1. 
This is a portrait of me, among many others that have been created. I like this one especially because it's a very unique hand-colored stipple engraving. It was published by the lovely W. McDowall, who is a British artist. He published this portrait of me March 1st, 1827. That was when I was forty-seven years old! I look pretty good for forty-seven , don't you think? ;)
2. 
This lovely scene you see before you is Liverpool, England, in the early 1800's. Liverpool is where I was born and raised. As you can see, the water and boats in Liverpool are featured in this picture. That is because many new docks were built at this time and it's ports were very popular. The population of Liverpool was growing larger and larger during this time. As you can see by the nice-looking houses, Liverpool was growing to be a better city- not like the poor, dirty place it was in the early 1700's!
3. 
Here is the Theatre Royal on Drury Lane. This is where I acted for most of my life! This photo was taken in 1808, when I was twenty-eight. However, the Theatre Royal has been in business since 1663, long before my days. Larger audiences began to arrive after the new fireproof theater was built in 1812. It is one of the most famous theaters in England.
4. 
This is the Dictionary of National Biography, a very famous book of notable figures in British history for all different reasons. This book, published in 1885, features much about me and my life. As an actress, most of my notable roles are told about in this book. It provides many biographies, as well as mine, informing about my career and husband. It has 33 volumes in all, with biographies written by authors from 35 different countries!
5. 
This is a portrait is entitled "Theatrical Portraits". It depicts me with Frances Harriet Kelly, Edmund Kean, John Fawcett, William Blanchard, Robert Keeley and William Farren. This photo was painted by William Thomas Fry and published by Sherwood & Co. The artists featured with me are all British- so I felt great in a collage of such talented artists from my own country! William Thomas Fry is most famous for doing portraits of Theatrical Brits, so it is an honor to be featured.
6. 
This is a portrait of George Frederick Cooke, a famous English actor. George had a huge impact in my life as a budding actress. George is a stern man who did not usually praise children's successes. However, he complimented me highly and that propelled me to continue my career. This portrait was painted in 1801 by James Ward, when I was twenty-one, sixteen years after he saw me perform. In this portrait, he played the role of "Iago".
7. 
This lovely photo pictures Covent Garden. Covent Garden is not only a famous marketplace, but also holds a very popular Theatre Royal. I have made several appearances in this theatre- my first appearance here in 1819. I played Lady Teazle for my first time acting here. Later, I appeared as Marian Ramsay in Turn Out.
8. 
What you see before you is Newcastle, England. Newcastle is where I did many shows as a child. It is sort of like my second home- next to Dublin and Liverpool, of course. Those three cities are where I acted when I was just a girl, playing things like fairies and cupids in small shows. This small part of Newcastle, England is shown from the early 1800's. As you can see, it pictures a little clothing retail shop called "Steggas Corner". A lot of Newcastle was full of buildings lining the streets like these!
9.
Here is another portrait that was painted of me! The title is, "Miss Duncan of the Theatre Royal Drury Lane". It was painted in 1805 and was an illustration for the "Monthly Mirror", which is a British literary magazine about theatrical life and actors in general. The print is made by Ridley, published by Vernor & Hood. What's lovely about this portrait is it is a stipple drawing, making it extra precise.
10. 
Here is another book, like the Oxford Dictionary of National Geography, that features much about my life. It was published in 1850 by John William Cole. In this book, The Life and Theatrical Times of Charles Kean, F.S.A, there is a large section about my early life as well as how I grew as an actress. My maiden name, Duncan, is used mainly throughout this book as you hear about my rise to Drury Lane. Miss Farren, a woman who recognized me as a talented actor from a child, is also told about in this book, which I'm glad about- since she was such a influence in my life! I appreciate this book dearly, for it is very informative, and makes me think of old memories.
That's it for now, I believe. I hope you enjoyed my portraits, pictures, book covers, etc! All of these mean very much to me, for they were all such big parts of my life. Ta-ta for now.
-Maria Rebecca Davison
Cited Sources
1. "Maria Rebecca Davison." National Portrait Gallery. No publisher. No date. Accessed 10 Dec. 2015
(http://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait/mw156478/Maria-Rebecca-Davison-ne-Duncan?LinkID=mp54543&role=sit&rNo=5)
2. "Diary of Peter Pickering." Diary of Peter Pickering. No publisher. No date. Accessed 10 Dec. 2015.
"A Brief History of Liverpool." A History of Liverpool. Tim Lambert. Accessed 10 Dec. 2015
3. "Theatre Royal, Drury Lane | Wikiwand." Wikiwand. No publisher. No date. Accessed 10 Dec. 2015.
( http://www.wikiwand.com/en/Theatre_Royal,_Drury_Lane)
"Drury Lane Theatre, London, United Kingdom." Theatre Royal Drury Lane. The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica. No date. Accessed 10 Dec. 2015
5. "William Farren; Maria Rebecca Davison (née Duncan); Frances Harriet Kelly; Edmund Kean; John Fawcett; William Blanchard; Robert Keeley" National Portrait Gallery. No publisher. No date. Accessed 10 Dec. 2015
(http://www.npgprints.com/image/1004467/william-thomas-fry-sherwood-co-thomas-charles-wageman-william-farren-maria-rebecca-davison-nee-duncan-frances-harriet-kelly-edmund-kean-john-fawcett-william-blanchard-robert-keeley)
6. "George Frederick Cooke in the Character of Iago." National Portrait Gallery. No publisher. No date. Accessed 10 Dec. 2015
(http://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait/mw148136/George-Frederick-Cooke-in-the-Character-of-Iago)
7. "History of the Market Building." Covent Garden. No publisher. No date. Accessed 10 Dec. 2015
(https://www.coventgarden.london/history-market-building)
8. "ARCHIVAL REVIVAL: 1800s Newcastle." Newcastle Herald. No publisher. Published 20 Sep. 2013. Accessed 10 Dec. 2015.
(http://www.theherald.com.au/story/1723759/archival-revival-1800s-newcastle/interactive/)
9. "Collection Object Details." British Museum. No publisher. No date. Accessed 10 Dec. 2015
(http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=3465835&partId=)
10. "The life and theatrical times of Charles Kean, F.S.A. : including a summary of the English stage for the last fifty years, and a detailed account of the management of the Princess Theatre, from 1850 to 1859." Internet Archive. No publisher. No date. Accessed December 10, 2015.
(https://archive.org/details/lifetheatricalti02coleuoft)
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