Hello,
While working on this project, I'm also researching an ancestor of mine named Francis 'Michael Edward' Byrne. He was an Irishman who moved to England between 1805 and 1818 to work as a strolling player and later became a musician, and passed away 1838. In 1818 he had a son named Francis 'Joseph' Byrne who became a professor of music.
Could you please kindly inform me if you come across a 'Mr Byrne' in any of these playbills, so I can deduce whether it might be my ancestor?
Thus far, I have very little to go on:
1818 Francis Byrne listed as a player in Crewkerne, on birth record for Francis J Byrne.
1818 Francis Byrne may have been "Mr Byrne" on the playbill for King Richard III and King Henry II in Wolverhampton, although unlikely:
http://storage.googleapis.com/blplaybills.org/large2/lsidyv41bb131f_372.jpeg
http://storage.googleapis.com/blplaybills.org/large2/lsidyv41bb131f_356.jpeg
1820 Francis Byrne listed as a player in Chichester, on birth record for Mary Byrne
1824 The best lead I have is in Stratford, where I find (1) a legal case of Francis Byrne, (2) a recount of Mr Byrne from Capt James Saunders (3) a playbill with Mr Byrne
1 http://collections.shakespeare.org.uk/search/archive/arch-83081
2 https://www.british-history.ac.uk/search?query=%22byrne%2C%20the%20musician%22
3 http://collections.shakespeare.org.uk/media/_source/sbt-er1-47-38-hunt-papers-stratford-playbill-1824-fol-43r.jpg
While transcribing playbills I have quickly learned that unless a performer were a person of note, only their surname would appear on a playbill. I suspect that my ancestors may not have been persons of note. I regularly find the name Byrne associated with the ballet, Mr Oscar Byrne and his son Master James Byrne, and I am aware of a Charles G Byrne a composer (from Newcastle).
If you could please keep this name in mind while trawling the collection, I would be greatly appreciative.
Craig
