Ann Cargill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ann Cargill
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In the role of Miranda, painted by Johann Zoffany in 1770
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| Born |
Ann Brown
1760 |
| Died | 4 March 1784 (aged 23–24) |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation | Opera singer |
Ann Cargill (born Ann Brown) was a famous British opera singer and a well-known beauty. Her life and sad death caused a big stir in London in the late 1700s. She was known for her amazing voice and her lively performances on stage.
Ann Cargill's Life Story
Ann Brown was born in London in 1760. Her father, Edward Brown, was a coal merchant. Ann started her acting career very young. She was only eleven years old when she first performed. This happened in November 1771 at the Covent Garden Theatre. She played the character Fanny in a show called The Maid of the Mill.
Early Career and Success
Ann continued to perform at Covent Garden for nine years. She became very successful as a young singer, especially in the role of Venus in The West Indian. She first played Venus on October 20, 1773. People said she was a wonderful singer. She also had a great talent for comedy. This made her "an amazing favourite" with the audience.
However, Ann also faced some challenges. She had disagreements with her father about her career and her independence. She tried several times to leave her father's home. But she was always brought back. Her father also did not want her to be on stage. This caused problems with the theatre managers. In 1776, she ran away again. She was placed at her aunt's house. But her friends from Covent Garden came and took her to the theatre. Her aunt even agreed to this. Ann was able to perform in the show that night.
Marriage and New Adventures
In 1780, Ann left the theatre. She married a man named Mr. R. Cargill. They got married on May 24 in Edinburgh. For the next two years, from 1780 to 1782, Ann kept performing. She worked with Colman's company in Haymarket during the summers. In the winters, she performed at the Drury Lane theatre.
By 1783, Ann decided to travel far away. She went to India with a wealthy companion. This person was involved with the British East India Company. They were based in Calcutta. Ann performed opera parts in Calcutta. The audiences loved her. One of her special shows brought in a huge amount of money, about 12,000 rupees. However, there were rules in India. The directors of the East India Company did not allow actresses to perform. Because of this, Ann had to leave India.
Tragic End
Ann Cargill was a passenger on a ship called the Nancy. The ship's captain was John Haldane. On March 4, 1784, the ship was caught in a storm. It wrecked and sank near the Isles of Scilly. Ann Cargill sadly died in the shipwreck.
Her body was found later. At first, no one knew who she was. She was buried on Rosevear. Later, her body was moved. She was reburied at Old Town Church on St Mary's. News of her death spread quickly. The newspapers wrote about how her body was found. This made her a very sad figure in the English press. In September 2008, divers said they found the wreck of the Nancy. It was further out from the Isles of Scilly than people thought.
