Fanny Robertson

Thomas Robertson (aka The Mogul), actor and manager married on 8 September 1793 the famous Covent Garden actress Mrs Brown's daughter, Miss Frances Mary Ross later known as Fanny Robertson, a leading actress and manager on the Lincolnshire Circuit stage. A nephew was William Shaftoe Robertson. The Robertsons married into other families in the theatre, and she was also related to playwright Tom Robertson and actress Dame Madge Robertson.[1]

A younger sister Anna Ross (1773-1849) married John Brunton (1741-1819) of Covent Garden theatre.[2]

Tom Robertson and 'Jemmy' Miller ran the Lincoln Circuit until May 1796 when Miller sold out to Robertson.[3]

Robertson's reputation and her husband's business acumen brought leading stage actors to play opposite her and for them on the Lincoln Circuit venues. Child actor William Henry West Betty (1791-1874) performed in Wisbech in 1808.[4]

Mr Robertson was put in Lincoln Castle Gaol for debt and supporters aided him by putting on amateur productions and purchasing the theatrical travelling property sold by auction, and a appointning him their manager. Some landlords reduced the rents of their theatres, according to a handbill promoting Speed the Plough and Chip of the Old Block, to be performed 7th April, 1817 at the theatre, Wisbech. The handbill is in the extensive collection held at Wisbech & Fenland Museum.

Madame Tussaud brought her touring waxwork show to the Wisbech theatre in November 1825. The pit was covered over to enable the display of her works and the exhibition was regarded as a huge success. Tickets cost one shilling and the theatre was crowded each evening, which included a performance from a military band. The display closed on 10 December 1825.[5]

The 'Infant Roscius' Master Herbert performed in Wisbech in 1829.[6][21]Edmund Kean performed on the Lincoln Circuit, in Boston and then came to Wisbech for the nights of 19 to 22 April 1831.[7]Tom Robertson (1829-1871), son of William Robertson performed on the circuit aged five as 'Hamish', the infant son of 'Rob Roy'.[8]

Fanny inherited the Lincoln Circuit when widowed in 1831 (the theatre venues varies depending over time, these included Lincoln, Huntingdon, Wisbech, Boston and other Lincolnshire towns). In the same year her brother-in-law James Robertson (actor) died. 'Death. On the 1st inst. at Nottingham, aged 60, Mr. James Robertson, late joint manager with Mr. Manly of the Nottingham, Derby, and Stamford company of comedians, father of Mr. W. Robertson, of the Lincoln company'. was reported in the Stamford Mercury on 14 January 1831. Her nephew William Shaftoe Robertson (1796-1872) is also described as a manager long before Fanny's eventual retirement to Wisbech, Isle of Ely in 1843.

James Hill (banker) (father of Octavia Hill & Miranda Hill) bought the theatre in 1835, it was sold when he became bankrupt in 1840.

William Macready (1793-1873) performed on the circuit in June, 1836. [9]He dined with the theatre owner Caroline and her father Dr Thomas Southwood Smith, her sister Emily and half brother Herman. A school (aka as the school for infidels) was erected in front of the theatre by James Hill in 1838, this was destined to become part of the theatre in the 20th century.[10]

Another West End actor brought by Mrs T. Fanny Robertson to perform at Wisbech and other Lincoln circuit venues was Henry Compton (actor). Although the audiences at Wisbech were thin, his performance as Touchstone in As You Like It and Mawwarm in Isaac Bickerstaff's The Hypocrite "was capital, he kept the audience in one tumult of laughter from beginning to end"[11] The Wisbech theatre had not long been 'lately fitted up and decorated at great expense, for the purpose of public assemblies and concerts' when it was offered for sale by auction at the White Hart Inn on 2 May 1843.[12]

The Act of 1737 was modified by the Theatres Act 1843. On 3 July, 1846 Robertson's Theatrical company performed a play 'Mind how you Wed!' written by Dr Whitsed, a local GP and later mayor.[13]

On 27 June, 1840 James Hill (banker) and Thomas Hill merchants, went bankrupt and their estates were sold by auction, including Lot 6 the Wisbech theatre which Robertson was now leasing. Lot 7 was the infant's school that Hill had built in front of the theatre.[14]

On 6 November 1843 the Wisbech theatre was again put up for auction. 'All that spacious building, now used as a theatre, situate near The Crescent in Wisbech St.Peter, lately fitted up and decorated at great expense for the purpose of public assemblies and concerts, with the vaults, cellars, and extensive yard adjoining. The property is freehold and is in an excellent condition.[15]

'The Theatre.— On Monday evening our theatrical friends took leave of us. Mrs. Robertson had her farewell benefit, having resigned the management to her nephew, Mr. W.Robertson. She appeared in the character of Lady Eleanor Irwin, in Elizabeth Inchbald's comedy "Everyone has his Fault" after which she delivered a very neat and appropriate address. There was a full house, but we are sorry to say the season has been productive of very few even tolerable houses' reported the Cambridge Chronicle and Journal on 1st April 1843.

In May, 1847 Mr Davenport manager of several Norfolk theatres took a season at the Wisbech theatre and held a benefit night for Fanny Robertson.[16]

In the 1851 census she is recorded as Fanny Robertson, 78, an annuitant living on her own in Norfolk Street West, Wisbech.

She died on 15 December 1855.[17]

A son of portrait painter William Hilton snr of Lincoln, one of the company's scenery painters, William Hilton RA (1786-1839), was encouraged by Fanny to pursue a career as an artist, he rose to become a Royal Academician and later painted Fanny in the role of "Beatrice", in 1866 the painting was in the Wisbech Working Men's Institute. [18] William Hilton Snr was still being credited on theatre handbills for creating scenery for the Robertson's in 1818, 1819 and the 1820s. This handbill for The Carib Chief production on 5May, 1820 is in Wisbech & Fenland museum's collection.

The Robertsons used Wisbech printers to produce their posters and handbills, later the printer's copies were donated to the Wisbech & Fenland Museum. The museum now has a collection of over two hundred theatre posters, handbills and other items. A small collection is also held by the Angles theatre. Others are in the British Library, the Cambridgeshire Archives, and other regional and town archives.

The Wisbech Georgian theatre reopened in the 1970s as the Angles Theatre.

• Neil R Wright (2016). Treading the Boards. Society for Lincolnshire History & Archaeology.