William Parsons

William Parsons (29 February 1736 – 3 February 1795) was a British actor and painter in the mid to late eighteenth century. He appeared mostly at Drury Lane and Haymarket in minor to supporting roles, but also had prominent roles in plays like Volpone and Hamlet.

Early life

Parsons was born to William and Elizabeth (née Latter) Parsons in 1736. His father William did carpentry work in Bow Lane, Cheapside and City of London;

1770s

Parsons took on his first Christmas role, appearing as the original Faladel in the Christmas Tale in 1773.

As the 1770s gave way to the 1780s, Parsons was appearing in plays such as The Lord of the Manor. Around this time, Parsons played Bale in Fair American. Other plays that Parsons appeared in during this time included The Clandestine Marriage, and Variety. Of his performance as Lord Ogleby in The Clandestine Marriage in 1784, the reviewer in a London newspaper wrote, "This very favourite actor, whose merit is so extensive, and whose reception by the town is equal to his merit, can hardly assume any shape in which he will not display talents of pure comedy".

Unlike the previous decades, Parsons scarcely played original characters in his later career. and Colonel Oldboy in Lionel and Clarissa or playing country clowns like Scrub in The Stratagem.

Painting career Besides being an actor, Parsons was also a painter and a painting judge. and the Free Society of Artists. at his home in Mead's Row Lambeth. His tomb in Lee, Kent currently has a rhymed epitaph over it.

Parsons left his leasehold estate Stangate and his small Bearsted freehold to his son Stewart. Parsons left 591 per annum and leasehold houses in London Road and his leasehold estate in Mead's to his wife.

Selected roles Varland in The West Indian by Richard Cumberland (1771) Sir Thomas Richacre in The Maid of Kent by Francis Godolphin Waldron (1773) Tony Lumpkin in Tony Lumpkin in Town by John O'Keeffe (1778) Doiley in Who's the Dupe? by Hannah Cowley (1779) Welford in The Double Deception by Elizabeth Richardson (1779) Alderman Ingot in The School for Vanity by Samuel Jackson Pratt (1783) Dumps in The Natural Son by Richard Cumberland (1784) Mr Euston in I'll Tell You What by Elizabeth Inchbald (1785) Don Antonio in The Widow's Vow by Elizabeth Inchbald (1786) Alscrip in The Heiress by John Burgoyne (1786) Rohf in The Disbanded Officer by James Johnstone (1786) Don Gasper in A School for Greybeards by Hannah Cowley (1786) Snarl in The Village Lawyer by George Colman the Elder (1787) Governor in False Appearances by Henry Seymour Conway (1789) Toby Thatch in The London Hermit by John O'Keeffe (1793)