Nelson Wheatcroft

Nelson Wheatcroft (1852–1897) was an English-born actor and drama teacher.[1][2] He famously ran a drama school, at the Charles Frohman Empire Theatre, in the late Victorian era. He was married to Adeline Stanhope (1856–1935).[3] Their son Stanhope Wheatcroft (1888–1966) was a silent film actor.[4]

Nelson Wheatcroft
Born
Christopher Wheatcroft

February 15, 1852
Greater London, England
DiedMarch 3, 1897
Manhattan, New York
Resting placeWoodlawn Cemetery (Bronx, New York)
OccupationActor, drama teacher
Spouse(s)Jane Elizabeth Rogers (m. 1875)
Adeline Stanhope
ChildrenStanhope Wheatcroft (son)

He was born Christopher William Wheatcroft to William Wheatcroft and Emily Susanna Nelson. He changed his first name to his mother's maiden name. He met Jane Elizabeth Rogers in 1875 and they had five children two of whom died in infancy. While his family lived in London, Wheatcroft toured the country.

He met Adeline Stanhope, a married woman whose husband was Thomas Amory Sullivan. While the Sullivan went to America, Nelson and Adeline began a relationship. Sullivan returned from America and discovered his wife's adultery with Wheatcroft. After divorcing Sullivan in 1882, Adeline in 1886 married Nelson Wheatcroft, with whom she had a son, Stanhope Wheatcroft.[5]

At his death in 1897, Nelson Wheatcroft, formerly Christopher Wheatcroft, had not divorced his first wife, Jane, before marrying Adeline, and thus was claimed a bigamist.[6]

References
  1. Nelson Wheatcroft biographical entry; findagrave.com
  2. American and British Theatrical Biography, p. 969 c.1979 by J. P. Wearing ISBN 0-8108-1201-0
  3. Adeline Wheatcroft; Internet Broadway Database (IBDb.com)
  4. Stanhope Nelson Wheatcroft, son findagrave.com
  5. Stanhope Nelson Wheatcroft; geni.com Retrieved August 15, 2018
  6. "Nelson Wheatcroft Actor and Bigamist?" (PDF). Retrieved August 3, 2015.
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