William Charles James (Lewin) Terriss (1847 - 1897)

Born 20 Feb 1847 in London, England

Ancestors

Husband of Isabel (Lewis) Lewin — married 15 Sep 1870 in Holy Trinity Church, Westminster, London, England

Died 16 Dec 1897 at age 50 in Adelphi Theatre, London, England

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Biography

William Charles James Lewin was born in 1847 in London.^{[1] [2]} He was an English actor; he used the stage name of William Terriss. He was a Shakespearian performer, performing as Cassio in Othello and Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet. ^[3] He was also well known for his hero roles, such as Robin Hood. ^[4]

His ghost is said to haunt the Covent Garden tube station and the Adelphi Theatre where he was murdered. ^[5]

William Terriss and Jessie Millward

Richard Arbor Prince

William Terriss was a popular Victorian Actor who was murdered by a rival Actor during the run of The Secret Service, December 16, 1897. The murderer was Richard Arbor Prince who had a minor role in the play.^[6] William Terriss and Richard Prince had become known to each other.^[7] William Terriss helped the younger actor to find work in various productions. Richard Prince became more mentally unstable and had become known as Mad Archer.^[8] Richard Prince stabbed William with a knife during the early evening as William opened the stage door in Maiden Lane^[9]. As he died, his lover actress Jessie Millward, heard him whisper I will come back. ^[10]. William Terriss was stabbed in the back, side and chest. When the police caught Prince he told police,^[11] I did it for revenge. He had kept me out of employment for ten years, and I had either to die in the street or kill him. Richard Prince was tried and convicted of murder, but was found insane. He was sent to Broadmoor Criminal Lunatic Asylum, where he died in 1936.

Legend has it that William Terriss's ghost haunts the Covent Garden tube station and the ^[12] Adelphi Theatre.^[13] In 1928, a young actress was resting on a couch before a performance. The couch she was lying on began to shake and she then saw an eerie green mist. She felt something grab her arms, but nothing was there. Her arms were bruised for several days. The actress found out later that her dressing room was once used by Jessie Millward. William Terriss use to knock twice on her door with his walking stick as he passed. Several employees also witnessed William Terriss' ghost at the theatre, dressed in Victorian attire. He always appeared from a green mist, frightening visitors. There have reports on the London Underground, that a ghost has been seen many times at the Covent Garden tube station, identified from a photograph as William Terriss. The last sighting of the ghost in the Covent Garden Station occurred in 1972, but staff members still hear footsteps and whispering in the station.