Legacy Too Late

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 178, 18 October 1927, Page 13

Legacy Too Late

POVERTY AND DEATH OF ACTRESS LEFT £20,000 BY RECLUSE By Cable. —Press Association. — Copyright. Reed. 1.58 p.m. LONDON, Monday. Grace Warner, the actress, who played with her father in such roles as Juliet, Portia, Desdemona and Galatea for three years when she was 17, died in poverty at Southend this year. To-day it was revealed that she had just been left a legacy of £20,000 by Emily Hughes, an aged recluse, who, seeing her play at Windsor years ago, was so impressed that she became acquainted with her. Latterly, Emily Hughes had locked herself up, barricaded the house and refused to meet anyone. Grace Warner made her last appearance in 1920, in “Tilly of Bloomsbury.”—A. and N.Z. Grace Warner was born In London on February 26, 1873, the daughter of the late Charles Warner. She made her first appearance at Drury Lane in 1887 as Juliet in the balcony scene from “Romeo and Juliet.” With her father she toured Australia from 1888 to 1890. She played at all the leading London theatres and later toured the English provinces, playing at one time with Sir Herbert Tree. In 1902 she formed her own company. Her last appearance was in 1920.