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Name
Caulfield, Thomas
Birth date
1766
Death date
1815
Biography
Thomas Caulfield was born in 1766, the son of a Clerkenwell music engraver. His brother James Caulfield (1764-1826) became a print-seller and publisher and his brother Joseph a music engraver. Two brothers, John and Samuel, were singers. After acting in the provinces from 1787 to 1791, Thomas made his London debut with the Drury Lane company (playing at the King’s Theatre while a new Drury Lane was under construction) as Trophonius in “The Cave of Trophonius” on 15 October 1791. Caulfield played numerous supporting roles that season and continued to be engaged at Drury Lane in winters and the Haymarket in summers through 1805, when he went to America. He acted in Boston, Providence, Charleston and New York. He died on stage in Kentucky in May 1815, as a result of ‘fit’ probably brought on by ‘taking too much refreshment.’ (BDA)