Born in Coventry. From an acting family her stage career started at age 8. When 17 she retired from the stage to marry artist G.F. Watts, 30 years her senior. Her desire for the stage was greater than that for her husband and they separated after less than a year. She disappeared and her father misidentified a body recovered from the Thames as hers. She resurfaced to reveal that she was, aged 20, having a happy affair with the architect-designer Edward W. Godwin, which produced two children. She went on to have two more marriages, each to actors (Irving and an American 30 years her junior), but her greatest partnership was professional, with the actor/manager Henry Irving. Died at her home in Kent, Smallhythe, which is now a museum. John Gielgud was her great-nephew.
This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Ellen Terry
Commemorated ati
Queen's Theatre - Long Acre
Queen's Theatre The old Queen's Theatre occupied this site for just eleven y...
Other Subjects
Nigel Playfair
Actor and theatre manager. Born Nigel Ross Playfair in London. In 1918 he formed a syndicate to take over the derelict Lyric Theatre in Hammersmith. It became a highly successful drama venue, with ...
Frank Theobalds
Clerk of Works during the building of the Stanley Halls, and subsequently resident Secretary and Manager.
Pollock's toy theatre shop
This was started by John Redington, selling printed sheets of characters and scenery for toy theatres. He ran it until his death when his family took over. 1877 his daughter Eliza married Benjamin ...
Lord Delfont of Stepney
Impresario and Companion Water Rat. Brother of Lord Lew Grade. The photo shows Delfont (on right) with Neil Diamond.