Virginia Frances Bateman

Among other roles at the Lyceum she played Princess Elizabeth in Tennyson's Queen Mary with Henry Irving as Philip II of Spain.

[4] Her father's fortunes improved radically with his presentation of The Bells by Leopold David Lewis, starring Henry Irving.

[5] Virginia, her sisters and mother left the Lyceum for Sadler's Wells Theatre in 1878 after Irving refused to act with "dolls".

[9][10][11] In 1914 she founded the Theatre Girls' Club which provided low cost temporary accommodation for young actresses during rehearsals (which were often unpaid at that time) or when they were looking for work.

The Nottingham Repertory Company gained critical praise and featured performances by Sybil Thorndike and Henry Ainley but by 1923 the recession was affecting ticket sales and the venture failed.