Muriel Beaumont


Muriel Beaumont, Lady du Maurier was an English stage actress. She was the wife of the actor Sir Gerald du Maurier and mother of the writers Angela du Maurier and Daphne du Maurier and artist Jeanne du Maurier. She retired from the stage in 1910.

Biography

Beaumont was born in Sutton, Surrey, the daughter of Henry "Harry" Beaumont, a solicitor, and Emily Bidwell. Despite her father's disapproval, she became an actress. Her first appearance was at the Haymarket Theatre in 1898. In 1902 she was cast as Lady Agatha in The Admirable Crichton. Also in the cast was Gerald du Maurier, whom she had met only once before. They were married five months later on 11 April 1903 at St Peter, Cranley Gardens, Kensington.
After marriage, Beaumont maintained her stage career until 1910 before retiring. In 1905 she played Nerissa to Violet Vanbrugh's Portia in The Merchant of Venice. She also appeared in English translations of light French comedies. In 1908 she appeared with Weedon Grossmith and A. E. Matthews in Frederick Lonsdale's farce The Early Worm. She and her husband never appeared on stage together after The Admirable Crichton.

Personal life & death

Muriel and Gerald du Maurier had three children: Angela du Maurier, Daphne du Maurier and Jeanne du Maurier.
She died at her home in Liskeard, Cornwall in 1957, aged 81.