THE RYDER FAMILY

Janet (Jessie) RYDER (my husband's great, grandmother) (pictured on the right) was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Her parents were Corbet RYDER (an actor) and Jessie (nee FRASER) (also an actor). At the time of her marriage to Alexander Duncan McNeill, Janet lived at 33 London Street, Edinburgh, but her usual residence was stated as Aberdeen.

CORBET RYDER

Corbet Ryder was born approx. C.1770 and it is possible that he was part of the Ryder family of performers.  The Ryder family members, including Preswick and his sons, Samuel (C1738-1771) and Thomas (1735-1791) spent a large part of their careers in Ireland and all three of them died there.

CORBET RYDER'S CAREER ON THE STAGE

Corbet was appearing in Drury Lane, London in 1798 when he played Harry Paddington in "The Beggar's Opera". He also played a character in Richard Cumberland's new comedy "A Word for Nature"; a servant in Edward Morris's new comedy "The Secret"; Walter in "Catherine and Petruchio"; and  he played a soldier in R.B. Sheridan's new tragedy "Pizarro". Early in the new century he left London and gradually moved northward, eventually establishing and managing his own company which toured the northern parts of Scotland.

CORBET RYDER'S FIRST MARRIAGE

Corbet's first wife was Louisa Goldfinch. Louisa was a singer from a theatrical family. Corbet and Louisa had at least four children: Thomas born 1813, twin girls and then another daughter Louisa Jane (baptised 1821 at St. Nicholas, Aberdeen).

CORBET RYDER'S SECOND MARRIAGE

After Louisa's death, Corbet married Jessie FRASER. Corbet and Jessie had five children: Auchton; Corbet Auchton; Edwin John; Janet (Jessie) (my husband's great, grandmother); and Emma (who later married Edward Price, an actor/ manager).
 

THE FRASER FAMILY

Jessie Fraser was born in Paisley, Renfrewshire and was a member of a theatrical family. Jessie's father was John Fraser, who was the manager of the Theatre Royal in Aberdeen from 1812 until 1817.

JESSIE FRASER'S ACTING CAREER

Jessie first went on the stage at the age of 15 and eventually became Corbet Ryder's leading lady.

After her husband, Corbet Ryder, died, Jessie managed the Theatre Royal, Aberdeen for a while, then married a member of her company, John Pollock. John Pollock died in 1854 and Jessie continued to manage the theatrical company until her retirement in 1862. The theatrical company passed  on to her son-in-law, Alexander Duncan McNeill and then onto her other son-in-law, Mr. Price.