A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Paton, Mary

PATON, Mary Anne, daughter of George Paton, master [App. p.745 "writing-master"] in the High School of Edinburgh, where she was born in Oct. 1802; from a very early age manifested a capacity for music, and when little more than four years old learned to play the harp, pianoforte, and violin. Music was hereditary in her family. Her grandmother, when Miss Anne Nicoll, played the violin before the Duke of Cumberland at Huntly, on his way to Culloden, in 1746; and Miss Nicoll's brother Walter, an eminent merchant of Aberdeen, and a good violin player, took part with the Duke of Gordon and other local magnates in founding the Aberdeen Musical Society in 1748, and acted for some time as its secretary. Miss Paton's father was also a violin player, and was renowned in his own neighbourhood as having built an organ. In 1810 Miss Paton appeared at concerts in Edinburgh, singing, reciting, and playing—among other pieces, Viotti's Concerto in G. She also published several compositions. In 1811 the family removed to London, and during the next three seasons she sang at private concerts, and annually at a public concert of her own. In 1814 she was withdrawn from public life for the purpose of completing her education. In 1820 she reappeared and sang at the Bath concerts with success, and in 1821 at various other places. On Aug. 3, 1822, she made her first appearance on the stage at the Haymarket Theatre as Susanna in 'The Marriage of Figaro,' with decided success, and subsequently performed Rosina in 'The Barber of Seville'; Lydia in Perry's 'Morning, Noon, and Night' (her first original part), and Polly in 'The Beggar's Opera.' On Oct. 19, 1822, she appeared at Covent Garden as Polly, and on Dec. 7 fully established herself by her impersonation of Mandane in Arne's 'Artaxerxes.' On July 22 [App. p.745 "July 23"], 1824, she achieved a great success in the part of the heroine in Weber's 'Der Freischütz,' then first produced in England. In the same year she was married in Scotland to Lord William Pitt Lennox, a younger son of the 4th Duke of Richmond, but continued her professional appearances under her maiden name. On April 12, 1836, on the production of Weber's 'Oberon,' she sustained the arduous part of Reiza to the entire satisfaction as well of the composer as the audience. Weber had previously written to his wife, 'Miss Paton is a singer of the very first rank, and will play Reiza divinely.' In the same letter he describes a concert in which Velluti and all the first Italians sang, at which 'she beat them all.' From that time she was at the head of her profession, alike in the theatre, the concert-room, and the oratorio orchestra. Her marriage was unfortunately not a happy one, and in June 1830 she separated from her husband, and on Feb. 26, 1831, obtained a decree of the Court of Session in Scotland dissolving the marriage. Shortly afterwards she was married to Mr. Joseph Wood, the tenor singer, and in the same year reappeared at Covent Garden and afterwards at the King's Theatre in 'La Cenerentola.' She was next engaged at Drury Lane, and appeared as Alice in an English version of Meyerbeer's 'Robert le Diable,' produced Feb. 20, 1832. She also sustained at various times the principal parts in the 'Sonnambula,' Barnett's 'Mountain Sylph,' etc., etc. In 1833 Mr. and Mrs. Wood began to reside at Woolley Moor, Yorkshire, an estate belonging to Mr. Wood, sen., and this remained their permanent home till 1854. In 1834 they paid a visit to the United States, and repeated it twice within the next few years. In April 1837 Mrs. Wood reappeared in London, and continued to perform until Feb. 1843, when she embraced the Roman Catholic religion, and took up her residence in the convent by Micklegate Bar, York. The change however was of short duration, and in July she quitted the convent. In 1844 she was engaged at the Princess's Theatre. She soon afterwards retired from her profession, and settled with her husband at Woolley Moor. Here she took a warm interest in the Anglican service at Chapelthorpe. She composed for it, formed and trained a choir, in which she herself took the leading part. In 1854 they left Yorkshire and went abroad. In 1863 they returned to Bulcliffe Hall, in the neighbourhood of Chapelthorpe, and there Mrs. Wood died, July 21, 1864, leaving a son (born at Woolley Moor in 1838) as the only representative of her family. Mrs. Wood's voice was a pure soprano, of extensive compass (A below the staff to D or E above), powerful, sweet-toned, and brilliant. She was mistress of the florid style, and had great powers of expression. She was renowned for her beauty, both of feature and expression, inherited from her mother, Miss Crawford of Cameron Bank; and the portraits of her are numerous, including those by Sir Thos. Lawrence, Sir W. Newton, Wageman, and others. Her younger sisters were both singers; Isabella appeared at Drury Lane about 1825, and Eliza at the Haymarket as Mandane in 1833.

[ W. H. H. ]