Incledon, Charles Benjamin

1763-1826

English tenor singer; son of a Cornish doctor. Born at St. Keveran. At eight years of age he was placed with the well-known William Jackson of Exeter Cathedral Choir, under whom he made rapid progress. But disliking the hard drill he entered the navy in 1779. On his return to England, Incledon joined the Collins Company, appearing in Southampton in 1784 as Alphonso in The Castle of Andalusia. At Bath the next year he was instructed and introduced to the public by Rauzzini. He sang at Vauxhall Gardens in 1788, and at Covent Garden in 1790, as Dermot in the Poor Soldier, and by his performance of Sound an Alarm made his reputation as the first singer of the land. Beginning in 1802 he made tours through the provinces, and later he was warmly received in America. He made his farewell appearance on the stage at the English Opera House in 1822, but gave a few performances afterwards at various towns. On one of these occasions he died suddenly at Worcester. Incledon with his natural voice of remarkable compass, and his inimitable rendering of English songs, was dearly beloved by the British public.