Mary Wells actress

Mary Wells, later known as Mrs. Sumbel, was an actress born in Birmingham in 1763. She began her acting career at a young age, performing roles such as Cupid and Arthur at local theaters. Her marriage to a writer, Edward Topham, resulted in three daughters but ended in separation.

Wells transitioned to the London stage, where she performed notable roles including Cowslip in *The Agreeable Surprise* and Imogen in *Cymbeline*. She appeared at prominent venues like Drury Lane, Covent Garden, and Haymarket Theaters. Despite her talent, personal struggles with debt led to her imprisonment in Fleet Prison, where she met Joseph Sumbel, a Sephardic Jew. They married while imprisoned, but the marriage was later annulled.

After leaving the stage around 1790, Wells lived with her aged mother and applied for financial assistance from the Covent Garden Theatrical Fund, receiving an annual stipend until her death in 1829. Her memoirs, published in 1811 under two titles, detailed her life, travels seeking her children, and connections to celebrated actors. Portraits of her in various roles exist, and she is buried in St Pancras, London.