Henry Woodward

From 'The Chaplin and Skinner Families' page 37 :

Henry Woodward was born at Southwark in the year 1717, and was educated at Merchant Taylors' School, where he made rapid progress, and acquired a taste for the classics which he retained throughout his life. At an early age he developed a passion for the drama, and showed considerable comic ability. In his fourteenth year he had an opportunity of performing in a representation by children of "The Beggars' Opera" at the Theatre Royal, Lincoln's Inn, in which he played the part of Peachum with great success. After this he obtained engagements at Covent Garden Theatre, where.his talents found their scope in such parts as Marplot, Lord Foppington, Sir Andrew Aguecheek, Touchstone, Captain Parolles, &c. In 1747 Sheridan was managing the Smock Alley Theatre, Dublin, and engaged Woodward for the winter season for a sum of £500, which was in those days an extraordinarily large
remuneration for an actor.

On his return to London he joined Mr. Garrick at Drury Lane, where he remained until October, 1758, when he opened a new theatre in Crow Street, Dublin, which had been built for him and Mr. Barry. This venture was very successful at first, but failed after the first four years. About the time of his wife's death he became unpopular, and certain parties were formed against him, in consequence of which he finally left Dublin and returned to London, where he remained at the head of his profession.

An amusing anecdote is told of him during his residence in Dublin. The mob one morning beset the Parliament House in order to prevent the members from passing an unpopular bill. Some of the ringleaders thought it desirable to make the members take an oath to stop the passing of the bill in question, and for this purpose they required a Bible. Woodward lived in College Green, opposite the Parliament House, and in a very short time the mob surrounded his house, and called repeatedly for a Bible. Mrs. Woodward became much agitated, because she either had not a Bible in the house, or could not find one. In the midst of the uproar her husband, with great presence of mind, snatched up a volume of Shakespeare's plays and, tossing it out of the window, told the rioters they were very welcome to it. Upon this they cheered Woodward, and after they had administered their precious oath to several of the members, they returned him his book, without being any the wiser as to its contents.

Woodward died on I7th April, 1'777, and it is stated that he left the interest of his fortune to Mrs. Bellamy, the actress.

From annotations in Ann Mendell's copy of the Chaplin and Skinner family book:

Extract from "The History of Dublin" by Sir J T Gilbert

Henry Woodward, an English comedian of high reputation, and possessing some property, was induced to become Barry's partner in the new theatre. We are told that Woodward was certainly the most eligible man Barry could fix upon. He knew that he could fill a large and desirable, though difficult, list of parts in comedy....... This skill and performance in pantomimes would render double service to the scheme.
....... The greatest advantage the Crow Street Managers obtained over their rivals was with their pantomimes, which they exhibited on the most extensive and finished scale, and in which the Harlequin of Woodward was decidedly the greatest on the stage...
....... Woodward objected to the cost of the tragedy processions indulged in by Barry, while the latter considered that his partner's expenses in getting up pantomimes were excessive. Woodward, who had sunk some thousands of pounds in the Crow Street Theatre, finally retired from it in 1762, and the partnership was terminated by a Chancery suit.

Extract from "Elegant Extracts in Poetry: Book IV: This contains a number of prologues and epilogues; among these is one entitled "Epilogue to the same (Barbarossa) 1755. Spoken by Mr Woodward, in the character of a fine gentleman. The concluding lines are:

"I therefore now propose, by your command,
That tragedies no more shall cloud this land;
Send o'er your Shakespeares to the sons of France
Let _them_ grow grave - let us begin to dance!
Banish your gloomy scenes to foreign climes,
Reserve alone, to bless these golden times,
A Farce or two - and Woodward's pantomimes."

"Miss in her Teens" was a farce by Garrick, first acted in 1747, at Covent Garden. The chief characters were Captain Flash, a swaggering but far from courageous officer, and Kibble, a contemptible effeminate dandy. Woodward acted Flash, and Garrick, Tibble. (Early Diary of Frances Burney, 7 Feb 1770. p79 note by editor Annie Ellis)
Mr Woodward played Lofty in the first representation of The Goodnatured Man by Oliver Goldsmith, at Covent Garden Theatre 29 Jan 1768.

END