Benjamin Webster

A carte-de-visite portrait of Benjamin Nottingham Webster (1797-1882), actor, manager, and dramatic writer.

Born at Bath, his father was a dancing master. He first appeared as Harlequin, and then in small parts at Drury Lane. He went to the Haymarket in 1829, where he began to appear as the lead in comedies. From 1837 he was the lessee of the Haymarket, and in 1859 he built the new Adelphi. Later the Olympic, the Princess’s and the St. James’s all at one time came under his control. He was the patron of all the contemporary playwrights and many of the best actors, who owed their opportunity of success to him.

As a character actor he was unequalled in his day, especially in such parts as Triplet in Masks and Faces, Joey Ladle in No Thoroughfare, and John Peerybingle in his own dramatisation of The Cricket on the Hearth. He wrote, translated or adapted nearly a hundred plays. Ben Webster took his formal farewell of the stage in 1874.

Photographed by the Southwell Brothers of London.

[Entered at Stationers' Hall as part of the copyrighting process on 7 August 1863.]