John Kane (1746 in Ireland â€" 1799 in Buxton, Derbyshire) was an
18th-century actor and comedian of considerable distinction who died
in 1799, with his death involving a poisonous plant, perhaps hemlock
or Aconitum.Like the majority of his profession at the time, he moved
around the country performing and spent a lot of his time in England.
The playbill for the Buxton Theatre from 25 August 1792 shows that he
was playing the 'Old Cockney' character in a farce called Romp. It was
while fulfilling an engagement at the Buxton Theatre that he
died.According to popular folklore Kane had a large appetite and
particularly enjoyed roast beef with horseradish sauce. In 1799 in
Buxton, whoever prepared the dish for Kane had accidentally gathered
Conium maculatum (the European species of hemlock) instead of wild
horseradish.His grave can be seen at the rear of St. Anne's churchyard
in Buxton. Because of his fame during his lifetime and distinction of
his having literally 'eaten himself to death', the gravestone has
become a listed monument.
18th-century actor and comedian of considerable distinction who died
in 1799, with his death involving a poisonous plant, perhaps hemlock
or Aconitum.Like the majority of his profession at the time, he moved
around the country performing and spent a lot of his time in England.
The playbill for the Buxton Theatre from 25 August 1792 shows that he
was playing the 'Old Cockney' character in a farce called Romp. It was
while fulfilling an engagement at the Buxton Theatre that he
died.According to popular folklore Kane had a large appetite and
particularly enjoyed roast beef with horseradish sauce. In 1799 in
Buxton, whoever prepared the dish for Kane had accidentally gathered
Conium maculatum (the European species of hemlock) instead of wild
horseradish.His grave can be seen at the rear of St. Anne's churchyard
in Buxton. Because of his fame during his lifetime and distinction of
his having literally 'eaten himself to death', the gravestone has
become a listed monument.
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