ABSTRACT
A droll called A New Wonder, A Woman never Vex’d: or The Blind Beggar of Bednal Green was advertised to appear for twelve days during Southwark Fair, at Parker’s booth near the King’s Bench. The ‘woman never vexed’ then disappears from theatrical history for almost a century. Planche’s version was the only adaptation of A Woman Never Vext performed during the 19th century. Bearing in mind that intermittently throughout 1824 the Gentleman’s Magazine had carried essays on London pageants in Stuart times it is hard to acquit Planche of a degree of opportunism; and, with its production on Lord Mayor’s Day, The Widow of Cornhill could easily have become an occasional piece. On November 13th 1832 it was performed at the Surrey Theatre, then under the management of R. W. Elliston, as The Widow of Cornhill, or, London in 1444.
