Mrs Rousby

Born Clara Marion Jesse Dowse on 13 October 1848 at Parkhurst barracks on the Isle of Wight, the daughter of an Army medical department inspector general, Mrs Rousby was one of the most successful and beautiful actresses of the 1870s.

On 19 January 1867 she married the actor-manager William Wybert Rousby of Jersey at the Roman Catholic cathedral, Plymouth. She first appeared on the stage in London on 20 December 1869 at the Queen's Theatre as Fiordelisa in Tom Taylor's adaptation of The Fool's Revenge and soon became known as 'the beautiful Mrs Rousby.' Throughout the 1870s she had a string of successes, including Rosalind in As You Like It and Cordelia in King Lear. Other famous roles in which she made an impression were Mary Stuart and Joan of Arc. She last appeared on the stage as the heroine of D.E. Bandmann's Madelaine Morel at the Queen's Theatre on 20 April 1878. The following month she appeared in court, having brought a charge of assault against the play's author, who had 'struck and wrenched' her arm during rehearsals.

Mrs Rousby died of consumption in Wiesbaden on 19 April 1879.

According to an article in The Era (27 April 1874): ‘After a brief histrionic career, comprised within a single decade, the life of this once admiral actress has come to a premature close. [...] Her last appearance before the public was at the Queen’s Theatre in the summer of last year, when she appeared as the heroine of Mr Bandmann's adaptation from the German called Madelaine Morel.' Following 'an unfortunate personal altercation, which led to some unpleasant law proceedings' the piece 'was withdrawn after a fortnight. Under medical advice Mrs Rousby left England for the Continent soon after, and at Wiesbaden her last days were passed. A surviving child is left in the care of her elder sister, Miss Dowse, who has taken responsibility with Mr Rousby's concurrence.'

The Dictionary of National Biography sums up her career thusly: ‘Mrs Rousby’s youth and good looks won speedy recognition, and she was immediately and generally known as “the beautiful Mrs Rousby,” obtaining considerable social popularity. Her artistic equipment scarcely extended beyond good looks and a musical voice, backed up by a pleasant girlishness and naturalness of style.’

Photographed by the London Stereoscopic and Photographic Company.

Entered at Stationers' Hall [part of the copyrighting process] on 1 July 1872.