Adelilne Cottrell
(1841-1866)

An inked inscription verso in a period hand identifies the production as Head of the Family, a ‘comedietta’ in one act which in January 1860 was playing at the Olympic with Horace Wigan as Jeremy Hackle, Walter Gordon as Edgar, Mrs Sterling as Charity Swift, and Miss Cottrell as Prudence (Daily Director and Entr’acte, 27 January 1860).

The V&A have a variant pose (head at a slightly different angle) from the same sitting, only they identify the production as ‘The Maid and the Magpie, possibly at the Strand Theatre.’ This was a 'Burlesque Burletta' also known as The Silver Spoon.

The inclusion of a birdcage among the props does rather suggest that the V&A are right and the inscription is wrong. Or perhaps someone there saw the birdcage and jumped to the wrong conclusion. Miss Cottrell was definitely appearing in Head of the Family at the Olympic from November 1859 to March 1860, which is roughly when Silvy was creating his series of theatrical portraits.