joined Murray's company in Edinburgh, appering on 16 Jan. 1823 as Durimel in Charles Kemble's adaptation 'Point of Honour.' Here, playing leading business, he remained eleven years. On 6 Feb. he was the original Nigel in 'George Heriot,' an anonymous adaptation of the 'Fortunes of Nigel.' On 22 May 1824 he was Edward Waverley in a new version of 'Waverley,' and on 5 June Francies Tyrrell in Planché's 'St. Ronan's Well.' On 21 Jan. 1825 he played Rob Roy, a difficult feat in Edinburgh for an Englishman. He played on 23 May the Stranger in the 'Rose of Ettrick Vale,' on the 28th Redgauntlet. Soon afterwards he was Richard I in the 'Talisman,' and on 4 July George Douglas in 'Mary Stuart' (the Abbot); Harry Stanley in 'Paul Pry' followed. On 18 June 1826 he was Oliver Cromwell in 'Woodstock, or the Cavalier.' 'Charles Edward, or the last of the Stuarts,' adapted from the French by a son of Flora Macdonald, was given for the first time on 21 April 1829, with Pritchard as Charles Edward. In 1830-1 Pritchard went with Murray to the Adelphi Theatre (Edinburgh), where he appeared on 6 July 1831 as Abdar Khan in 'Mazeppa.' In the 'Renegade' by Maturin, Pritchard was Guiscard, and on 16 April 1832, in a week at Holyrood, was the first Wemyss of Logie. He was also seen as Joseph Surface. Pritchard appeared a few times at the Adelphi in the summer season, and then quitted Edinburgh. During his stay, he won very favourable recognition, artistic and social, and took a prominent part in establishing the Edinburgh Shakespeare Club, at the first anniversary dinner of which Scott owned himself the author of 'Waverley.' During his vacations he had played in Glasgow, Perth, Aberdeen, and other leading Scottish towns. On 5 Oct. 1833 he made his first appearance in Dublin, playing Bassanio, and Petruchio; Wellborn to the Sir Giles Overreach of Charles Kean followed on the 7th. In Ireland, where he was hospitably entertained, he also played Jeremy Diddler. Mark Antony, and Meg Merrilees. His first appearance in London was made on 16 Nov. 1835 at Covent Garden as Alonzo in 'Pizarro.' He played Macduff, and was popular as Lindsay, an original part in Fitzball's 'Inheritance.' During Macready's tenure of Covent Garden in 1838 he reappeared as Don Pedro in the 'Wonder,' Macready himself playing Don Felix, which was held to be Pritchard's great part. He took a secondary part in the performance of the 'Lady of Lyons,' and was the original Felton in Sheridan Knowles's 'Woman's Wit, or Love's Disguises.' Macready, with some apparent reason, was charged with keeping him back. Pritchard retired ultimately to the country, and became the manager of the York circuit, where he continued to act. He died on 5 Aug. 1850. Pritchard was a sound, careful, and judicious actor, but only just reached the second rank. His best parts appear to have been Don Felix and Mercutio. A portrait of him appears in 'Actors by Daylight' of 30 June 1838.
[Actors by Daylight; Theatrical Times; Idler, 1838; Hist. of the Theatre Royal, Dublin, 1870; Dibdin's Edinburgh Stage; Era Almanack, various years.]
PRITCHARD or PRICHARD, Sir WILLIAM (1632?–1705), lord mayor of London, born about 1632, was second son of Francis Pritchard of Southwark, and his wife, Mary Eggleston. He is described as 'merchant taylor' and alderman of Broad Street. In 1672 he was sheriff of London, and was knighted on 23 Oct. in that year. On 29 Sept. 1682 be went to the poll as court candidate for the mayoralty, and on 4 Oct. the recorder declared him third on the list, below Sir Thomas Gold and Alderman Cornish, both whigs. But a scrutiny of the poll gave him the first place. On the 25th he was declared elected by the court of aldermen, and on the 28th was sworn at the Guildhall. Pritchard's election was celebrated as a great triumph for the court party in loyal ballads and congratulatory poems. One of these 'new loyal songs and catches' was 'set to an excellent tune by Mr. Pursell.' Pritchard carried on the policy of his predecessor, Sir John Moore (1620–1702) [q. v.] He refused to admit to their offices the recently elected whig sheriffs, Papillon and Dubois, whose election he had abetted Moore in setting aside. When, in February 1684, proceedings were taken against him by the whigs, he refused to appear or give bail, and on 24 April was arrested by the sheriff's officers at Grocers' Hall, and detained in custody for six hours. The arrest 'had welluigh set the city in a flame that might have ended in carnage and blood' (North, Eramen, 1740. p. 618), and the corporation was forced to disclaim any part in it by an order in common council on 22 May (Kennet, Hist. of England, iii. 408). Pritchard retaliated by an action for false and malicious arrest against Papillon — Dubois being dead. The case was tried before Jeffreys at the Guildhall on 6 Nov. 1684, the law-officers of the crown appearing for the plaintiff, and Serjeant Maynard for the defendant. Jeffreys summed up strongly in favour of Pritchard, who was awarded
