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The 44 letters related to British theater in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, dating from 1773 to 1853. The collection is divided into five series: I. Letters to William Kenneth (8); II. Letters to or about Richard Brinsley Sheridan (3); III. Letters to James Winston (5); IV. Theatrical letters arranged alphabetically by sender (26); and V. Non-theatrica l letters (2). The two letters in the 5th series are a letter from a solicitor to Lady Emma Hamilton dated 1806 and a letter from Irish poet Thomas Moore dated 1832. Most of the theatrical letters deal with the engagement of players and theater personnel.
Series I: Letters to William Kenneth, 1825-1835
William Kenneth appears to be a London theatrical agent for the provincial circuit. The letters usually concern the engagement of performers by provincial managers or, as in the case of Edwin Simpson, requests for plays and musical pieces to be sent to New York. The 8 letters are in chronological order.
Series II: Letters to or about Sheridan, Richard Brinsley 1773-1775
Richard Brinsley Sheridan (1751-1861), dramatist, theater manager and statesman, is best known for his 1777 play.
Series III: Letters to James Winston, 1799-1826
The actor and theater manager James Winston (1773?-1843) became the proprietor of the Richmond (Surrey) Theatre in 1799 under the name of James Neville. In 1805, as James Winston, he purchased an interest in the Haymarket Theatre in London. From 1819 to 1927 he was acting manager of the Drury Lane Theater on behalf of the actor/manager and lessee, Robert William Elliston.
Series IV: Theatrical letters in alphabetical order by sender
Organized by series.
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This collection is located on-site.
This collection has no restrictions.
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Identification of specific item; Date (if known); William Worthen Appleton papers ; Box and Folder; Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Columbia University Library.
Materials may have been added to the collection since this finding aid was prepared. Contact rbml@columbia.edu for more information.
Gift of Professor William W. Appleton, 1969.
Source of acquisition--Appleton, Professor William W. Date of acquisition--1969. Accession number--M69.
Columbia University Libraries, Rare Book and Manuscript Library
Processed 1969 and revised 1999.
Cataloged Christina Hilton Fenn 03/24/89.
Finding Aid Prepared by GC, February 11, 2000.
2009-06-26 File created.
2018-10-10 Updated and container list added, converted from HTML finding aid. kws
2019-05-20 EAD was imported spring 2019 as part of the ArchivesSpace Phase II migration.
2021-03-30 Description of Thomas Moore letter added to the EAD container list from the earlier HTML finding aid by CCR.
William Worthen Appleton, born December 31 1915 in New York received his Masters 1939 and Ph. D. 1949 from Columbia University after graduating with a BA from Harvard University in 1938. He taught at Columbia from 1941 until 1977 having been appointed Professor Emeritus in 1976. His area of interest was early English Theater as evidenced by the several books he wrote and edited including (1960). and In 1969, Professor Appleton donated this collection of 44 letters to the Rare Book and Manuscript Library to augment the performing arts holdings of the Brander Matthews Collection. The letters relate for the most part to early 19th century British theater and in the words of Professor Appleton provide 'a sort of cross-section of rather typical professional theatrical correspondence of that era.
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