Finances
THE ACCOUNT-BOOKS
The treasurers’ Account-Books of Drury Lane and Covent Gardenias
have been fully described and analyzed in previous volumes of the present
work. Suffice it that they are documents of the highest possible importance.
They record not only the nightly receipts at the box-office, but receipts of
income from a great variety of other sources as well. For example, at
Drury Lane:
22 March 1782. £301 i8r. from Charles John Stanley,
director of the oratorios, for rent of the theatre
throughout the oratorio season.
3 1 October 1783 . £4 15L from the actor William Norris,
being his “salary returned, having left the Theatre.”
23 November 1793. £750 from George Colman, the
proprietor of the Haymarket, for the use throughout
his winter season of the Drury Lane patent (the new
Drury Lane not being ready for occupancy) 30 nights
at £15 a night.
27 October 1798. £400 from Mr Green, lent to pay the
company, and £500 on 10 November from Hammers-
ley & Co., bankers, lent for the same purpose.
28 May 1781. £35 4 s. 6 d. for Stage Forfeits.
2 February 1789. £30 from John Brunton, manager of
the Norwich theatre, for permission to act The
Highland Reel, which was in its first season at Coven t
Garden.
And at Covent Garden :
rton 2279-2299, lacking the three seasons of 1778-79, 1 784-85 and 1792-93,
'outs are unknown.
>r Drury Lane are in the Folger Shakespeare Library, as is that for Covent
season of 1793-94. The others for Covent Garden are in the British Museum,
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