She was taught her craft of performing at a school for young actors developed by Killigrew[19] and one of the fine male actors of the time, Charles Hart, and learned dancing from another, John Lacy; both were rumoured by satirists of the time to be her lovers, but if she had such a relationship with Lacy (Beauclerk thinks it unlikely), it was kept much more discreet than her well-known affair with Hart. The kings deathbed request to his brother, Let not poor Nelly starve, however, was faithfully carried out by James II, who paid off enough of her debts to reestablish her credit, gave her sizable amounts in cash, and settled on her a pension of 1,500 a year. photocopies or electronic copies of newspapers pages. For access to nell gwynn's full information you must be on the Trusted List. When the king rebuked her for calling him that, she replied, "Your Majesty has given me no other name to call him by." The gay couple, broadly defined, is a pair of witty, antagonistic lovers, he generally a rake fearing the entrapment of marriage and she feigning to do the same in order to keep her lover at arm's length. Charles is known to have denied paternity of her second son who was born in 1663, but Barbara, renowned for her furious temper, stamped her foot shouting "God damn me, but you shall own it!" login . Although not yet a hereditary peer, the heir to the St Albans dukedom was allowed to sit on the steps of the throne, from where he seized his moment of glory. attributed to Simon Verelstoil on canvas, circa 1670NPG L248, Unknown woman, formerly known as Nell Gwyn, studio of Sir Peter Lelyoil on canvas, circa 1675NPG 3976, by Simon Verelstoil on canvas, feigned oval, circa 1680NPG 2496, by Gerard Valck, after Sir Peter Lelyline engravingNPG 3811, Nell Gwyn (Margaret Lemon with the head altered to Nell Gwyn), by Richard Gaywood, after Sir Anthony van Dyck, and head after Gerard Valck, after Sir Peter Lelyetching and line engraving, circa 1662; head late 17th centuryNPG D47402, after Sir Peter Lelymezzotint, (circa 1665-1680)NPG D18789, by Abraham de Blois, published by Nicolaes Visscher II, after Sir Peter Lelymezzotint, (1670s)NPG D2543, by Gerard Valck, after Sir Peter Lelyline engraving, circa 1673NPG D10959, by and published by Thomas van der Wiltmezzotint, 1687NPG D30626, James Beauclerk; Charles Beauclerk, 1st Duke of St Albans; Nell Gwyn, by Richard Tompson, after Sir Peter Lelymezzotint, before 1693NPG D35093, by Richard Tompson, after Sir Peter Lelymezzotint, before 1693NPG D35094, after Richard Tompson, and after Sir Peter Lelymezzotint, after 1693NPG D35095, by and sold by James Macardell, after Sir Peter Lelymezzotint, mid 18th centuryNPG D30623, by Peter van Bleeck, after Sir Peter Lelymezzotint, 1751NPG D30627, by Peter van Bleeck, after Sir Peter Lelymezzotint, 1751NPG D18788, by Valentine Green, published by Walter Shropshire, after Sir Peter Lelymezzotint, published 17 November 1777NPG D30625, by Valentine Green, published by Walter Shropshire, after Simon Verelstmezzotint, published 17 November 1777NPG D2515, by John Ogborne, published by Anthony Molteno, after Sir Peter Lelystipple engraving, published 2 January 1802NPG D30624, by Henry Richard Cook, published by Mathews & Leigh, after Sir Peter Lelystipple engraving, published 1 August 1807NPG D30621, by Schenecker, published by John White, published by John Scott, after Sir Peter Lelystipple engraving, published 1 July 1808NPG D30622. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? 25 Dec 1671, d. c Sep 1680. Mine didnt leave enough information about themselves for my liking! Her mother Ellen was in her thirties at the time, a born and bred Londoner. Nells father is harder to pin down hes often described as a Welsh soldier named Thomas Gwyn (or Gywnne, or Guinne) who fought for the Royalists and died in a debtors prison in Oxford in 1661, but thats pieced together from fragments here and there. During Samuel Pepys's life women were first allowed to take to the stage as professional actresses. [2] It deals with the life of Nell Gwynn, mistress of Charles II, and her part in the theatre of the 17th century. The obscurity surrounding Gwyn's date of birth parallels numerous other obscurities that run through the course of her life. Her mother kept a bawdyhouse in the Covent Garden district, where Nell was brought up to fill strong waters [brandy] to the guests (Samuel Pepys, Diary, Oct. 26, 1667). Sponsored Search. The earl, who has made it his short life's work to prove that one of his ancestors, Edward de Vere, the 17th Earl of Oxford, was the real author of Shakespeare's plays, declared: "If Blair gets his way in Britain, then, in the words of Shakespeare, our country 'will be a wilderness again,/Peopled with wolves'. [30], After seeing the play for the third time, Pepys writes, "It is impossible to have Florimels part, which is the most comical that ever was made for woman, ever done better than it is by Nelly. Nell answered then, "I was but one man's whore, though I was brought up in a bawdy-house to fill strong waters to the guests; and you are a whore to three or four, though a Presbyter's praying daughter!"