Sunday, August 05, 2007

Maria Theresa de Camp, my 3G grandmother

The actor-manager John Philip Kemble, once married, only once strayed. That was on an evening in January 1795 when, very drunk, he burst into the dressing room of an attractive young singer, Maria Theresa (Fanny) de Camp, and made to assault her. She repulsed him, but when the episode caused some gossip, Kemble put a notice in the papers:

'I, John Philip Kemble, of the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, do adopt this method of poblicly apologising to Miss de Camp, for the very improper and unjustifiable begaviour I was lately guilty of towards her, which I do further declare her conduct and character had in no way authorised; but on the contrary, I do know and believe both to be irreproachable' [Linda Kelly, The Kemble Era, the Bodley Head, London, 1980, 105]

Miss de Camp married John Philp's brother Charles on July 2, 1806 at St George's, Bloomsbury

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