Event Comment: Mainpiece: By Particular Desire. Paid
Mr Vincent for 3 sets of
Abels Symphonies #2 5s. (Account Book). Receipts: #116 11s. (Account Book). This was the last time Mr Beard appeared on the stage.
John Beard Esq Buried in the vault (at
Hampton) 12 Feb. 1791. This celebrated actor was bred up at the
King's Chapel, and was afterwards one of the singers at the
Duke of Chandos's Chapel at
Canons, where he took a part in
Handel's Oratorio of
Hester. His first appearance on the stage was 30 August 1737, in the character of
Sir John Loverule [
Devil to Pay], at
Drury Lane. In 1739 he married
Lady Henrietta Herbert, daughter of
James, Earl of Waldegrave, and
Widow of
Lord Edward Herbert. Upon this event he quitted the Stage. After a few years he returned to it again, and continued to be a great favourite with the public both as an actor and a vocal performer till 1767, when he finally retired from the theatre. Lady Henrietta Beard died in 1753; and in 1759 Mr Beard married a Daughter of
John Rich Esq Patentee of
Covent Garden Theatre. On this occasion he removed a second time to that theatre, where he had acted from 1744 to 1748; and on the death of his father-in-law in 1761, was appointed Manager. Mr Beard, who was as much esteem'd in private life as he was admired on the stage, was for many years an Inhabitant of Hampton. See
Lysons's
Middlesex Parishes, p. 89 and 80. Mr Beard died 4 Feb. 1791, aged 74 years. See his Epitaph, ibidem. See
Lady Beard's Epitaph in
St Pancreas Churchyard (
Hopkins MS Notes)