[12]. In March 1687, she suffered a stroke that left her paralysed on one side. [24], It was in the new form of restoration comedy that Gwyn would become a star. In the 1840s, there was a house on the site of Nell Gwynn House in which the member of parliament George Thompson lived. Her noble descendant Beauclerk pieces together circumstantial evidence to favour an Oxford birth. In either case, the available evidence indicates that Nell was not a member of their family.[7]. He also had a wife, Portuguese Queen consort Catherine of Braganza, whose pregnancies all ended in miscarriages, and she had little or no say over Charles's choice to have mistresses. Select the portrait of interest to you, then look out for a Buy a Print button. Mostly unnoticed by passers-by, this is believed to be the only statue of a royal mistress in the capital city.[61]. One way or another, Gwyn's father seems to have been out of the picture by the time of her childhood in Covent Garden, and her "dipsomaniac mother, [and] notorious sister", Rose, were left in a low situation. [9] The fact that "Gwyn" is a name of Welsh origin might support Hereford, as its county is on the border with Wales; The Dictionary of National Biography notes a traditional belief that she was born there in Pipe Well Lane, renamed to Gwynne Street in the 19th century. Please enable JavaScript in your browser's settings to use this part of Geni. This has sparked some confusion. Of course they, all come from her eldest son, Charles Beau. From 1666 to 1669 Nell was the leading comedienne of the Kings Company, playing continuously, save for a brief absence in 1667, while she was the mistress of Lord Buckhurst, afterward 6th Earl of Dorset. [38], Late in 1667, George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham took on the role of unofficial manager for Gwyn's love affairs. Nell Gwyn, original name Eleanor Gwyn, (born Feb. 2, 1650, London, Eng.died Nov. 14, 1687, London), English actress and mistress of Charles II, whose frank recklessness, generosity, invariable good temper, ready wit, infectious high spirits, and amazing indiscretions appealed irresistibly to a generation that welcomed in her the living antithesis of Puritanism. "[57] Her will and codicil were proved on 7 December 1687. When the King died in 1685 Nells creditors descended upon her she never did starve, but was in grave danger of being sent to a Debtors prison. She appealed to King James and to his credit, he settled her immediate debts and gave her a pension of 1500 a year. A satire of the time describes this and also Hart's position now, in the face of competition from the upper echelons of society: Yet Hart more manners had, then not to tender Her mother was drowned in a pond at Chelsea, probably while drunk, in July 1679. [34], Beauclerk describes Buckhurst: "Cultured, witty, satirical, dissolute, and utterly charming". He had 13 children in all by his mistresses. Nell survived her royal lover by less than three years. Gwyn nicknamed Louise "Squintabella" for her looks and the "Weeping Willow" for her tendencies to sob. Apparently his final words were 'let not poor Nelly starve.'. Nell gave birth to her first son, Charles Beauclerk, on 8 May 1670. She had two sons by the King, and the elder, Charles Beauclerk, was created Duke of St Albans. Called "pretty, witty Nell" by Pepys, she has been regarded as a living embodiment of the spirit of Restoration England and has come to be considered a folk heroine, with a story echoing the rags-to-royalty tale of Cinderella. Madam Gwyn is sometimes said to have had the maiden surname Smith. During Gwyn's first years with Charles, there was little competition in the way of other mistresses: Barbara Palmer was on her way out, while others, such as Moll Davis, kept quietly away from the spotlight of public appearances or Whitehall. 'Tis our joint cause; I know you in your hearts The King and the Duke of York were at the play. : 1866 - 1939), Sat 27 Oct 1900, The Maiden Queen featured breeches roles, where the actress appeared in men's clothes under one pretence or another, and as Bax supposes "was one of the first occasions upon which a woman appeared in the disguise of a man";[33] if nothing else this could draw an audience eager to see the women show off their figures in the more form-fitting male attire. For the Daniel Defoe character, see. Read 39 reviews from the worlds largest community for readers. Home; Trees; Search; DNA; Explore; Help; Top record matches for Nell Gwyn. This was no easy task in the Restoration theatre; the limited pool of audience members meant that very short runs were the norm for plays and fifty different productions might be mounted in the nine-month season lasting from September to June. Unlike Charles' other mistresses, Nell never received a title herself, but she obtained a title for her son. His father had given him the reversion of the office of Hereditary Master Falconer and that of Hereditary Registrar of the Court of Chancery, which fell vacant in 1698. Hate serious plays, as I do serious parts. Ranging from from dukes to dustmen, they include Samantha Cameron (wife of David Cameron) ! The notoriously temperamental Barbara Palmer (nee Villiers) Lady Castlemaine, had been