Frederick Edward Jones facts for kids

Frederick Edward Jones (1759–1834) was an important Irish theatre manager. He was known for running several theatres in Dublin, even through difficult times.

Early Life and First Steps in Theatre

Frederick Edward Jones was born in Vesington, County Meath, Ireland, in 1759. He went to Trinity College, Dublin, for his education. After college, he traveled around Europe and met many important people.

In 1793, Jones teamed up with Lord Westmeath. They rented the Music Hall in Fishamble Street, Dublin. They opened it on March 6, 1793. They put on plays like Beggar's Opera and The Irish Girl. The actors were not professionals; they were amateurs. Jones himself even acted in a play called The Rivals. He played the character Sir Lucius O'Trigger.

Managing Crow Street Theatre

In 1794, Jones received special permission to open a theatre in Dublin for seven years. He could hire female performers, but not male ones. Also, he was not allowed to collect money at the doors. This made it very hard to run the theatre.

His wealthy friends helped him apply for a "patent" in 1796. A patent was like a special license from the government to run a theatre. He then rented the Crow Street Theatre from another manager, Richard Daly. It was quite expensive.

With support from Lord Westmeath, Jones spent a lot of money improving the theatre. The inside was beautifully decorated by artists Gaetano Marinari and Zaffarini. The new theatre opened, but it closed after only a few weeks. This happened because of "martial law" and the Irish Rebellion of 1798. Martial law means the military takes control of an area, and the rebellion was a time of great unrest in Ireland.

Challenges and Setbacks

Two years later, Jones received a new patent for his theatre. He hired Thomas Ludford Bellamy to manage the stage. Jones spent even more money on the theatre. However, he had to close it again in 1803 for political reasons.

In 1807, a famous writer named Richard Brinsley Sheridan asked Jones to buy a part of the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in London. He also wanted Jones to manage it. But this plan failed because the Drury Lane Theatre burned down in 1809.

In 1808, Jones sold parts of the Crow Street Theatre to John Crampton and Edward Tuite Dalton. Crampton took over the management, but he did not do well. Jones had to take back control within six months. He stopped managing the theatre again in 1814. This was after a series of problems that ended in a "riot." A riot is a violent public disturbance. The theatre was badly damaged. Jones blamed the government for these troubles.

Later Years and Legacy

After Jones returned to management, more riots happened in 1819. People worked against him, and he was not allowed to renew his theatre patent. The patent was given to another manager, Thomas Harris.

Frederick Jones lost a lot of money. He was even put in prison because he could not pay his "debts" (money he owed). He died in 1834, living a quiet life. In 1829, his sons, Richard Talbot Jones and Charles Horatio Jones, were granted a patent for a second theatre in Dublin.

Jones was sometimes called "Buck Jones." He was a member of Daly's, which was a very fancy club in Ireland. He lived in a grand house called Clonliffe House. A book written in 1804, Familiar Epistles to Frederick Jones, Esq., on the present State of the Irish Stage, criticized some of his actors.