She’s so pretty and seems so nice! The first picture of her is very reminiscent of pictures taken of other famous stage actresses of her time, it only makes sense that she as an actress would pose in similar ways. I also like the interesting design/texture of her dress in that same photo. I also love how iconic the second photo is, she must have been so amazing to see on stage.

I would love to have been able to meet her and ask her which of her acting roles were her favorite and if there were any roles she wish she could have played but never has the chance to.

Some facts about her:

\-she was born in Glasgow, Scotland.

\-she had one brother, James, who was of typical height.

\-she first traveled to the United States with her mother and brother in 1861.

\-she was reported to have been between 28 inches tall (71 cm.) and 36 inches tall (91 cm.), I’ve also read that her peak height was 41 inches tall (104 cm.).

\-she was hired by P.T. Barnum in 1863 and gave her the stage name “The Queen of Scotland”. She toured with Barnum until 1877.

\-it was reported that she made around $500 a week in the early 1880s.

\-she was described as being very charming and likable.

\-her mother always accompanied her on her travels and it’s reported that the two of them had a very strong bond.

\-she would live with her family in Chicago, Illinois during the circus/sideshow off season, her family had purchased property there by the time she started her performing career.

\-she spent much of her performing career as part of the Lilliputian Comic Opera Company which she toured with for at least 24 years, starting in 1877 and ending around 1901. The primary actors in this opera company were all born with forms of dwarfism.

\-some of the plays she starred in include: Cinderella, Pocahontas, and Jack the Giant Killer. She was often given leading roles.

\-she also provided entertainment in the form of singing and dancing routines during stage play intermissions.

\-she enjoyed making grand entrances and would routinely show up on stage in a miniature carriage scaled to her height and being pulled by a Shetland pony.

\-she was highly regarded as an actress, with multiple reviews of the plays she starred in making mention of her talents.

\-she never married although she had an on and off romance with Charles Nestel, who was another performer born with dwarfism.

\-it’s rumored she was also romantically involved with Commodore Nutt, earlier in her acting career (he was another famous little person performer who I will be doing a write up about)

\-she toured all throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe.

\-it was rumored in newspapers that she owned a dress worth $1,000.

\-while touring through England, she met and performed a song and dance routine for Queen Victoria.

\-she retired from performing and acting in 1917.

\-she came out of retirement a little bit in the early 1930s when she appeared at the “Lilliputian Village” exhibit at the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair. It was here that she also celebrated her 83rd birthday, in which a large celebration was planned.

\-she passed away at the age of 85 at the home owned by her nephew in Chicago. She was cremated. 

I’m so glad she was able to follow her passion for acting, and I would have loved to have been able to see one of the stage plays she starred in. It would be wonderful to see her as Cinderella and to see the beautiful dresses she must have worn!

Jennie Quigley (1850-1936) was a famous Scottish stage actress and sideshow performer who was born with a form of dwarfism. She was described as being very charming and likable with a flair for the dramatic!