Lease between the Trustees of Theatre Royal and William McCready

William M'Cready became manager in 1819, although he first applied to the Proprietors to manage the Theatre Royal Bristol in 1799.

His son from his first marriage was the famous actor William Charles Macready, who appeared on the Bristol Stage numerous times in the 19th century and co-managed the Theatre between 1829 and 1831.

Mazarina Emily Macready - his daughter with second-wife Sarah – continued the family’s involvement in Bristol Theatre when she married James Henry Chute, the Theatre 's new manager in 1852. James and Mazarina’s children went on to manage both the Theatre Royal Bristol and the Prince’s Theatre in Clifton. In total the Macready family and their descendants were associated with the Theatre for 82 years.

This lease is of the Theatre building, machinery, scenery, effects; dwelling on King Street fronting the Theatre and dwelling on Rackhay adjoining the Theatre .

This item was digitised by Bristol Archives as part of Bristol Old Vic’s “Protecting and Sharing the Heritage of Britain’s Oldest Theatre ” project, supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.