A look at the life and career of 18th-century actress, singer, feminist author and campaigner Kitty Clive, in this display in the Handel Gallery

Kitty Clive, born Catherine Raftor, was a star of the London stage. She sang in Handel’s first London performance of Messiah in 1743, and he created the role of Dalila for her in his oratorio Samson the same year. Clive cultivated her popular image as an actress and fought public battles in the media to achieve greater rights for theatrical performers. She also wrote and performed in several satirical sketches with feminist undertones, and published a pamphlet, The case of Mrs Clive, exposing her ill-treatment by the theatre managers.

In this in-focus display in the Handel Gallery, you could have learnt about Kitty Clive’s rise to fame from humble origins to star of the London stage.