Jonathan Dewhurst: The Lancashire Tragedian by Philip Taylor, Susan Taylor

From humble beginnings in a small Lancashire town, the Victorian tragedian Jonathan Dewhurst made his first stage appearance at the age of eight and never looked back. Dewhurst's acting career began with amateur acting groups and, as he became more and more popular and therefore successful, he toured with some of the great actors and actresses of the Victorian era. After a spell on the London stage, Dewhurst returned to Lancashire to form his own touring company, following which he spent two years performing in the theatres of Australia and India.
Jonathan was never out of work and performed in an astounding number of plays and performances before becoming manager of Theatre Royal in his home town of Leigh. He managed the theatre for eighteen years - an impressive feat at any point in history.