Bounce Magazine 77

MARCH 2019 MARCH | ISSUE 2019 | #77 ISSUE | #77 HISTORY
John Brunton
a Norwich Soap Opera
Descended from King
James II of Scotland,
John Brunton was born
in Norwich 1741 to soap
maker John Brunton.
At this time Norwich as a
City was undergoing great
changes and most industries
were expanding and wealthy
merchants such as John
Brunton Snr were supplying
soap to the textile industry
at a time when in 1747 the
smallpox plague hit Norwich.
Brunton Snr like all other soap
makers in the city paid a very
high tax levy and the law of
the land was very clear that
soap had to be produced in
batches that were no more
than a ton in weight and the
containers were locked away
over night by tax collectors
so that no illegal production
could take place as soap at
that time was classed as a
luxury item.
There is evidence to state
that John was educated at
Norwich Grammar School
under the care of Reverend
James Wilton, Prebendary of
Bristol Cathedral.
John took a keen interest in
everything theatrical and he
would visit the White Swan
Inn which was known as
the White Swan Playhouse.
The Norwich Company of
Comedians used the Inn as
a kind of head office, but
they also used The Assembly
Rooms and a theatre based
near Chapelfield.
With his education
completed, John was
employed under a sevenyear
apprenticeship with
a wholesale grocer. Once
completed John set up as
a tea dealer and grocer in
Drury Lane, London. He
soon became friends with
Mr J Younger of the Covent
Garden Theatre and in April
1774 John was afforded a part
in a performance of ‘Cyrus ‘for
Younger’s charity benefit.
John gave up his business
after he became known
as ‘the young gentlemen
who played Cyrus’.
John was now being
considered as a talented
actor of Shakespearean
roles. His children, Elizabeth
in 1771, Sophia in 1773 and
John Robert in 1775 were all
born at John’s new address
at St Martins-in-the- Fields,
Westminster. But, in 1775,
John decided to return
to Norwich to live and to
perform.
Harriet was born on the 23rd
December 1778. Fellow actor
John Bernard said of him ‘our
leading tragedian and one of
the best Shylocks I have ever
seen’.
Then, at the height of his
acting career in 1780 he
moved to Bath for the next
five years. Daughter Louisa
was born in the February of
1785.
All John’s children prospered
in the theatre. John set up the
Norwich Theatrical Fund in
1791 ‘for the relief of sick and
decayed actors who had been
members of the Norwich
Company.’
John moved his family back
to Norwich and took over
the Norwich Company of
Comedians where the lease
was transferred over to him
and on 01 January 1789 he
received a standing ovation
from the rapturous crowd.
By Michael Chandler - Author, Historian, Broadcaster & Features Writer, Restaurant &
Food critic. Researcher of old buildings and creator of historical and Corporate DVDs.
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