midgie cartwright, born 1899
EDWARDIAN STUNT WOMAN
Midgie appeared, aged twelve, dancing in a group of plays at the Aldwych called ‘The Golden Land of Fairy Tales’. In the same year her ethereal credentials became Shakespearian as she acted the fairy Mustardseed at the Gaiety theatre in Manchester. Midgie could sing, dance, recite, navigate a punt, row, cycle and swim as well as act. She also won acclaim at an early age for her caricature artistry, and sketched and sold cartoons of her fellow theatre players. She had a daredevil streak, and was pressed into service by Messrs Merryweather and Sons, leading 19th century manufacturers of firefighting equipment, to demonstrate and advertise their products. Her duties included leaping from an upper window into a sheet held taut by Merryweather employees.
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