Maria Gibbs

She was one three sisters who became actors. Her Irish father was associated with the theatre. John Palmer, her godfather, brought her on the stage at the Haymarket, where, on 18 June 1783, she made her first appearance as Sally in Man and Wife by George Colman the elder. After one season at the Haymarket, Miss Logan accompanied Palmer in his unfortunate expedition to the Royalty Theatre in Wellclose Square. At the opening of the house on 20 June 1787, as Mrs. Gibbs, she played Biddy in David Garrick's Miss in her Teens.[1]

At the Royalty she played the principal characters in the serious pantomimes, given to evade the privileges of the patent houses. While at this theatre, Mrs. Gibbs came on the stage as the Comic Muse through a trap, and gave an imitation of Delpini. Her support of Palmer offended the managers, by whom she was practically boycotted. On 15 June 1793 at the Haymarket she played Bridget in the The Chapter of Accidents by Sophia Lee. This was announced as her first appearance at the theatre. Oxberry says she had previously played at both Drury Lane and Covent Garden.[2]

A close intimacy sprang up between George Colman the younger and Mrs. Gibbs, which ultimately resulted in marriage. For her Colman is said to have written the parts of Cicely in The Heir at Law (Haymarket, 15 July 1797); Annette in Blue Devils (Covent Garden, 24 April 1798); Grace Gaylove in the Review (Haymarket, 2 Sept. 1800); and Mary in John Bull (Covent Garden, 5 March 1803).[2]

In these characters, and in others such as Katherine in Katherine and Petruchio and Miss Hardcastle in She Stoops to Conquer’' she obtained reputation as a second Mrs. Jordan. She made occasional appearances at Drury Lane and Covent Garden, but the Haymarket remained her home. Here in late years she played parts such as Mrs. Candour and Miss Sterling in The Clandestine Marriage.

Oxberry speaks of her as possessing genius, talent, and industry, and adds that her Curiosa in the ‘Cabinet’ is one of the richest specimens of comic acting extant. In such parts as Nell in The Devil to Pay she rivalled Mrs. Davison or Fanny Kelly, though surpassing both in vivacity and in the "fullness and jollity" of her voice. She was not much of a singer, but she had a peculiarly pleasing voice. She had a plump figure, a light complexion, and blue eyes.

The Monthly Mirror reported in August 1800 that, "in consequence of the secession of Mrs. Stephen Kemble, she has deservedly occupied all characters of tender simplicity and unaffected elegance." She won the high esteem of her contemporaries, and the stories told concerning her are mostly to her credit. She appears to have been generous in disposition, and to have befriended her fellow-actresses.[2]

After Colman's death in 1836, she lived in retirement in Brighton, and she seems to have died after 1844.[3]

Attribution

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Knight, John Joseph (1890). "Gibbs, Mrs.". In Stephen, Leslie; Lee, Sidney (eds.). Dictionary of National Biography. 21. London: Smith, Elder & Co.

• Joseph Knight, rev. J. Gilliland. "Gibbs, Maria (1770–1850)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/10602. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)