I am the churchwarden of St Mary’s Teddington where Peg Woffington is buried. We’re very interested to find out more about her. I gather you are writing a book about her! When will it be published? Can you recommend either of her earlier biographies? Many thanks.
Hello Jonathan - so nice to make your acquiantance! Yes, I have a manuscript on Peg which the Society for Theatre Research is interested in backing, but I have had to put that on hold to finish a book about Vanbrugh and his circle (since it's Van's anniversary in 2026). The Woff manuscipt needs some editing and I need to find a publishing partner to work with me and the Society, so if you know of anyone, please do let me know. I have promised I will get back to Peg once the current manuscript is finished. Please do keep in touch! There's some info on my website: http://www.annetterubery.co.uk/books/
In answer to your question about biographies: Peg Woffington and her World by Janet Dunbar is an entertaining read but not especially accurate. Lovely Peggy by Janet Camden Lucey makes more of a serious attempt to research her life, but she was writing in the 1950s, without digital research aids, so it needs updating.
Thank you so much, Annette! We’re looking for a hero to name our proposed new extension after and I’m thinking Peg might be more fun than our other 18th-century celebrity resident Stephen Hales with his inevitable links to the slave trade. All tbc but I’d like to know more about her anyway as she was clearly a remarkable woman and we look after her mortal remains. Is either of the existing biographies any good? I’m sure both are dated but are they at least reliable? All good wishes, Jonathan
How exciting Jonathan! I would go for the Camden Lucey biography in that case. There’s some outdated ideas in there, but hers is by far the most thoroughly researched. Please let me know if I can help. I would love to get a blue plaque on her house in Soho but that will need to wait until I’ve progressed all the other projects!
Thank you very much, Annette! I will keep you posted if I may. Peg is the president genius of Teddington’s long association with performance, which also includes Noel Coward and the now demolished tv studios. I’m very keen to know more and will get the biography you recommend.
Thank you, Annette! That’s very interesting. I’ve ordered the CL biog and will look for the reference. Another quick question: there were several b/w films featuring her in the early twentieth century, suggesting she was a well known historical figure. Why does she sink into obscurity after that? Or is that a misconception?
No, I think that’s true - after World War II she lost cultural currency (perhaps something to do with modernism and getting rid of a rose-tinted perception of life). She pops up again in those biographies from the 1950s and 1960s, though, and Ian Kelly put her in his play Mr Foote’s Other Leg in 2015. So she hasn’t disappeared altogether.
One question, if I may: I read in her Wikipedia entry that she founded some almshouses in Teddington. Are those the buildings known as Peg Woffington’s Cottage on the High Street near the church, do you know?
It's been a long time since I've been to Teddington, but yes, that's right. I wrote about them briefly here: https://mrswoffington.blogspot.com/2009/07/peg-woffington-cottage.html - legend has it she endowed the cottages, but I don't think this is mentioned in her will, so could be apocryphal. Camden Lucey makes mention of it in Lovely Peggy.
I am the churchwarden of St Mary’s Teddington where Peg Woffington is buried. We’re very interested to find out more about her. I gather you are writing a book about her! When will it be published? Can you recommend either of her earlier biographies? Many thanks.
Just started dipping into Lovely Peggy which arrived this morning. The author is a splendid writer. Pp 235 ff. - superb.
https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=Dx5iAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA123&dq=margaret+woffington&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&source=gb_mobile_search&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjYv_S6jauLAxWTWkEAHT1VFecQ6AF6BAgLEAM
See the reference to the almshouses on p 125. Haven’t chased down the source.
So sorry I didn’t see your second message. Thank you.
Hello Jonathan - so nice to make your acquiantance! Yes, I have a manuscript on Peg which the Society for Theatre Research is interested in backing, but I have had to put that on hold to finish a book about Vanbrugh and his circle (since it's Van's anniversary in 2026). The Woff manuscipt needs some editing and I need to find a publishing partner to work with me and the Society, so if you know of anyone, please do let me know. I have promised I will get back to Peg once the current manuscript is finished. Please do keep in touch! There's some info on my website: http://www.annetterubery.co.uk/books/
In answer to your question about biographies: Peg Woffington and her World by Janet Dunbar is an entertaining read but not especially accurate. Lovely Peggy by Janet Camden Lucey makes more of a serious attempt to research her life, but she was writing in the 1950s, without digital research aids, so it needs updating.
Thank you so much, Annette! We’re looking for a hero to name our proposed new extension after and I’m thinking Peg might be more fun than our other 18th-century celebrity resident Stephen Hales with his inevitable links to the slave trade. All tbc but I’d like to know more about her anyway as she was clearly a remarkable woman and we look after her mortal remains. Is either of the existing biographies any good? I’m sure both are dated but are they at least reliable? All good wishes, Jonathan
How exciting Jonathan! I would go for the Camden Lucey biography in that case. There’s some outdated ideas in there, but hers is by far the most thoroughly researched. Please let me know if I can help. I would love to get a blue plaque on her house in Soho but that will need to wait until I’ve progressed all the other projects!
Thank you very much, Annette! I will keep you posted if I may. Peg is the president genius of Teddington’s long association with performance, which also includes Noel Coward and the now demolished tv studios. I’m very keen to know more and will get the biography you recommend.
Thank you, Annette! That’s very interesting. I’ve ordered the CL biog and will look for the reference. Another quick question: there were several b/w films featuring her in the early twentieth century, suggesting she was a well known historical figure. Why does she sink into obscurity after that? Or is that a misconception?
No, I think that’s true - after World War II she lost cultural currency (perhaps something to do with modernism and getting rid of a rose-tinted perception of life). She pops up again in those biographies from the 1950s and 1960s, though, and Ian Kelly put her in his play Mr Foote’s Other Leg in 2015. So she hasn’t disappeared altogether.
Thank you so much - very interesting!
One question, if I may: I read in her Wikipedia entry that she founded some almshouses in Teddington. Are those the buildings known as Peg Woffington’s Cottage on the High Street near the church, do you know?
It's been a long time since I've been to Teddington, but yes, that's right. I wrote about them briefly here: https://mrswoffington.blogspot.com/2009/07/peg-woffington-cottage.html - legend has it she endowed the cottages, but I don't think this is mentioned in her will, so could be apocryphal. Camden Lucey makes mention of it in Lovely Peggy.
What an interesting essay. Thank you!
Thank you Clare - hope you are well!