Charlotte Deans facts for kids

Charlotte Deans (born September 1, 1768 – died March 14, 1859) was a famous "strolling player." This was a term for an actor who traveled from place to place to perform. She was born in Wigton, Cumbria, England.

Charlotte's Early Life and First Marriage

Charlotte was one of three children born to Alice Howard and Henry Lowes, who was a lawyer. She grew up in a comfortable home.

In August 1787, Charlotte met William Morel Johnston. He was an actor performing in Wigton. They fell in love and got married in Gretna Green. After marrying, Charlotte joined William's acting group. Being an actor back then was a very hard life. Charlotte also had many children. She and William had 12 children together before he passed away in 1801. After William's death, Charlotte continued her acting career. She worked with Mr. Hobson’s Company of Comedians in Penrith.

A New Family and Life on the Road

In 1803, Charlotte married Thomas Deans. He was also an actor and was starting to manage plays. Charlotte and Thomas, along with four of Charlotte's children, traveled to Montrose. They hoped to find work there in a new acting area. However, the theater managers in Montrose did not pay them.

Because of this, the family decided to leave that job. They started traveling on foot, performing in barns and halls. They put on shows that included music, funny versions of Shakespeare plays, and poems. They traveled south through Fife and Lanarkshire in Scotland. Charlotte and Thomas had five more children while they were traveling and performing. Their first child together was born in Lanark in 1805.

Charlotte continued acting into her late 60s. Between 1808 and 1811, she toured the Scottish Borders. Some of her children also became actors, following in her footsteps.

Charlotte Deans wrote about her life as a traveling actor in her memoirs, which were published in 1837. Her story also partly inspired a play called The Maiden Stone by Rona Munro in 1995.

Charlotte Deans' Later Years

Charlotte Deans passed away on March 14, 1859. She died in Bothergate, Carlisle.