This image of the English actress, Ellen Terry (1847-1928) when she was 16, was photographed by Julia Margaret Cameron in 1864, early on in Cameron's professional photographic career. Ellen Terry had made her first stage appearance at the age of nine, becoming the most popular child actress in Britain. She became the most famous of her day in her adult career when in 1878 she joined the Henry Irving company at the Lyceum Theatre as his leading lady. In partnership with Irving she was regarded in her most famous roles as the leading Shakespearean actress for the next 20 years. She appeared in many theatres, toured the USA 7 times, became the manager of the Imperial Theatre concentrating on the plays of Ibsen and Shaw; she lectured in Britain, Australia and the USA, appeared in many war benefits during WW1, and, in 1917 revealed her movie talents in several successful films.