Nell Gwyn 1650-1687
Before the Restoration of the Monarchy in 1660 female parts in the theatre had been played by men in drag, but in the reign of Charles II ladies took to the boards for the first time.
Nell was spotted selling fruit in Drury Lane, London by an actor who helped her to make her stage debut in Dryden's The Indian Emperor 1665 at the Theatre Royal which was only built two years prior to that.
To be honest she was not the world's greatest actress but grew popular due to her charismatic charm and vivacity, which made her successful in comedy.
She was first noticed by the king when reciting the funny epilogue of another of Dryden's plays, Tyrannic Love.
Captivated by her sultry looks and humorous charm she became his mistress and stopped performing. He called her "Pretty, witty Nell", she him "Charles III", because she had known two men called Charles before.
Titles were bestowed on their sons, and one of their grandson's became Bishop Beauclerk of Hereford, his palace standing only a stone's throw from the humble dwelling where Nell was born. Hereford is indebted to him for laying out the Castle Green, Hereford Castle having been slighted during the Civil War.
One place that Nell used to rendezvous with Charles was in the Red Lion Tavern, in Crown Passage because there was a secret pass there from St James's Palace.
She also gave the idea for the uniform of London's famous Chelsea Pensioners which is based on the one for Conningsby Hospital in Widemarsh street, founded by Thomas Coningsby, the great-grandfather of Thomas Coningsby who staunched the wound of William III at the battle of the Boyne in 1690. Its Old Servitors used to wear scarlet coats.
The Merry Monarch was very fond of Nell, and his dying words were "Let not poor Nelly starve". Indeed he awarded her a pension of 1,500 pounds per year for "faithful service".
Nell is buried in St Martin-in-the-Fields church, Trafalgar Square, along with other famous people as Hogarth, Joshua Reynolds and Jack Sheppard the notorious highwayman.
Nell has herself been the subject of several works of drama, for example Paul Kester's Sweet Nell of Drury Lane 1900.