Anna Ross facts for kids

Anna Ross Brunton (born in 1773) was a talented English actress and writer. She came from a big family of actors. Anna started writing plays and acting when she was only fifteen years old. She performed in London sometimes, but mostly in other parts of England. She continued acting for many years, at least until 1820.

Anna's Early Life and Family

Anna Ross was born in 1773. Her father, William Ross, and her mother, Elizabeth Mills, were both actors. Anna had an older sister, Fanny Robertson, and a younger half-brother, John Mills Brown. Both of her siblings also became actors.

In 1792, Anna married John Brunton, who was also an actor and managed theatre companies. They had at least four children. Two of their daughters became famous actresses, including their eldest, Elizabeth Yates. One of their sons joined the British Navy. Anna's husband's sister, Louisa Brunton, was also an actress who married a military general.

Anna's First Play

When Anna was just fifteen, she wrote a funny play called The Cottagers. It was published in 1788. This play was performed at the Theatre Bury in October 1788. It was a special show to help Anna, and she acted in it with her mother and stepfather. The play was also performed in Dublin in May 1789, with her mother as a star. Even though it wasn't performed much after that, people still study and praise it today as an important play from the 1700s.

Starting Her Acting Career

Anna began acting in the 1780s with her mother and stepfather, John Brown. In 1788, she acted in London at Covent Garden Theatre. She played Sylvia in the play Cymon alongside her stepfather. Her stepfather also performed a special speech written by Anna on that day. While she did perform in London, Anna mostly acted in theatres across other parts of Britain. For example, in 1792, she played Amaranth in John O'Keeffe's play Wild Oats in Edinburgh.

Anna's Later Acting Years

After she married in 1792, Anna performed as Mrs. Brunton. In 1802, she worked with a theatre company managed by her brother-in-law, Thomas Shaftoe Robertson, in Lincoln. She played Leonora in The Padlock and Floretta in The Cabinet, among other roles. In the same year, she played Margaretta in No Song, No Supper at a theatre in Peterborough. Anna also performed many times in Norwich during her career.

In April 1810, she appeared at the Wisbech Theatre. She played Rosabelle in Foundling of the Forest. She performed this role until her special benefit night in May. Her advertisement mentioned it was her first time performing there in three years. On those same nights, she also appeared as a country girl in David Garrick's The Jubilee.

In May 1820, Anna returned to the Wisbech Theatre. She played Miss Nancy in Killing No Murder. She also performed as Rosabelle in Foundling of the Forest and Fatima in Bluebeard on the same night. Other roles included Agnes in The Mountaineers and Maria in Of Age Tomorrow. She also acted in Pizarro; or, The Conqueror of Peru with the Brown family. The Wisbech Theatre was managed by her brother-in-law, Thomas Shaftoe Robertson, and later by her sister Fanny.