Clara Rousby

Clara Marion Jessie Dowse was born in 1848 at Parkhurst on the Isle of Wight. She was the daughter of Dr. Richard Dowse who was the inspector-general of hospitals. She moved to Plymouth when her father retired. She met Wymert Rousby, who was an actor and theatre manager from Jersey, at the theatre. Her husband was a noted Roman Catholic convert.[1] They married in 1868. They were acting when they were talented-spotted in Jersey and recommended to the leading London playwright Tom Taylor.[2]

They both appeared at the Queens Theatre in Long Acre with Mrs. Rousby as Fiordelisa, and Mr. Rousby as Bertuccio in Taylor's The Fool's Revenge. Rousby was referred to as the "beautiful Mrs Rousby". She then went on to play Joan of Arc where the realisation of her being burnt raised objections. Her last appearance was in 1878, after which she went to Germany on the advice of her doctor where she died on 19 April 1879.[2]

• Jose Mora portrait ca.1870s
• Mrs Rousby portraits ca.1864-1888 at State Library Victoria.