Born: 1839 or 1847, United Kingdom
Died: 5 October 1895
Country most active: United Kingdom
Also known as: Ada Marshall
The following is excerpted from the 1901 supplement to Dictionary of National Biography, originally published between 1885 and 1900, by Smith, Elder & Co. It was written by John Joseph Knight.
CAVENDISH, ADA (1839–1895), actress, made her first appearance at the New Royalty on 31 Aug. 1863 as Selina Squeers in a burletta called ‘The Pirates of Putney,’ on 28 Sept. was Venus in Mr. Burnand’s ‘Ixion,’ and on 13 April 1865 Hippodamia in ‘Pirithous, Son of Ixion.’ At the Haymarket, in ‘A Romantic Attachment,’ on 15 Feb. 1866, she essayed comedy for the first time. After playing Mrs. Featherley in ‘A Widow Hunt’ and at the St. James’s Lady Avondale in the ‘School of Reform,’ she first distinguished herself as the original Mrs. Pintchbeck in Robertson’s adaptation ‘Home,’ Haymarket, 8 Jan. 1869. At the opening of the Vaudeville on 16 April 1870 she was the original Mrs. Darlington in ‘For Love or Money.’ At the Globe she played the Marchesa San Pietro in ‘Marco Spada;’ at the Royalty Grace Elliot in Marston’s ‘Lamed for Life;’ at the Gaiety Donna Diana in a revival of the piece so named; and at the Court Estelle in ‘Broken Spells.’ Her greatest success was Mercy Merrick in Wilkie Collins’s ‘New Magdalen,’ at the Olympic, on 19 May 1873, when her acting made the fortune of an unpleasant piece. She was for a time manager of the Olympic, at which she played several original parts, and was seen as Juliet. Lady Clancarty, an original part in Taylor’s piece so named, was given on 9 March 1874. She was also seen as Madonna Pia in ‘Put to the Test.’ In April 187o, at the Gaiety, she played Beatrice in ‘Much Ado about Nothing.’ At the Globe, on 15 April 1876, she was the lieroine of Wilkie Collins’s ‘Miss Gwilt.’ On 15 Jan. 1877 she was at the Olympic the Queen of Connauglit in the piece so named. In 1878 she went to America, opening at the Broadway as Mercy Merrick, and playing through the United States as Rosalind, Lady Teazle, and Juliet. In 1877 she opened the St. James’s as Lady Teazle. On 10 June she played Blanche in ‘Night and Morning,’ a rendering of ‘ La Joie fait Peur.’ On her marriage, on 8 May 1885, to Francis Albert Marshall [q. v.], she practically retired from the stage, but after his death, on 28 Dec. 1889, acted occasionally in the country. She had good gifts in comedy and serious drama, and was more than respectable in Shakespearean characters. She died in London 5 Oct. 1895.