Kemble family
Encyclopedia
Kemble is the name of a family of English actors, all distinguished actors and actresses who reigned over the British stage for decades. The most famous were Sarah Siddons
(1755-1831) and her brother John Philip Kemble
(1757-1823), the two eldest of the twelve children of Roger Kemble
(1721-1802), a strolling player and manager of the Warwickshire Company of Comedians
, who in 1753 married an actress, Sarah Ward. Three younger children of Roger, Stephen Kemble
(1758-1822), Charles Kemble
(1775-1854), and Elizabeth Whitlock
(1761-1836), were also actors, while Ann Hatton
was a novelist.
In George Henry Harlow
's famous painting The Court for the Trail of Queen Katharine he depicted many of the Kemble family members. The subject of the painting comes from Henry VIII, Act II, Scene iv, and the refutation of Cardinal Wolsey, charged with obtaining Henry's divorce from his Queen, Katherine. The production was mounted by John Philip Kemble
when he took over the management of Covent Garden
in 1806. Harlow was a personal friend of the Kemble family and this picture is homage to his friends. John Philip Kemble
clothed in scarlet plays Wolsey; his brother Charles Kemble
(in black) has the part of Thomas Cromwell and sits behind the table. Immediately behind and above him is Stephen Kemble
as Henry. The sister, Sarah Siddons
, is Katherine.
The tradition was continued by two daughters of Charles Kemble and Maria Theresa Kemble
: actress and Shakespearean reader Fanny Kemble
(1800-1893) and Adelaide Kemble
(1815-1879), an opera singer. Both Sarah Siddon's son Henry Kemble and Stephen Kemble's son, also named Henry Kemble, became actors.
Among later members of the Kemble family, mention may also be made of Charles Kemble's grandson, Henry Kemble
(1848-1907), a sterling and popular London actor.
Sarah Siddons
Sarah Siddons was a Welsh actress, the best-known tragedienne of the 18th century. She was the elder sister of John Philip Kemble, Charles Kemble, Stephen Kemble, Ann Hatton and Elizabeth Whitlock, and the aunt of Fanny Kemble. She was most famous for her portrayal of the Shakespearean character,...
(1755-1831) and her brother John Philip Kemble
John Philip Kemble
John Philip Kemble was an English actor. He was born into a theatrical family as the eldest son of Roger Kemble, actor-manager of a touring troupe. His elder sister Sarah Siddons achieved fame with him on the stage of the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane...
(1757-1823), the two eldest of the twelve children of Roger Kemble
Roger Kemble
Roger Kemble was an English theatre manager, strolling player and actor. In 1753, he married actress Sarah "Sally" Ward at Cirencester, Gloucester, and they had twelve children, who formed the great Kemble family of 19th-century actors and actresses.Roger Kemble was born in Hereford...
(1721-1802), a strolling player and manager of the Warwickshire Company of Comedians
Warwickshire Company of Comedians
The Warwickshire Company of Comedians, also known as Mr Ward's Company of Comedians and after 1767 as Mr Kemble's Company of Comedians, was a theatre company established by John Ward in Birmingham, England in the 1740s, touring throughout the West Midlands region and surrounding counties over...
, who in 1753 married an actress, Sarah Ward. Three younger children of Roger, Stephen Kemble
Stephen Kemble
George Stephen Kemble was a successful theatre manager, British actor, writer, and a member of the famous Kemble family....
(1758-1822), Charles Kemble
Charles Kemble
Charles Kemble was a British actor.-Life:The youngest son of Roger Kemble, and younger brother of John Philip Kemble, Stephen Kemble and Sarah Siddons, he was born at Brecon, South Wales. Like John Philip, he was educated at Douai...
(1775-1854), and Elizabeth Whitlock
Elizabeth Whitlock
Elizabeth Whitlock was a British actress.A member of the Kemble family of actors, she made her first appearance on the stage in 1783 at Drury Lane as Portia. In 1785 she married Charles E. Whitlock, went with him to America, and played with much success there...
(1761-1836), were also actors, while Ann Hatton
Ann Hatton
Ann Julia Hatton , was a popular novelist in Britain in the early 19th century.-Biography:...
was a novelist.
In George Henry Harlow
George Henry Harlow
George Henry Harlow , was a highly-regarded English portrait painter.- Life :Harlow was born in St. James's Street, London, the posthumous son of a China merchant, who after some years' residence in the East had died about five months before his son's birth, leaving a widow with five infant daughters...
's famous painting The Court for the Trail of Queen Katharine he depicted many of the Kemble family members. The subject of the painting comes from Henry VIII, Act II, Scene iv, and the refutation of Cardinal Wolsey, charged with obtaining Henry's divorce from his Queen, Katherine. The production was mounted by John Philip Kemble
John Philip Kemble
John Philip Kemble was an English actor. He was born into a theatrical family as the eldest son of Roger Kemble, actor-manager of a touring troupe. His elder sister Sarah Siddons achieved fame with him on the stage of the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane...
when he took over the management of Covent Garden
Covent Garden
Covent Garden is a district in London on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St. Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit and vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist site, and the Royal Opera House, which is also known as...
in 1806. Harlow was a personal friend of the Kemble family and this picture is homage to his friends. John Philip Kemble
John Philip Kemble
John Philip Kemble was an English actor. He was born into a theatrical family as the eldest son of Roger Kemble, actor-manager of a touring troupe. His elder sister Sarah Siddons achieved fame with him on the stage of the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane...
clothed in scarlet plays Wolsey; his brother Charles Kemble
Charles Kemble
Charles Kemble was a British actor.-Life:The youngest son of Roger Kemble, and younger brother of John Philip Kemble, Stephen Kemble and Sarah Siddons, he was born at Brecon, South Wales. Like John Philip, he was educated at Douai...
(in black) has the part of Thomas Cromwell and sits behind the table. Immediately behind and above him is Stephen Kemble
Stephen Kemble
George Stephen Kemble was a successful theatre manager, British actor, writer, and a member of the famous Kemble family....
as Henry. The sister, Sarah Siddons
Sarah Siddons
Sarah Siddons was a Welsh actress, the best-known tragedienne of the 18th century. She was the elder sister of John Philip Kemble, Charles Kemble, Stephen Kemble, Ann Hatton and Elizabeth Whitlock, and the aunt of Fanny Kemble. She was most famous for her portrayal of the Shakespearean character,...
, is Katherine.
The tradition was continued by two daughters of Charles Kemble and Maria Theresa Kemble
Maria Theresa Kemble
Maria Theresa Kemble , née Marie Thérèse Du Camp, was an actress on the English stage and wife of Charles Kemble. She wrote a number of comedies.-Early life:...
: actress and Shakespearean reader Fanny Kemble
Fanny Kemble
Frances Anne Kemble , was a famous British actress and author in the early and mid nineteenth century.-Youth and acting career:...
(1800-1893) and Adelaide Kemble
Adelaide Kemble
Adelaide Kemble was an English opera singer of the Victorian era, and a member of the Kemble family of actors. She was the younger sister of Fanny Kemble, the famous actress and anti-slavery activist...
(1815-1879), an opera singer. Both Sarah Siddon's son Henry Kemble and Stephen Kemble's son, also named Henry Kemble, became actors.
Among later members of the Kemble family, mention may also be made of Charles Kemble's grandson, Henry Kemble
Henry Kemble
Henry Kemble was a British actor. A member of the famed Kemble family, he was the grandson of Charles Kemble. He was educated at Maze Hill School Greenwich, King's College School and King's College London....
(1848-1907), a sterling and popular London actor.