Anna Marcella Giffard facts for kids

Anna Marcella Giffard (1707–1777) was a well-known Irish stage actress. She performed in plays during the 1700s.

Early Life and Acting Career

Anna Marcella Giffard was part of the Lyddal family. They were a famous acting family from Dublin, Ireland. Anna started acting in the 1720s. She first appeared at the Smock Alley Theatre in Dublin. Back then, she was known as Nancy Lyddal.

Around 1728, she married an English actor named Henry Giffard. Henry had also been acting at the Smock Alley Theatre for several years. After they got married, Anna was usually called Mrs Giffard on the playbills. Playbills were like posters that announced the plays and the actors.

Moving to London

In 1729, Anna moved to London with her husband. They often acted together in many plays. Anna first performed in Britain at the Goodman's Fields Theatre. This theatre became an important place for the couple. Henry Giffard even took over managing the theatre company there. He tried to make it one of the main theatres in London.

However, there was a rule called the Licensing Act 1737. This law made it harder for theatres to operate without a special license, called a "patent." This law largely stopped Henry's plans. After this, Anna and Henry performed in many different theatres. They acted in places all around Britain and Ireland. They also performed at famous London theatres like the Drury Lane, Covent Garden, and Haymarket Theatre.

Retirement

Anna Marcella Giffard and her husband left the stage in October 1748. They decided to retire from acting. They moved to live in Brentford.

Anna's sister, Sarah Hamilton, was also an actress. She worked a lot in both Irish and British theatre. Anna's nephew, William Hamilton, also became an actor.