Mrs Webb

Mrs Webb or Mrs Richard Webb or Mrs Day born Lydia or Lucia Child (1736/7 – 1797) was a British comic actress and singer. For fifteen years she appeared at Covent Garden and at the Haymarket theatres where she was a popular comedian.

Life She is thought to have been born with the name Lydia Child in 1736 or 1737 (Some give her name as Lucia). She first came to notice in 1764 when she made her acting debut in Norwich. The following year she was working in Colchester when she is said to have interceded to save the job of "Plausible Jack" Palmer. In 1772 she was acting in Edinburgh where she was using the name of "Mrs Day" although in 1774 she was using the name of Mrs Dicky Webb and she was in Scotland until 1779. She was now known for comedy roles although she also appeared in Shakespeare plays. She played Mrs Malaprop, Mrs Peachum in The Beggar's Opera and also appeared in The Recruiting Officer, Love for Love, She Stoops to Conquer and The School for Scandal. Webb had a daughter who is referred to as Lucia or Lydia who also acted but with less success than her mother.