Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Inverarity, Elizabeth

1322318Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 29 — Inverarity, Elizabeth1892James Cuthbert Hadden ‎

INVERARITY, ELIZABETH, afterwards Mrs. Martyn (1813–1846), Scottish vocalist and actress, was born in Edinburgh on 23 March 1813. She was first taught by Mr. Thorne, and afterwards by Alexander Murray of Edinburgh, at one of whose concerts she appeared as an amateur singer in 1829. She made her début at Covent Garden in ‘Cinderella’ on 14 Dec. 1830. In 1832 she sang in ‘Robert le Diable’ at Covent Garden, and in the same year appeared at the Philharmonic Society's concerts. In 1836 she married Charles Martyn, a bass singer, and in 1839 she went with an operatic company to New York, where, with her husband, she sang in ‘Fidelio’ and other works. She died at Newcastle-on-Tyne on 27 Dec. 1846. She is said to have been a fine-looking woman, but not to have excelled greatly either as a singer or an actress. She had a sister who was also a professional vocalist. Mr. and Mrs. Martyn wrote jointly some ballads of no merit.

[Brown's Dict. of Music; Scotsman, 6 Jan. 1847; Dibdin's Annals of the Edinburgh Stage; private information.]

J. C. H.