Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Graddon, Miss

The ODNB gives her name as Margaretta.

1200877Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 22 — Graddon, Miss1890Louisa M. Middleton ‎

GRADDON, Miss, afterwards Mrs. Gibbs (1804–1854?), vocalist, was born at Taunton, Somersetshire, in 1804 (Brown). After receiving lessons from T. Cooke, and gaining some experience in provincial concert-rooms, Miss Graddon sang at Vauxhall in 1822, and at Drury Lane for the first time in October 1824 as Susanna in the ‘Marriage of Figaro.’ She subsequently made her mark in the part of Linda (Agathe) in ‘Der Freischütz.’ Her portrait in this character illustrates the title-page of a polka, ‘Le Bal Costumé,’ composed by her, and published in 1854. She appeared at the same theatre as Amanda in Bishop's ‘Fall of Algiers,’ 1825; as Zulema in Weber's ‘Abu Hassan;’ and as Maria in Wade's ‘Two Houses of Granada,’ 1826. She soon afterwards married Alexander Gibbs, of the firm of Graddon & Gibbs, pianoforte-makers. The critics disagreed among themselves as to the limits of Miss Graddon's musical and dramatic talents. It is probable that she had not made a very earnest study of her profession, but relied upon her natural gifts of voice and lively manner for her popularity with the large section of the public who applauded her heartily in the theatres and concert halls of London, Dublin, and other towns. Her name disappears from the ‘Musical Directory’ after 1855.

[Times, Quarterly Musical Magazine, Harmonicon, European Magazine, Saunders's News-Letter, &c., 1823–6; Parke's Musical Memoirs, ii. 209; Brown's Biog. Dict. of Musicians.]