Lydia Foote

Lydia Foote, born Lydia Alice Legg (8 May 1843 – 30 May 1892), Coming from an established and successful acting family Foote enjoyed a degree of respect that was generally not afforded to actresses of this era as their profession was seen as indicative of sexual promiscuity.

Foote played leading roles from the 1850s to the 1880s. She debuted in London at the Lyceum Theatre in 1852 in the juvenile role of Edward in A Chain of Events by Charles Mathews and Slingsby Lawrence. About 1859, she played Amanthis in The Child of Nature by Elizabeth Inchbald. In 1864 there, she created the role of Enid in Tom Taylor's adaptation of The Hidden Hand, and in the following year created another role, Miss Hargrave, in Taylor's Settling Day. She also played Maria in Twelfth Night. She continued to perform regularly in West End theatres, including in the roles of Lady Selina in How She Loves Him by Dion Boucicault and as Amanda in Robertson's Play (1868). In H. J. Byron's Blow for Blow, she played twin sisters, and she had the title role in his play Minnie. She also took the leading role in Robertson's Progress. She later performed many roles at the Adelphi Theatre, including Smike in a stage version of Nicholas Nickleby (1875). She originated the roles of Anna in The Danischeffs, adapted by Lord Newry (1877) and Midge in Boucicault's Rescued (1879), among others.

Foote died in Broadstairs from cancer in 1892 and was buried at Kensal Green cemetery.