Roger Kemble (1 March 1721 â€" 6 December 1802) was an English theatre
manager, strolling player and actor. In 1753, he married Irish actress
Sarah "Sally" Ward (1735â€"1806) at Cirencester, Gloucestershire, and
they had thirteen children, who formed the Kemble family of
19th-century actors and actresses.Roger Kemble was born in Hereford, a
grand-nephew of Fr John Kemble, a recusant priest, who was hanged in
that city in 1679. Kemble first entered the theatre by joining Smith's
company at Canterbury in 1752. Later he acted in Birmingham under the
management of John Ward, whose daughter he would eventually marry.Upon
Ward's retirement, Roger took on his first management position by
taking over the management of the theatre at Leominster in 1766. He
formed a traveling theatrical company soon after his marriage to Sarah
Ward, and subsequently she and their children toured with the company
for the next fifteen years.
manager, strolling player and actor. In 1753, he married Irish actress
Sarah "Sally" Ward (1735â€"1806) at Cirencester, Gloucestershire, and
they had thirteen children, who formed the Kemble family of
19th-century actors and actresses.Roger Kemble was born in Hereford, a
grand-nephew of Fr John Kemble, a recusant priest, who was hanged in
that city in 1679. Kemble first entered the theatre by joining Smith's
company at Canterbury in 1752. Later he acted in Birmingham under the
management of John Ward, whose daughter he would eventually marry.Upon
Ward's retirement, Roger took on his first management position by
taking over the management of the theatre at Leominster in 1766. He
formed a traveling theatrical company soon after his marriage to Sarah
Ward, and subsequently she and their children toured with the company
for the next fifteen years.
Share this
SUBSCRIBE OUR NEWSLETTER
SUBSCRIBE OUR NEWSLETTER
Join us for free and get valuable content delivered right through your inbox.