
401:. Through his family, he was able to acquire two
1141:
234:
962:
694:
666:
331:, Robert's maternal uncle. In a letter to the
321:George Cholmondeley, 3rd Earl of Cholmondeley
183:George Cholmondeley, 3rd Earl of Cholmondeley
1113:"Mary Woffington, the Hon. Mrs. Cholmondeny"
323:. The couple married on 30 November 1746 at
1205:Irish emigrants to Kingdom of Great Britain
1093:
40:
1126:Moore, F. Frankfurt (20 September 1899).
572:
421:Painting of Woffington and her family by
23:For other people with the same name, see
1089:. Troy: Nims and Knight. pp. 66–68.
416:
147:
18:Irish actress and socialite (1729–1811)
1142:
1059:
706:
678:
310:
1125:
1000:
780:
412:
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761:
750:Highfill, Burnim & Langhans 1993
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636:Highfill, Burnim & Langhans 1993
609:Highfill, Burnim & Langhans 1993
568:
566:
564:
556:Highfill, Burnim & Langhans 1993
466:John Townshend, 2nd Viscount Sydney
151:
13:
1072:
1026:Southern Illinois University Press
207:. Her sister was the famous actor
25:Mary Cholmondeley (disambiguation)
14:
1241:
905:"New Bills Draw Well at Theaters"
561:
1121:. 12 September 1897. p. 17.
931:"Grace George in 'Pretty Peggy'"
923:
897:
871:
845:
818:
790:
479:, which was written in 1902 by
347:that Peg rented and furnished.
143:
1180:18th-century English actresses
1060:Molloy, J. Fitzgerald (1897).
955:
831:Museum of the City of New York
806:. 11 November 1905. p. 12
573:Geoghegan, Patrick M. (2009).
509:
358:more beautiful than her sister
354:describes Mary Woffington as:
223:", and was close friends with
1:
1215:18th-century English nobility
885:. 22 February 1906. p. 2
580:Dictionary of Irish Biography
575:"Woffington Margaret ('Peg')"
534:
426:
219:, she came to have a "modest
1195:18th-century Irish actresses
1190:Actresses from Dublin (city)
1024:. Vol. 16. Carbondale:
539:
239:Mary Woffington was born in
235:Early life and acting career
201:Mary Woffington Cholmondeley
7:
1220:Nobility from Dublin (city)
859:. 23 August 1905. p. 3
10:
1246:
1066:. London: Downey & Co.
939:. 14 March 1903. p. 3
883:The Beatrice Daily Express
523:in the guards, and at the
22:
1100:The Life of David Garrick
911:. 3 March 1914. p. 2
285:Richard Brinsley Sheridan
245:Margaret "Peg" Woffington
169:
161:
127:
117:
100:
84:
55:
39:
32:
1118:Lloyd's Weekly Newspaper
973:Dublin Historical Record
936:The Indianapolis Journal
853:"'Pretty Peggy' Pleases"
502:
1230:People from Westminster
1185:English child actresses
1010:. Vol. 2. London:
826:"Plays, 'Pretty Peggy'"
1170:People from Teddington
1165:Socialites from London
1105:Simpkin & Marshall
1054:Smith, Elder & Co.
454:Sir William Bellingham
432:
364:
325:St Anne's Church, Soho
319:and the second son of
1200:Irish child actresses
1175:Actresses from London
1012:W. H. Allen & Co.
964:Byrne-Costigan, Ethna
589:10.3318/dib.009099.v1
481:Frances Aymar Mathews
446:Caroline of Brunswick
420:
356:
266:Covent Garden Theatre
857:The Berkeley Gazette
458:John Pitt of Encombe
352:Ethna Byrne-Costigan
300:The Beaux' Stratagem
213:Earl of Cholmondeley
150:; died
1210:Cholmondeley family
695:Byrne-Costigan 1979
667:Byrne-Costigan 1979
384:Sir Joshua Reynolds
311:Life as a socialite
294:The Distrest Mother
289:George Anne Bellamy
133:Robert Cholmondeley
909:The Evening Herald
725:, p. 226–227.
611:, p. 225–226.
