▁was ▁twelve ▁years ▁old ▁published ▁two ▁sets ▁of ▁pian of orte ▁son at as . ▁She ▁now ▁began ▁to ▁turn ▁her ▁attention ▁to ▁the ▁cultiv ation ▁of ▁her ▁voice , ▁and ▁at ▁the ▁early ▁age ▁of ▁four teen ▁appeared ▁at ▁a ▁public ▁concert ▁in ▁Oxford . ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 3 ▁October ▁ 1 7 8 3 ▁she ▁was ▁married ▁under ▁her ▁mother ' s ▁ma iden ▁name , ▁W ier man , ▁at ▁Lamb eth ▁Church ▁to ▁James ▁Bill ington , ▁a ▁double - b ass ▁player ▁in ▁the ▁Dr ury ▁Lane ▁or chestra , ▁from ▁whom ▁she ▁had ▁had ▁less ons ▁in ▁singing . ▁Im medi ately ▁after ▁their ▁marriage ▁the ▁Bill ing tons ▁went ▁to ▁Dublin , ▁where ▁she ▁made ▁her ▁first ▁appearance ▁on ▁the ▁stage ▁in ▁the ▁part ▁of ▁E ury d ice . ▁After ▁singing ▁at ▁Water ford ▁and ▁other ▁towns ▁in ▁Ireland ▁she ▁returned ▁to ▁London ▁in ▁ 1 7 8 6 , ▁and ▁was ▁offered ▁an ▁eng agement ▁at ▁Cov ent ▁Garden ▁for ▁three ▁night s ▁only , ▁but ▁she ▁ins isted ▁on ▁being ▁engaged ▁for ▁twelve ▁night s , ▁at ▁a ▁sal ary ▁of ▁£ 1 2 ▁a ▁week . ▁On ▁these ▁terms ▁she ▁was ▁announced ▁to ▁appear ▁on ▁ 1 4 ▁Feb . ▁ 1 7 8 6 , ▁but ▁the ▁ren own ▁she ▁had ▁already ▁won ▁in ▁Dublin ▁had ▁preced ed ▁her , ▁and ▁' by ▁command ▁of ▁their ▁maj est ies ' ▁she ▁appeared ▁on ▁the ▁ 1 3 th ▁as ▁Ros