Nelson Wheatcroft

Nelson Wheatcroft (1852-1897) was an English born actor and drama teacher. He famously ran a drama school, at the Charles Frohman Empire Theatre, in the late Victorian era. He was married to Adeline Stanhope(Wheatcroft)(1856-1935). Their son Stanhope Wheatcroft(1888-1966) was a silent film actor.
He was born Christopher William Wheatcroft to William Wheatcroft and Emily Susanna Nelson. He changed his first name to his mother's maiden name. He met Jane Elizabeth Rogers in 1875 and they had five children two of who died in infancy. While his family lived in London, Wheatcroft, toured the country. He met Adeline Stanhope, a married woman whose husband was Thomas Amory Sullivan. They had two sons Stanhope and Barry Sullivan. While the elder Sullivan went to America Nelson and Adeline began a relationship. Sullivan returned from America and discovered his wife's adultery with Nelson Wheatcroft. After divorcing from Sullivan in 1882, Adeline in 1886 married Nelson Wheatcroft with whom she had a son, Stanhope Nelson Wheatcroft b.1888. At his death in 1897 Nelson Wheatcroft, formerly Christopher Wheatcroft, had not divorced his first wife Jane before marrying Adeline, thus was claimed a bigamist.