Event Comment: [Writer of letter to Public Advertiser states that it is not fashionable to attend on Tuesdays. On Tuesday, he continues, there were probably not more than twenty subscribers or a hundred who had paid. But the Upper Gallery never fails to do Honour to Opera. If not more than 20 people of Fashion in the House there are at least 300 in Upper Gallery." His suggestion is that reduction of cost to 2s. 6d. would induce whole musical families to attend and ultimately be beneficial for this form of entertainment.

Event Comment: For the Benefit and Increase of a Fund for Decayed Musicians and their families. Pit and Boxes put together at half a guinea each. N.B. The Society's Collector being dead, and the places of abode of several of the subscribers being unknown to his successor, those Ladies and Gentlemen who have not yet received their tickets are humbly requested to send for them to Mr Jesse Horwood at his house in King Street, Golden Square, who is empowered by the Society to deliver them and receive the Subscription. Tickets to subscribers will admit one person to any part of the House

Event Comment: Benefit for Increase of a Fund established for the support of Decayed musicians and their families. An Oratorio from the Works of the Late Mr Handel, performed but once. The Governors of the Fund spent #628 18s. 6d. last year. Pit and Boxes Half a Guinea. First Gallery 5s. Upper Gallery 3s. 6d. Galleries open at 4, Pit and Boxes at 5. To begin at 6:30 p.m

Event Comment: Benefit for a Family in Distress. [Prologue printed in Public Advertiser.

Event Comment: Author's Day. Books of the Comedy to be had at the Theatre. N.B. The Author has generously given the profits of this day to a Fund, lately establish'd, by the Performers of the above Theatre, for the Maintenance of Decayed Actors and their Families. Public Advertiser, 3 Feb. 1766: The Performers of Covent Garden Theatre return their sincere thanks to Mr Cumberland for his generous donation of the profits of the 9th performance of The Summer's Tale, amounting to #74, for use of the newly established Theatrical Fund

Event Comment: Benefit for the increase of a Fund established for the Support of Decay'd Musicians and their Families. [The Governors announced #622 4s. paid out during the previous year.

Event Comment: Written by Dr Brown; composed by Arnold. For the Benefit and Increase of a Fund, established for the Support of Decayed Musicians and their Families. Upper Gallery 3s. 6d. #694 5s. 2d. spent in previous fiscal year by this charity

Event Comment: Benefit for Hopkins (prompter) and Mrs Hopkins. Charges #64 17s. [Profit to the Hopkins family #30 19s. plus Tickets.] Tickets delivered by Philips will be taken. Paid B. Johnson's Head bill #1 2s. 3d.; Paid Mr J. Johnston, by order #21; Rec'd Mr Pope's rent 1 year at #30 minus King's Tax of #3 8s.: Total #26 12s. receiv'd. Paid Mr Pope's bill #13 9s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book). Before 4 dined behind St Clements, and went to ye First Gallery to see the Distressed Mother....We had the Capricious Lovers, Lisetta by Mrs Clive, who took off the ridiculous sing-song at ye Opera House charmingly (Neville MS Diary). Receipts: #95 16s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mr and Mrs Baddeley. House charges #67 9s. 6d. [Profits to Baddeley family 16s. plus tickets.] Tickets deliver'd for this night will be taken. Paid Palmer of Bath for Spermecetti candles #128 4s. Paid Mr Deeble (chorus singer) omitted 3 nights 15s.; Chorus singers 1 night #2 10s. 6d.; Salary list #435 19s. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #68 5s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book). I find ye corner of ye orchestra is ye best place to stand in...Holland played Iago very well, and Mrs Baddeley Desdemona pretty well, being her 1st appearance in that character...End of ye play Baddeley spoke a composition of his own, called "Search after Scrubs," to hear which Garrick came into ye orchestra. He looks healthy and strong, and should oftener entertain ye Public to which he owes so much. Entertainment Daphne and Amintor. Daphne (for ye first time) Mrs Baddeley, who does not shine in the singing part, as Mrs Arne does (Neville MS Diary)

Event Comment: By command of their Majesties. Did not go to see Garrick play Archer that I might avoid the abhorred sight of George and his family (Neville MS Diary)

Event Comment: Oratorio written by the late Mr Brown. Benefit for and Increase of a Fund established for the Support of decay'd Musicians and their Families. Pit and Boxes half a guinea. First Gallery 5s. Upper gallery 3s. 6d

Event Comment: The Last time of the company's performing this season. [Following deficiencies for this season paid up: Richard Smith, Lewes, Dumay, Condell, Potter, Thomas Smith, Quick, Furkins, Wilkinson, Abbott, Simmonds, Pullen, Stephenson, Asbury, Wilde, Francis, Mrs Griffiths, Claridge, and Sharratt (Account Book). This includes payment of half value of tickets for those who were granted partial benefits on that basis.] Music forfeits at end of season #17 6s. 11d. Neville MS Diary: Went...to see Cymbeline...chiefly to hear Powell speak an occasional prologue. Would not have gone had I known it was only a stale piece of flattery to George. [See The Gentleman's Magazine, 9 July p. 346: "On shutting up the playhouse in Covent Garden at the end of the season, admission into the theatre having been denied to Mr H and R through any other passage but Mr Powell's House, those gentlemen at the head of a large posse on the 17th of last month, [June] made a forcible entry by breaking open a window near the playhouse door in Hart street; after which they expelled by violence Mr Sargeant the Housekeeper, all his family and others; but the acting managers not being inclined to submit to the arbitrary proceedings of their colleagues, immediately applied for redress, where redress was effectually to be had, and this day they were formally expelled by virtue of a warrant from under the hand and seal of the high sherrifs of London and Middlesex, and the old housekeeper, Mr Sargeant, restored to his office of trust, to the great mortification of one of the champions who had been heard to say: That he had now got possession and d--n him if he would not keep it while he had a drop of blood in his body, and while there was one brick upon another belonging to the house."

