James William Whitbread

Whitbread was born in Portsmouth in 1847 and moved to Scarborough when young. He toured with the company of Joseph Eldred. Later in life he became manager and lessee of the Theatre Royal in Scarborough. He was said to have made a speciality of Irish drama and was connected for some years with the Theatre Royal in Dublin as well as the Queen's Theatre, Dublin. He died suddenly at the age of 69 in Scarborough. Plays he wrote include 'Lord Edward, or 98', 'Shoulder to Shoulder', 'The Irishman', 'Victoria Cross', and 'The Soldier Priest'.