The Draw |
Following an email to Dr Mike Bridges of the Fakenham Museum of Gas and Local History, Mr. and Mrs. Brown from Billericay brought to Fakenham a top drawer from a chest of drawers once owned by Mrs. Brown's great grandmother, Laura Maude Readwin. The interior of the drawer was completely covered in posters dated 1808, advertising Mr. and Mrs. Fishers' musical entertainment fixtures in the town.
As we were unable to scan the drawer it was borrowed overnight and photographed by Peter Boggis from the Fakenham Archive Group. The drawer then returned to Billericay with its owners. Mr. and Mrs. Brown had come to Fakenham as they are researching Mrs. Brown's family tree. There is a connection to the Tuck family in Sculthorpe (Hephzhibah, 1836) and the Readwins (possibly the saddler, formerly of Bridge Street). Laura Maude Readwin married an Arthur Edmund Fisher in 1902. The Fisher Theatre Company David Fisher (1760-1832) was the eldest son of a farmer from Hethersett. He was involved in local amateur dramatics. As he had a fine voice and was handsome he was engaged by Barrett at the Theatre Royal as a singer. His fame grew and by 1788 he was married with a growing family. He purchased a large share in a touring company owned and managed by William Scraggs. The company was better equipped than others of the time and better managed by Fisher. Gradually the opposition withered away, leaving North East Anglia his! There was a cast of 20 or more, mostly family members plus some professionals. Fisher catered to all classes but where to play and how long to stay was calculated on the number of gentry and noble seats in the region who would pay a premium price to be entertained: three shillings, two shillings and one shilling. |
By early 1800 Fisher had established a profitable two-year circuit. Over the next decade the Scraggs gradually left the company: William and his wife died and their son left the company to set up on his own. In 1810 Fisher decided that instead of setting up in inadequate playhouses he would build his own theatres, the first in Lowestoft and then at Wells-next-the-Sea. The latter was where the car park is next to the Ark Royal public house (close to Whin Hill Cider). Theatre Roads and Streets still exist in Wells, Dereham and Swaffham.
Fisher retired from management in 1827 while his sons carried on. Fisher died in 1832. His son David appeared at Drury Lane Theatre 1817/18.
Moira Field of Wells has written a book called 'The Lamp-lit Stage' (1985) which is in the Norfolk Library Reference section, and it has been arranged for a copy to be available at Fakenham Library. Moira is the custodian of the Fisher Collection, which includes props, diaries and posters. These were on show at Holkham Hall, the UEA and more recently at The Drury Lane Museum. Then the building was sold and the collection is now in storage at the Drury Lane Theatre - viewable by arrangement.
The theatre in Fakenham was possibly held in the old barn which stood behind the Crown Hotel. There is no mention of the tour in 1808 in the Norfolk Chronicle, but an entry in 1820 reports on “an anniversary dinner” of the Fakenham Division of the Providence Society, which was held in the spacious barn at the back of the Crown Inn. "It was decorated with evergreens by their theatrical friend, Miss Tuthill of Hindolveston”.
Lyn Maple. Fakenham Community Archive
(Information gathered from Wikipedia and residents in Wells.)
Fisher retired from management in 1827 while his sons carried on. Fisher died in 1832. His son David appeared at Drury Lane Theatre 1817/18.
Moira Field of Wells has written a book called 'The Lamp-lit Stage' (1985) which is in the Norfolk Library Reference section, and it has been arranged for a copy to be available at Fakenham Library. Moira is the custodian of the Fisher Collection, which includes props, diaries and posters. These were on show at Holkham Hall, the UEA and more recently at The Drury Lane Museum. Then the building was sold and the collection is now in storage at the Drury Lane Theatre - viewable by arrangement.
The theatre in Fakenham was possibly held in the old barn which stood behind the Crown Hotel. There is no mention of the tour in 1808 in the Norfolk Chronicle, but an entry in 1820 reports on “an anniversary dinner” of the Fakenham Division of the Providence Society, which was held in the spacious barn at the back of the Crown Inn. "It was decorated with evergreens by their theatrical friend, Miss Tuthill of Hindolveston”.
Lyn Maple. Fakenham Community Archive
(Information gathered from Wikipedia and residents in Wells.)
© 2011 Fakenham & District Community Archive.
Created in-house by Fakenham & District Community Archive
Created in-house by Fakenham & District Community Archive