Wallis was born on 11 January 1774 to a theatrical family in Richmond although her paternal grandfather was a church minister in Ireland.

She was brought back to London to appear at Covent Garden by Thomas Harris who was trying to compete with competition from Drury Lane.

She apologised to her followers in Bath for leaving, noting that her only motive was the inflated salary which she needed not for herself but her many siblings.

At Covent Garden she was introduced as "Miss Wallis from Bath" and she appeared in a large number of leading roles.

[4] Wallis died on 29 December 1848 in Edmonton, Middlesex, aged 74, having survived her husband, who was a captain in the Royal Navy, and some of her seven children.