Ellen Mortyn facts for kids
Ellen Mortyn (born around 1834 – died June 22, 1859) was a talented English actress. She became well-known for her performances before moving to Australia, where she sadly passed away from a lung illness.
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Early Life and Career
Not much is known about Ellen Mortyn's very early life. She became a leading actress at the Theatre Royal, Dublin, a famous theater in Ireland. She was married and had two children, but she later separated from her husband around 1855.
Moving to Australia
In 1858, Ellen Mortyn traveled to Australia. She joined G. V. Brooke's acting company at the Theatre Royal, Melbourne, a major theater in Melbourne. She worked alongside famous theater figures like George Coppin.
Notable Performances
Ellen Mortyn quickly became a popular actress in Australia. In August 1858, she starred with Fred Younge in a play called An Unequal Match by Tom Taylor. She played the character "Hester Gazebrook."
She also performed in other plays, including:
- "Miriam" in Daughter of the Stars by Shirley Brooks.
- Helping Hands by Tom Taylor, where she acted with the Younge brothers, Fred and Richard.
- A Life's Trial by Bayle Bernard.
- St Cupid by Douglas Jerrold.
One of her most praised roles was playing Ophelia in William Shakespeare's famous play, Hamlet. This was her first time performing Shakespeare in Australia, and audiences loved her performance.
Final Days and Legacy
Ellen Mortyn's last role was "Sylvia" in Shakespeare's The Two Gentlemen of Verona. She performed this play at the Theatre Royal, Melbourne starting on June 6, 1859. However, she had to stop performing just a week later because of severe lung problems.
Her Passing
Ellen Mortyn passed away on June 22, 1859, from complications related to her lung disease. Her death was a sad event for the theater community and the public.
Her funeral was a large gathering. Many important people attended, including members of Parliament and the City Council, along with thousands of onlookers. Several well-known figures from the theater world, such as Dr. L. L. Smith, George Coppin, G. V. Brooke, and Robert Heir, were among the pallbearers.
Support for Her Daughter
After her death, special performances were held to raise money for Ellen Mortyn's daughter. These "benefit" shows were put on by the two theater companies she had worked with: the Theatre Royal and the Olympic Theatre. This showed how much she was respected and missed by her colleagues in the Australian theater world.
