Event Comment: Receipts: #129 3s. Paid Mr Gifford 17 day's salary from 24 Nov. inclusive, #2 16s. 8d.; Paid Mr Kemp 25 nights [tin man for lamps] to 30 Nov. last at #1 12s. per night, #40

Event Comment: Boxes #19 2s. 6d. Weller's salary rais'd 1s. 8d. per day for the 17th Instant (Account Book). Receipts: #98 4s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Both pieces By Command of his Majesty. The Comedy Love for Love design'd to be perform'd this day, is deferr'd till further notice. Present His Majesty and Princess of Wales, Lady Augusta, Princess Louisa, Prince William and Prince Frederick. Boxes #94 7s. 6d. [about 384 persons, nearly the capacity of the Boxes, which was about 560]. Paid Macklin one fifth part of #179 being the surplus after #63 allow'd for the charge as per agreement...#35 16s. Gave the Yeomen of the King and Princess's Guard #2 2s., and the King's Footmen and Chairmen #1 1s. (Account Book). Receipts: #242 (Account Book)

Event Comment: Income from Boxes #19. Paid salary list as usual #245 12s. with the additions of 3 Oct. LaLauze re-entered at 12s. Per day. Miss Miller and Miss Twist added at 5s. and 3s. 4d. respectively. Paid Lupino for making dance dresses #12 14s. 11d. Bought a crimson water'd Tabby gown and coat trimmed with silver at #30. Receipts: #72 15s. (Winston Theatrical Record)

Event Comment: Benefit for Shuter. Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. Afterpiece: By Particular Desire of several persons of Distinction, to be added for that night only. Neville MS Diary: Covent Garden Theatre after being shut up for the season was open'd tonight as a high favour to Shuter...Before [the farce] the Gods having call'd for the Music to play Roast Beef, would not suffer the play to begin till their request was complied with. They pelted Davies and Hull, who appeared first, with orange skins, crying Off, Off'...Glad Shuter had a good house. He is an excellent comedian and is said to have a good heart. [The income for this night not listed in the Account Books. On 10 June however, the treasurer received from Shuter #10 'for the renters for the night of his benefit," and #1 13s. 9d. for oyl that night. On 20 July the treasurer received from Shuter #43 15s. for tickets for his first benefit, and #1 4s. 1 1!2d. in money, along with #20 for his second benefit." On July 22, the treasurer paid "to sundry Creditors of Mr Shuter as per Receipt Books #245 4s. 1 1!2d., and to Mr Wilford by order of Shuter #60, and to Beard #26 16s." N.B. On Wednesday 1 July The sum of #60,000 was this day paid down for the purchase of the Theatre Royal in Covent Garden, pursuant to agreement. The patentees are Messieurs Colman, Harris, Rutherford and Powell"--Gentleman's Magazine, p. 379.

Event Comment: Benefit for Westminster New Lying in Hospital, near Westminster Bridge. N.B. Those Ladies and Gentlemen who have taken tickets, are desired to secure places immediately, of Mr Johnston at the Stage Door. [The Theatrical Monitor, No IX, asked this day for a public declaration of receipts and salary expenditures for the 1766-67 season from Garrick and Lacy. Not receiving it the war breaking out in January came to absorb his interest, and the estimate never appeared.] Receipts: #261 4s. 6d. (Winston MS 10)

Event Comment: Third Day. For the Author. House charges and Candles #64 5s. Balance to Bickerstaffe #155 11s. 6d. (Account Book). This month were published Harris and Rutherford's Narrative of the Rise and Progress of the Disputes subsisting between the Patentees of Covent Garden Theatre, and Colman's True State of The Differences subsisting....Both were reviewed in the Gentleman's Magazine. Receipts: #219 16s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: [From advance bill. Public Advertiser missing this day.

Event Comment: Benefit for Weston and Miss Ogilvie. By Authority. Being the Last Night. [Many advance bills noted the continuous deferment of this on account of Weston's bad state of health.] Mr Weston's late and precarious State of Health making it extremely doubtful whether he could go through so long and laborious part as Richard, he humbly recommends to the Public Mr Gentleman's friendly intention of undertaking the Character for that Night, and will for the Capital Entertainment of his Friends, speak a new Occasional Prologue, and appear in the Farce, that the strength he has gained for some Days past may not be impaired by Fatigue

