Who was Richard Brinsley Sheridan?
Dramatist and owner of the Theatre Royal, Drury
Lane, London
Date and Place of Birth:
30th October 1751, Dorset Street, Dublin, Ireland.
Christened Richard Brinsley Sheridan.
Family Background:
Third son of Thomas Sheridan Theatre Manager
at Smock Alley Theatre and the editor of a pronouncing dictionary
and Frances Sheridan a playwright.
Education:
English Grammar School, Dublin. Harrow School.
Middle Temple to study law but left after one week to pursue his
lover.
Chronology/Biography of Richard Brinsley Sheridan:
1758: Sheridan family
move to England when Richard is aged seven.
1762: Goes to Harrow
School.
1768: Sheridan leaves
Harrow and is placed in the care of a tutor. He is also taught elocution
and english reading by his father.
1770: The family
move to Bath where Sheridan meets Elizabeth Linley the eldest daughter
of the composer Thomas Linley and an accomplished singer. Various
people are chasing Elizabeth including a Captain Thomas Mathews.
1771: Still keeps
in touch with a friend from Harrow School N.B. Halhed and they work
on various literary ventures including translations of Aristaenetus
and a farce called "Jupiter which was turned don by Garrick
and never performed.
1772: Sheridan escorts
Elizabeth Linley to a convent in France so that she can escape the
attentions of Captain Mathews. Richard and ELizabeth secretly marry
on the way and he fights two duels with Captain Mathews on his return
after he wrote a newspaper article attacking her character. The
first duel was at the Castle Tavern in Henrietta Street, Covent
Garden after they found Hyde Park to be too crowded. Mathews lost
his sword and was forced to sign a retraction, however he was so
annoyed by the publicity the duel attracted which blackened his
name that he challenged Sheridan to a second duel. THis was fought
at Kingsdown near Bath. Both men broke their swords and both were
wounded. Sheridan came off worst and had to be carried from the
field and took eight days to regain any kind of health. Elizabeth's
father denounces the relationship as he says Sheridan is not suitable
for his daughter. He is sent to Waltham Abbey to continue his studies
in mathematics.
1773: Sheridan enters
the Middle Temple on the 6th April and a week later he began being
openly married to Elizabeth. The couple set up a lavish lifestyle
at a house in Orchard Street, Portman Square in London, entertaining
various people from society, although the couple have little money.
He starts writing in earnest.
1775: First production
of his comedy "The Rivals" at Covent garden in January.
The first performance was not well received due to problems with
the acting but the second revised performance went well and it has
since become a standard in the repertoire. In November he produced
the comic opera "The Duenna" at Covent Garden with the
help of his father in law the composer with whom he was now reconciled.
It went on to play seventy five performances. Birth of his only
son Thomas, who was later to become a successful poet.
1776: His negotiations
with Garrick for a half share in the Theatre
Royal, Drury Lane, were completed. Thomas Linley and Dr Ford were
also his partners.
1777: Sheridan's
first major production was of Vanbrugh's
"The Relapse" and then he put on his own other major success
"The School for Scandal". The latter nearly didn't go
ahead as the Lord Chamberlain had to be persuaded by Sheridan's
friends to let it have a licence.
1778: Sheridan buys
out Garrick completely to own the Theatre
Royal. Produces "The Camp" which comments on the possible
threat of invasion of Britain by the French.
1780: First elected
to Parliament for the Whig party in Stafford as a friend of Charles
James Fox. It is said that he bribed the local burgers with
five guineas each with extra promises of dinners and ale. His first
act in parliament was to try and defend himself against acts of
bribery. He opposed the war in AMerica.
1782: Becomes Under
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
1783: Sheridan appointed
Secretary of the Treasury.
1787: Sheridan spoke
for five hours on the impeachment of Warren Hastings in parliament
and his oratory was well received.
1791: Rebuilding
of the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, as it was thought to be unsafe.
1792: Death of his
wife, Elizabeth.
1794: Last great
speech in parliament. During this period he acted as more or less
and independent member and did not side with Burke
on the condemnation of the French Revolution and agreed with Fox
on non-intervention. He was also one of the few MP's not to support
the joining of the Irish and British parliaments.
1803: Sheridan wrote
"an Address to the People" during the height of the invasion
scare from the French.
1804: Appointed Receiver-General
of the Duchy of Cornwall.
1806: The Whigs came
back to power and Sheridan was appointed Treasurer of the Navy.
Elected to represent Westminster for Parliament but failed to become
the Leader of the Whigs.
1807: Defeated at
the General Election in Westminster but got back into Parliament
at Ilchester and it was widely thought that the George, the Prince
of Wales had paid for his.
1809: Second rebuilding
of the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane after a fire.
1811: When Prince
George became the Prince Regent Sheridan's private influence on
him helped to stop the Whigs achieving power again and he was known
as the Prince's mouthpiece.
1812: Could not secure
enough money to buy the parliamentary seat of Stafford after a quarrel
with the Prince Regent. Now all his creditors saw their chance and
tried to get their money back and his fortunes began to plummet
and his gambling debts called in. On hearing of his precarious financial
position the US Congress offered Sheridan £20,000 in recognition
of his efforts to prevent the American War of Independence but refused
the money.
1815: Became gravely
ill and confined to his bed.
Written Works:
- 1775:
"St Patrick's Day" (First performed), "The Duenna",
“The Rivals”.
- 1777: “The
School for Scandal”, "A Trip to Scarborough" (First
performed)
- 1778: "The
Camp"
- 1779:
“The Critic, or a Tragedy Rehearsed”.
- 1794: "The
Glorious First of June" (Fist performed)
- 1798:
“Collected Speeches”.
- 1799:
“Pizarro”. (Opera)
Marriage:
1773 to Elizabeth Ann Linley at Marylebone Church,
London. (died 1792)
1795 to Esther Jane, daughter of Newton Ogle, The Dean of Winchester.
Places of Interest:
AVON:
Lived near No 9 King Street, Bath for two years.
SURREY:
Polesden Lacey. (home National Trust).
Date and Place of Death:
7th July 1816, Number 14 Saville Row, Burlington
Gardens, London, England. Died a pauper. His funeral was attended
by the Lord Mayor of London and a large number of aristocrats.
Age at Death:
64.
Site of Grave:
Poet's Corner, Westminster Abbey, Westminster
, London, England.
Westminster Abbey, London
(© Anthony Blagg)
