Men of the Time, eleventh edition/Bancroft, Mrs.
BANCROFT, Mrs., née Marie Effie Wilton, the popular actress, is a native of Doncaster. After acting from early childhood in the Provinces, she first appeared in London in Sept. 1856, at the Lyceum Theatre, as the boy in Belphegor and Perdita the Royal Milkmaid. Subsequently she fulfilled various engagements at London houses, becoming manager of the Prince of Wales's Theatre, London, at Easter, 1865. Shortly afterwards Miss Wilton gave up burlesque acting, and devoted her entire attention to the production of English comedies, chiefly written by the late T. W. Robertson. She was married to Mr. S. B. Bancroft in Dec. 1867. Mr. and Mrs. Bancroft continued their successful career at the Prince of Wales's Theatre until January, 1880, when they migrated to the Haymarket, of which theatre they had become the lessees. They rebuilt the theatre internally at a large outlay, and it is perhaps, now, the handsomest house of its size in Europe. The characters with which Mrs. Bancroft's name is best associated are Polly Eccles, Naomi Tighe, Mary Netley, Peg Woffington, Jenny Northcott, Lady Franklin, and Lady Teazle.