Charles' mistress for many years, but their relationship was beginning to sour by the time he met Nell Gwynn. Their relationship lasted perhaps two years and was reported with obscenity-laced acidity in several later satires; "For either with expense of purse or p---k, / At length the weary fool grew Nelly-sick". Want to search our collection? : 1866 - 1939), http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article21250097, create private tags and comments, readable only by you, and. Evidence for any one of the three is scarce. This appears to be derived from a fragmentary pedigree by Anthony Wood that shows signs of confusion between different Gwyn families and it has not been firmly established. and subsequently created that peerage. On 17 April 1694 her son Charles Beauclerk married Lady Diana de Vere, daughter and heiress of Aubrey de Vere, the last Earl of Oxford. WebNell Gwynn is a play by the British playwright Jessica Swale, begun in 2013 [1] and premiering at Shakespeare's Globe from 19 September to 17 October 2015. If you have information to share please complete the form below. Waving an order paper, the earl forced the Lords Deputy Speaker out of the way and delivered a short speech defending his pedigree chums: "This Bill drafted in Brussels is treason. Its always intrigued me too, how some descendants end up peers of the realm and others end up "dustbinmen". They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. There are occasions when we are unsure of the identity of a sitter or artist, their life dates, occupation or have not recorded their family relationships. Three cities make the claim to be Gwyn's birthplace: Hereford, London (specifically Covent Garden) and Oxford. Gwyn and her mother spent some of this time in Oxford, following the King and his court. He aimed to provide King Charles II with someone who would supplant Barbara Palmer, his principal current mistress and Buckingham's cousin, moving Buckingham closer to the King's ear. Sitter associated with 30 portraitsEleanor Gywn, or 'Pretty witty Nell', as Pepys called her, came to London as an orange-seller, and rose to become one of the leading comic actresses of the day, and mistress to the King, Charles II. She only bore him two children: The elder was born in 1670, Charles Beauclerk, who was made Baron Heddington and Earl of Burford and, later, Duke of St. Albans. !Lady Sybil Lascelles, daughter-in-law to, Besides, the following are descended from, 'Mr. He also gave her a house at 79, Pall Mall, where John Evelyn reported seeing her leaning over her garden wall chaffing her royal lover. Skip Ancestry main menu Main Menu. "[53] A few weeks later, James was given "the title of Lord Beauclerc, with the place and precedence of the eldest son of an earl."[53]. The Queenslander (Brisbane, Qld. When Charles II died in February 1685, Nell was so deeply in debt that she was outlawed by her creditors. [citation needed] He became colonel in the 8th regiment of horse in 1687, and served with the emperor Leopold I, being present at the siege of Belgrade in 1688.[1]. However, as they gained attention, skill and fame, they could make greater demands of writers, and parts began to get better. On 26 August, Pepys learns from Moll Davis that, 'Nell is already left by my Lord Buckhurst, and that he makes sport of her, and swears she hath had all she could get of him; and Hart, her great admirer, now hates her; and that she is very poor, and hath lost my Lady Castlemayne, who was her great friend also but she is come to the House, but is neglected by them all'. Partner of Charles II of England Page 879 - NELL GWYNN'S DESCENDANTS. She was buried in the Church of St Martin-in-the-Fields, London, on 17 November 1687. and subsequently officially created the peerage, saving his son's life. Gwyn is said to have complained that "she had always conveyed free under the Crown, and always would; and would not accept [the house] till it was conveyed free to her by an Act of Parliament." WebBorn Eleanor Gwynn on February 2, 1650, in England (authorities are unsure whether in London, Oxford, or Hereford); died on November 14, 1687; daughter of Helena and Thomas or James Gwynn (a common soldier); children: (with Charles II) Charles Beauclerk (16701726, later duke of St. Albans); James Beau-clerk, earl of Plymouth (d. 1680). In 1664, through the influence of her older sister, Rose, Nell became an orange-girl at the Drury Lane Theatre. The orange-girls would also serve as messengers between men in the audience and actresses backstage; they received monetary tips for this role and some of these messages would end in sexual assignations. [25], There is some debate over the year The Mad Couple debuted, with earlier authorities believing it to be 1667. Husband of Helen / Eleanor "Old Madam" Smith Father of Eleanor "Nell" Gwyn. He was succeeded by his eldest son. The Queenslander (Brisbane, Qld. Yes I understand the line is through the Duke of St Albans. RootsChat.com cannot be held responsible directly or indirectly for the messages or content posted by others. Descendant of Nell Gwynn makes last stand for lords Paul Waugh, Political Correspondent Comments MORE THAN 800 years of