Jordan, Dorothy, 1761-1816

Dorothy (Dora) Phillips Bland was born in London on November 22, 1761, into an acting family. She made her acting debut in Dublin, Ireland in November 1779, and her London acting debut at Drury Lane in October 1785. By this time she had received the stage name of "Mrs. Jordan" which she used for the remainder of her long stage career. Dorothy Jordan was the acknowledged greatest comedic actress of her time, just as Sarah Siddons, Jordan's not-so-friendly rival, was the acclaimed dramatic actress. By 1791, when Dora began her 20 year relationship with William, the Duke of Clarence, she already had one daughter with Richard Daly and two daughters with Richard Ford. Over the next two decades, Dora woud have 10 more children with the Duke before he ended their relationship in 1811. Theirs was, for many years, a happy, domestic relationship which helped William be the most settled of George III's oldest sons. After 1811, Dora acted for four more years in increasingly failing health and spirits. In 1815, she sailed to France, probably to escape the debts and creditors caused by her sons-in-law who fradulently signed her name to their debts. She took the name Mrs. James and finally settled in St. Cloud, France, where she died in July 5, 1816, attended only at a female companion.

From the description of Papers of Dorothy Jordan, 1794-1852 (bulk1794-1812). (Huntington Library, Art Collections & Botanical Gardens). WorldCat record id: 772630270

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