ALDRIDGE

Ira Frederick , known as the African Roscius ( son of Rev. Daniel Aldridge, minister of Calvin is tic chapel, Green st. New York who d. Sep. 1840 ). b. Bell Air, Harford, Maryland 1804; ed. at Schenectady college near New York and the Univ. of Glasgow; made his first appearance on the stage at the Royalty theatre London as Othello 1826; played 7 weeks at the Coburg theatre London in 1826, then in the provinces Scotland and Ireland; acted Othello at Covent garden 10 April 1833; acted Aaron in Titus Andronicus at Britannia theatre 15 March 1852, first time acted since 1721; played with great succe in Germany 1852–55; received large gold medal of Art and Science from the King of Pru ia 25 Jany. 1853, the only other persons who had been so distinguished being Humboldt, Spontini and Liszt; played in Sweden 1857, made several tours in Ru ia; naturalised in England 7 Nov. 1863. d. Lodez, Poland 7 Aug. 1867. Theatrical times iii , 121–23 (1848), portrait ; Tallis’s Drawing room table book (1851) 15–16, 2 portraits ; N. and Q. 4 series x , 132, 373 (1872).