525:Battle of Fontenoy
462:Sir Philip Francis
433:
413:Children and death
305:Drury Lane Theatre
261:The Double Gallant
251:The Beggar's Opera
78:Kingdom of Ireland
1095:Fitzgerald, Percy
1035:978-0-8093-1803-2
803:The Dayton Herald
519:, Robert "was an
472:daughter Hester.
399:Church of England
392:Madame du Deffand
341:Dauphin of France
333:Duke of Newcastle
198:
197:
92:(aged 81–82)
1237:
1160:Irish socialites
1135:
1128:"A Poor Actress"
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968:"Peg Woffington"
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337:Sir Horace Mann
317:3rd Foot Guards
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185:(father-in-law)
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60:Mary Woffington
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48:William Hogarth
35:
34:Mary Woffington
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5:
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798:"Pretty Peggy"
789:
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752:, p. 227.
727:
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638:, p. 226.
613:
601:
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558:, p. 225.
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533:
530:
529:
507:
506:
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493:Evelyn D'Alroy
485:Lucile Gleason
414:
411:
403:church livings
372:Samuel Johnson
368:Frances Burney
329:Horace Walpole
312:
309:
236:
233:
229:Samuel Johnson
225:Frances Burney
209:Peg Woffington
196:
195:
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191:(uncle-in-law)
189:Horace Walpole
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177:Peg Woffington
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1107:. p. 81.
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697:, p. 18.
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517:James Boswell
515:According to
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508:
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497:Margaret Mayo
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16:
1134:. p. 7.
1131:
1116:
1099:
1085:
1062:
1048:
1020:
1006:
980:(1): 11–21.
977:
971:
943:21 September
941:. Retrieved
934:
925:
915:21 September
913:. Retrieved
908:
899:
889:21 September
887:. Retrieved
882:
879:"Amusements"
873:
863:21 September
861:. Retrieved
856:
847:
837:21 September
835:. Retrieved
829:
820:
810:21 September
808:. Retrieved
801:
792:
757:
718:
702:
690:
674:
604:
594:21 September
592:. Retrieved
578:
511:
477:Pretty Peggy
476:
474:
470:
434:
423:Arthur Devis
396:
378:, including
365:
357:
349:
314:
298:
292:
274:
259:
249:
238:
217:high society
205:Georgian era
200:
199:
90:(1811-04-04)
88:4 April 1811
46:Portrait by
20:
15:
1155:1811 deaths
1150:1729 births
1044:Hunt, Leigh
1002:Doran, John
956:Works cited
707:Molloy 1897
679:Molloy 1897
450:East Indies
442:Leatherhead
430: 1750
345:Westminster
101:Occupations
1144:Categories
1103:. London:
1052:. London:
783:, p.
781:Doran 1864
764:, p.
709:, p.
681:, p.
535:References
438:John Doran
350:Historian
277:Teddington
986:0012-6861
762:Hunt 1870
540:Citations
170:Relatives
107:Socialite
1097:(1899).
1083:(1891).
1046:(1870).
1004:(1864).
994:30104171
966:(1979).
376:The Club
179:(sister)
162:Children
122:Georgian
156:
140:
136:
95:England
65: (
1032:
992:
984:
521:ensign
495:, and
464:, and
360:
256:London
241:Dublin
146:
128:Spouse
74:Dublin
50:, 1759
990:JSTOR
503:Notes
270:Paris
221:salon
154:)
142:(
138:
110:actor
1030:ISBN
982:ISSN
945:2023
917:2023
891:2023
865:2023
839:2023
812:2023
596:2023
382:and
370:and
264:at
227:and
152:1804
148:1746
85:Died
67:1729
63:1729
56:Born
766:300
711:137
683:135
585:doi
405:in
303:at
118:Era
1146::
1130:.
1115:.
1028:.
988:.
978:33
976:.
970:.
933:.
907:.
881:.
855:.
828:.
800:.
773:^
730:^
643:^
616:^
583:.
577:.
563:^
548:^
499:.
491:,
487:,
468:.
460:,
427:c.
425:,
287:,
283:,
272:.
231:.
165:10
144:m.
76:,
1038:.
996:.
947:.
919:.
893:.
867:.
841:.
814:.
787:.
785:6
768:.
713:.
685:.
598:.
587::
69:)
27:.
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