After performing in provincial theatres, Roxby appeared in London in 1839 at the St James's Theatre, under the management of Hooper.[who?]
In 1843, at the Theatre Royal, Manchester, he played many leading parts in comedy. He was for some years in London at the Lyceum Theatre or at Drury Lane, and was during eleven years stage manager at Drury Lane.[1]
He acted much with Charles Mathews, and was with him and Madame Vestris at the Lyceum from 1847 to 1855. This was the best part of his career.
In October 1855, he played, at Drury Lane, Rob Royland to the Mopus of Charles Mathews, in Married for Money, an adaptation of John Poole's The Wealthy Widow. In March 1858, he was the original Lord George Lavender in Joseph Stirling Coyne's The Love Knot. He played, in March 1860, an original part in Edward Fitzball's Christmas Eve, or the Duel in the Snow, and in November 1861 was the original Hardess Cregan in H. J. Byron's burlesqueMiss Eily O'Connor.[1]
At the Princesses's Theatre as stage manager, on 23 January 1863, he was seriously burnt in extinguishing a fire on the stage, in which two girls in the pantomime lost their lives. On the first appearance in London of Walter Montgomery at the Princess's as Othello, in June 1863, Roxby was Roderigo. At the close of the year he was again at Drury Lane, where,
On 25 July 1866, after a long illness, he died in London at the house of his brother William Roxby Beverle. Roxby is buried at Kensal Green Cemetery, London.[2]
