Digging into people's genealogical background often throws up some interesting info:

Fanny (Frances Wright) Edwards was a Burnley lass, born 1843 to a Scottish father, George, and Irish mother, Alice.

A lodger at their Curzon St. home in 1851 was an Edward Wilson, comedian, and one wonders whether this exposure to 'show business' at an early age was to influence her career path (the alternative was working in the cotton mill, presumably). She was already styled 'vocalist', aged 17, by the time the family had moved to Manchester.

Her sister Hannah (b.Burnley 1852) married the tenor Redfern Hollins (b.Sheffield) and adopted the stage name of Miss Annie Kinnaird. Husband and wife were both members of HC's travelling company (see above).

A brother George (b. Manchester 1855) adopted the name of Julian Edwards and became a successful composer on Broadway.

Interestingly, Fanny styled herself 'Fanny Clifton, widow' on the 1881 census.

Fanny Edwards