parliamentary tradition went out with she exclaimed, in an imitation of the King's manner of speaking, "but this is the poorest company I ever was in! Nell Gwynn (c. 16501687) The descendants of Holy Roman Empire monarchies became feeble-minded in the twentieth century, and after World War I had been done in by the democracies; some were kept on to Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in, Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile. Catherine of Braganza PreviousNext Barbara Palmer, Copyright 2004 - 2022 www.englishmonarchs.co.uk All rights reserved All rights reserved Privacy Policy, Copyright 2004 - 2022 www.englishmonarchs.co.uk All rights reserved All rights reserved . [27], After the theatres reopened, Gwyn and Hart returned to play role after role that fit the mould of the gay couple, including in James Howard's The English Monsieur (December 1666), Richard Rhodes' Flora's Vagaries, an adaptation of John Fletcher's The Chances by George Villiers, and then in their greatest success, Secret Love, or The Maiden Queen.[28]. Her father, according to tradition, died in a debtors prison at Oxford during Nells infancy. It would be interesting (says the "Westminster Gazette") to know precisely how many descendants of Nell Gwynne (the celebrated actress and favourite of Charles II. Once Gwyn left the acting profession, it would be at least ten years before his company revived The Maiden Queen and even the less favoured The Indian Emperour because "the management evidently felt that it would be useless to present these plays without her."[32]. [40] Davis would be Gwyn's first rival for the King. She died eight months later and was buried in the Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields. Nell'. Nell played some fantastic roles which were written for her by Dryden and his contemporaries. '", Quoted in Beauclerk, p. 78 from the epilogue to Robert Howard's, According to Dryden's preface to the first printed edition, 1668. went to South .Africa with the 17th Lancers. WebNell Gwynn (c. 16501687) The descendants of Holy Roman Empire monarchies became feeble-minded in the twentieth century, and after World War I had been done in Gwyn's will also conveys her charitable side with her leaving 100 to be distributed to the poor of the parish of St Martins-in-the-field and Westminster and 50 to release debtors from prison every Christmas.[21]. Aphra Behn, Britain's first female professional playwright, wasn't far behind. You need to login before you can save preferences. It is possible that she herself was a child prostitute; Peter Thomson, in the Oxford Illustrated History of Theatre, says it is "probable". Nell Gwynn The Players Creative Team Jessica Swale Playwright Christopher Luscombe Director Nigel Hess Music Hugh Durrant Scenic Designer/Costume Designer Greg Hofmann Lighting Designer Stephen Ptacek Sound Designer Wig and Make-up Designer Amber Mak Choreographer Jermaine Hill Music Director Eva Breneman Dialect Coach Bob Several anonymous satires from the time relate a tale of Gwyn, with the help of her friend Aphra Behn, slipping a powerful laxative into Davis's tea-time cakes before an evening when she was expected in the King's bed. Downing Street said that the earl, a direct descendant of the illegitimate offspring of Charles II and Nell Gwyn, gave Tony Blair all the proof he needed that the peers were ripe for the axe. King) could be mustered to see Miss Marie, -Tempest and Miss Julia Neilson represent, ing their famous ancestress. Updates? Please enable JavaScript in your browser's settings to use this part of Geni. "[46] The Duchess of Portsmouth's only recorded riposte was, "anybody may know she has been an orange-wench by her swearing". Census Information is Crown Copyright, from, See "A genealogical survey of the peerage of Britain". Nell was was the daughter of Thomas and Ellen Gwynn, her place of birth is disputed, with some sources stating Pipe Well Lane in Hereford, which was renamed Gwynne Street in the nineteenth century, while others state she was born in London. Open Daily: 10:30 - 18:00 What shall I do to please the People of England? Nell settled her mother in a house in Chelsea, where, in July 1679, overcome by brandy, Mrs. Gwyn fell into a nearby brook and was drowned. Nell was extremely pretty with long reddish-brown hair and a good figure, reckless but generous and unpretentious, she was known to be illiterate and could only sign her name with her awkwardly scrawled initials "E.G.". In March 1687, Gwyn suffered a stroke that left her paralysed on one side. Gwyn and the other ten "women comedians in His Majesty's Theatre" were issued the right (and the cloth) to wear the King's livery at the start of this exile, proclaiming them official servants of the King. However, Pepys, whose diary usually has great things to say about Gwyn, was displeased with her performance in this same part two years later: "to the King's playhouse, and there saw 'The Indian Emperour;' where I find Nell come again, which I am glad of; but was most infinitely displeased with her being put to act the Emperour's daughter; which is a great and serious part, which she do most basely."[23].
nell gwynn descendants