John Kane

Who was John Kane?

John Kane was an 18th-century actor and comedian of considerable distinction who met with an untimely death in 1799, involving a poisonous plant, perhaps hemlock or Aconitum.

Like the majority of his profession at the time, he moved around the country performing and spent a lot of his time in England. It was while fulfilling an engagement at the Opera House in Buxton that he died.

According to popular folklore Kane had a hearty appetite and was particularly partial to roast beef with horseradish sauce. Unfortunately, on that December night in 1799 in Buxton, whoever prepared the dish for Kane had made a grave error: Instead of picking wild horseradish the cook had mistakenly gathered Conium maculatum.

The result was the actor's own Greek tragedy; he is said to have suffered an agonizing death accompanied by the sort of dramatic contortions which fully befitted a leading actor's final exit.

His grave can be seen at the rear of St. Anne’s churchyard in Buxton. Because of his fame during his lifetime and the unusual tale of his having literally 'eaten himself to death', the gravestone has become a listed monument.