Event Comment: Benfit towards the increase of a Fund (Established by the Performers of this Theatre) for the support of such actors, and their families, who from Age or Infirmities, shall be oblig'd to quit the stage. Charges #65 7s. 6d. [including candles, extra kettle drum, side drum, organ and tabor & pipe]. Balance due Fund #101 17s. 6d. plus a special income of #17 13s. from 64 Box tickets (Account Book). Receipts: #167 5s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: For the Benefit and Increase of a Fund established for the Support of decayed Musicians and their Families. Pit and Boxes put together at Half a Guinea. First Gallery 5s. Upper Gallery 3s. 6d. [Expenditure for past year #653 9s. Towards relieving the proper beneficiaries.

Event Comment: For the Benefit and Increase of a Fund established for the Support of decay'd Musicians, or their Families. Sig Guadagni having declined singing at this Concert, the Managers have applied to Sig Tenducci who is so obliging to favour the Society with his Performance. Upper Gallery 3s. 6d

Event Comment: By Authority. Benefit of a Family in Distress. To begin at 6:00 p.m. Tickets for 22 Oct. will be taken

Event Comment: Benefit towards the Increase of a Fund for the Support of such actors, and their Families, who through Age or Infirmity are oblig'd to retire from the stage

Event Comment: Benefit for increase of a Fund established for the support of Decay'd Musicians, or their Families. Pit and Boxes Half a Guinea. Gallery 5s. Upper Gallery 3s. 6d. To begin at 6:30 p.m. [The Governors announce #738 6s. 8d. spent during the past year.

Event Comment: Timanthes and the Citizen oblig'd to be deferr'd on account of Indisposition of Mrs Yates and Mrs Mattocks. Benefit for the increase of a Fund, for the support of such actors and their families who through age or infirmity are oblig'd to retire from the stage (playbill). Charges #70 12s. 6d. Profit to the Fund #68 1s. 6d. plus [apparently] #10 from sale of 40 Box Tickets (Account Book). Receipts: #138 14s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Increase of a Fund for the support of Decayed Musicians, or their Families. Governors report that from June 1770-June 1771 they have laid out #826 17s. 3d

Event Comment: Benefit for Sg Daigville & Signa Vidini. [24 April letter signed Ned Shuter dated from his Majesty's Bench of Justice, St Georges Fields: "Theatrical Memoirs giving circumstantial account of my family-Admit my father was a chairman, my mother sold oysters in winter and cucumbers in summer. I was not born in a cellar but in a two pair of stairs front room at one Mrs Merit's an eminent Chimney Sweeper, Vine Street, St Giles" (Winston MS 10). Thomas Weston's apology for the delay of his Benefit. It was owing to his distressed affairs which he had new laid open to the managers. See comment form Edinburg Evening Courant, 29 April.] Paid Renters #88 for Oratorio nights; Mr Dibdin's draft on managers #50; Master Brown 5 nights, #1 17s. 6d.; Rec'd from Messrs Smith and Stanley charges for 11 Oratorio nights at 28# per night, plus candles &c . #342 4s.; Rec'd stopages #9 16s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book). Receipts: #151 4s. Charges: #65 11s. Profits to Daigville & Sga Vidini: #85 13s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: On Tuesday last died at Ealing in Middlesex at a very advanced age and much regretted by all who had the Pleasure of his Acquaintance, Henry Giffard, the Celebrated Manager of Goodman's Fields Theatre. This Gentleman was of a Genteel Family in the West of England (Public Advertiser). [Though him Garrick had come to the stage.

Event Comment: A New Pantomime of Mr Messinks went off with great Applause (Hopkins Diary). Music By Dibdin. New Scenes, Habits, and Machines. Nothing under Full Prices will be taken. [Repeated.] Paid 4 days salary list at #85 12s. 11d., #342 11s. 8d.; Miss Mansell on acct #5 5s.; Mr Clinch ditto, #6 6s.; Dr Arne for Mrs Bradley 2 nights per order #5 5s.; Stopages nil (Treasurer's Book). [Full description of the New Pantomime is given in the Westminster Magazine (January 1773): Harlequin born to the Pigmies comes to manhood, gets a job from the Register Office in a Nobleman's family where he meets Colombine. They love, and elope, a chase ensues through several noted places in London, which are detailed in the review. The union of the lovers is finally consended to, and all closes with dancing. "Some of the paintings in the scenery are well executed; and the generality of Mr Dibdin's music deserves equal praise." In it Mrs Wrighten gives a ludicrous imitation of Miss Catley's manner of singing. The reviewer's general thesis about the London stage of this period, given first in the preliminary number, 1 Jan. 1773 continues: "The Stage seems now buried in universal darkness...The Publick for several weeks, has been fed with the lean carcass of two villainous pantomimes."] Receipts: #162 13s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Increase of a Fund for the support of Decayed Musicians, or their families. Pit and Boxes half a Guinea. Gallery 5s. Second Gallery 3s. 6d. Doors open at 5:30 to begin at 6:30 p.m. [Governor's report from June 1770-June 1771 indicates an outlay of #826 17s. 3d.

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Woodman, lately left a widow with a large family of young children and near lying in again