Event Comment: Paid Mr Kirk for copper tickets as per bill #5 5s. (Account Book). [These copper checks (illustrated in W. J. Lawrence, Old Theatre Days and Ways, London, 1935, p. 86) were supposedly given, by the box office keeper, to each person who entered the boxes. They were there dropped into a slit box by those who paid the money gatherer between the acts, or were returned to the box office by the holder if he left before the third act. The system was devised to check the receipts from the money gatherers against the number of copper tickets issued. Collusion between the Box office keeper and the gatherer could occur, but was checked by a third office, the numberer who counted heads, from his central position, as the gatherers went their rounds.] Receipts: #222 1s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. Afterpiece; We suppose it was reviv'd for the purpose of introducing a new scene, viz. a representation of the wonderful and surprizing feats lately performed at Stockwell in Surrey, by an invisible agent, who, we apprehend is very nearly related to the celebrated Cock-Lane Ghost of famous Memory. [See 28 Jan. 1762.] We cannot help considering it a lucky hit and we hope it will meet with encouragement, as the turning the transactions of the Stockwell Conjurer into ridicule may prevent that mysterious affair making improper impressions on the minds of the ignorant and superstitious. When considered in this light, the additional scene must be acknowledged to have merit, and, we confess, it is extremely well conducted to produce risibility (Theatrical Review, II, p. 85). [See notice of the additional scene 1 Feb. and see An Authentic...Narrative of the Astonishing Transactions at Stockwell...on the 6th and 7th days of January, 1772, containing a series of the most surprising...events that ever happened (London, 1772), with the cryptic comment upon it in the Gentleman's Magazine, Feb., p. 84, A new edition of the Cock-Lane Ghost, altered from the original of Miss Fanny, with additions but no amendments." The Gentleman's Magazine (Historical Chronicle for 6 Jan.) mentions the explosion of two powder-mills on Hounslow Heath: About the time explosion was felt at London, some families at Stockwell were terrified with the ratting and braking of their china, which they attributed to a preternatural cause. A Lady of fortune was so firmly Persuaded that some invisible agent was concerned, that she discharged her maid, whom she suspected of having an intercrouse with the wicked spirit; and when she was gone, as no mischief ensued, consoled herself that she had rid of so dangerous an intimate." See also bill for 8 Feb.] Rec'd from Condell on account of Fruit rent #20. Paid Dall on account of his salary #50 (Account Book). Receipts: #202 8s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Paid salary list five days #418 9s. 7d.; Mrs Abington's cloaths acct, #2 (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #232 1s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Zara first time Miss Younge-very well (Hopkins Diary). Benefit for Miss Younge. Paid Salary List #333 19s.; Mrs Abington's Cloaths acct, #1; Mr S. French 6 days, #1 10s. (Treasurer's Book). Barry Ill (Winston MS 10). Last time of performing till the Holidays (playbill). Receipts: #253 7s. 5d.; Charges: #65 17s. Profits to Miss Younge: #187 13s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Jefferson. Mainpiece: Not played in 12 Years. [See 16 May 1760.] Paid half year's cleansing & Lighting to Lady Day Last for St Martin's #10 2s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #116. Charges: #64 4s. Profit to Jefferson: #51 16s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Miller. Mainpiece: Not Acted these 5 years. [See 13 April 1768.] Charges #66 5s. 6d. Profit to Miss Miller #11 9s. 6d., plus #20 4s. from tickets (Box 52; Pit 48). Paid half year's Land Tax for Theatre due Lady Day last #35; ditto for House in Bow Passage #1 5s. 6d.; ditto for Window Lights for theatre #6 10s. 6d., and for House in Bow Passage 15s. (Account Book). Receipts: #78 5s

Event Comment: Venice Preserv'd deff'd on account of Barry's illness. Paid half year's Cleansing &c. to Lady Day last (St Martin's) #11; a Tow Bill 10s. [This tow bill came to this amount monthly for nine months, amounting to #4 10s. for the season. No further note will be taken of it this season.] Paid for Properties #1 7s. 10d. Receipts: #174 1s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Afterpiece: By Desire. Rec'd Stopages #30 14s.; Paid Salary list at #87 3s. per diem #522 18s.; Mr Atkins 11 days additional salary not on list 18s. 4d.; Mr S. Barry's 4 drafts #400; Chorus 2 nights (this incl.) #4 1s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #122 5s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Author of the Farce. Rec'd Stopages #29 18s.; Paid 6 days salary at #87 11s. 4d. per diem, #525 8s. Mr King 6 night's extra salary #3; Mr Clinch 30 nights not on the list #12 10s.; Chorus 2 nights (this incl.) #3 16s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #185 2s. 6d. Charges: #84. Profits to author of Farce: #101 2s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Barry. Tickets deliver'd for Grecian Daughter taken. Part of pit laid into boxes. Send servants by 4 o'clock. Rec'd stopages #2 16s.; Paid 4 days salary list #348 14s. 8d; Mr King's extra salary #2 (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #271. Charges: #65 13s. Profit for Barry: #205 7s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Mr Lacy a Proprietor of this Theatre made his first appearance upon the Stage in the part of Alexander. He is very Tall, & Thin, a good Voice but His Fright took away from it's power--he was rec'ed with Applause. Mr Garrick wrote a New Occasional Prologue to introduce him, which was Spoken by Mr King & rec'ed with great Applause (Hopkins Diary). Paid 4 days list at #91 8s. 10d. per diem #365 15s. 4d.; Mr J. French on Acct #10 10s. (Treasurer's Book). [The Westminster Magazine commented on Willoughby Lacy's performance (Oct. 1774): "His performance was far from answering the expectations we had been taught to form from a friend and pupil of our English Roscius. Indeed Mr Lacy is a very young man: therefore we ought not to draw the line of our expectation. His figure is at present lank, awkward, and unengaging; his voice distinctly powerful, but inharmonious; his action outre, vulgar and forced: his attitudes unnatural, affected and disgustful; and his delivery a continued rant, without proper change, a pleasing variety, or a just discrimination of the necessary difference of tone demanded by the different passions. These...capital defects...are not unsurmountable...The play was prefaced by a new Prologue, evidently the production of Mr Garrick. It had some humor and was well received. The purport of it was to beg favor for the hero of the evening, whom it compared to a young swimmer, who had tried to float in two shallow streams, and was now about to venture himself in the great deep. This image is certainly an apt one, though, it is no great compliment to the audiences of Norwich and Birmingham."] Receipts: #248 19s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Paid salary list 5 days at #101 19s. 8d. per diem #509 18s. 4d.; Mr Bensley 2 weeks not on list #8. Receipts: #216 14s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Palmer. Paid 1!2 yrs. Poor's rate to Lady Day last #2 13s. 4d. Receipts: #116 2s. 6d. Charges: #67 12s. 6d. Profits to Palmer: #48 10s. (Treasurer's Book)