Sarah Thorne (10 May 1836 – 27 February 1899) was a British actress and actress-manager of the 19th century who managed the Theatre Royal at

Margate Margate is a seaside resort, seaside town on the north coast of Kent in south-east England. The town is estimated to be 1.5 miles long, north-east of Canterbury and includes Cliftonville, Garlinge, Palm Bay, UK, Palm Bay and Westbrook, Kent, ...

for many years. She ran a school for acting there which is widely regarded as Britain's first formal drama school.Thorne on the Theatre Royal Margate Archive website
/ref> The Sarah Thorne Theatre Club in Broadstairs is named in her memory.

Early life

Sarah Thorne was born in London in 1836, the eldest of ten children born to Richard Samuel Thorne (1813–1875), an actor and

theatre manager Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The perform ...

who managed the

Surrey Theatre The Surrey Theatre, London began life in 1782 as the Royal Circus and Equestrian Philharmonic Academy, one of the many circuses that provided entertainment of both horsemanship and drama (hippodrama). It stood in Blackfriars Road, near the jun ...

, and his wife, Sarah née Rogers (1812–1896). Two of her younger brothers were

Thomas Thorne Thomas Thorne (1841–1918) was an English actor and theatre manager. Thomas Thorne was one of the founding managers of London's Vaudeville Theatre, along with David James and Henry James Montague, and performed leading roles in many of the p ...

, one of the founding managers of London's

Vaudeville Theatre The Vaudeville Theatre is a West End theatre on the Strand in the City of Westminster. As the name suggests, the theatre held mostly vaudeville shows and musical revues in its early days. It opened in 1870 and was rebuilt twice, although each ...

, and George Thorne, the singer and actor, best known for his performances in the comic

baritone A baritone is a type of classical male singing voice whose vocal range lies between the bass and the tenor voice-types. The term originates from the Greek (), meaning "heavy sounding". Composers typically write music for this voice in the r ...

roles of the

Savoy Operas Savoy opera was a style of comic opera that developed in Victorian England in the late 19th century, with W. S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan as the original and most successful practitioners. The name is derived from the Savoy Theatre, which impr ...

with the

D'Oyly Carte Opera Company The D'Oyly Carte Opera Company is a professional British light opera company that, from the 1870s until 1982, staged Gilbert and Sullivan's Savoy operas nearly year-round in the UK and sometimes toured in Europe, North America and elsewhere. Th ...

. Sarah Thorne made her stage debut aged 12 on 26 December 1848 in a

pantomime Pantomime (; informally panto) is a type of musical comedy stage production designed for family entertainment. It was developed in England and is performed throughout the United Kingdom, Ireland and (to a lesser extent) in other English-speaking ...

produced by her father at the Pavilion Theatre, Whitechapel. Over the next few years she went on to appear in stock companies all over Great Britain. On 6 August 1855 she joined her father's company for the summer season at

. Thorne then moved to Ireland where she stayed for three seasons, appearing as the leading lady at the

Theatre Royal, Dublin Over the centuries, there have been five theatres in Dublin called the Theatre Royal. In the history of the theatre in Great Britain and Ireland, the designation "Theatre Royal", or "Royal Theatre", once meant that a theatre had been granted a r ...

Desdemona Desdemona () is a character in William Shakespeare's play ''Othello'' (c. 1601–1604). Shakespeare's Desdemona is a Venetian beauty who enrages and disappoints her father, a Venetian senator, when she elopes with Othello, a Moorish Venetian ...

in ''

Othello ''Othello'' (full title: ''The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice'') is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare, probably in 1603, set in the contemporary Ottoman–Venetian War (1570–1573) fought for the control of the Island of Cypru ...

'' opposite

Charles Kean Charles John Kean (18 January 181122 January 1868), was an English actor and theatre manager, best known for his revivals of Shakespearean plays. Life Kean was born at Waterford, Ireland, a son of actor Edmund Kean and actress Mary Kean (''ne ...

, and playing

Lady Macbeth Lady Macbeth is a leading character in William Shakespeare's tragedy '' Macbeth'' (). As the wife of the play's tragic hero, Macbeth (a Scottish nobleman), Lady Macbeth goads her husband into committing regicide, after which she becomes quee ...

Gustavus Vaughan Brooke Gustavus Vaughan Brooke (25 April 1818 – 11 January 1866), commonly referred to as G. V. Brooke, was an Irish stage actor who enjoyed success in Ireland, England and Australia. Early life Brooke was born in Dublin, Ireland, the eldest son of ...

's ''

Macbeth ''Macbeth'' (, full title ''The Tragedie of Macbeth'') is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. It is thought to have been first performed in 1606. It dramatises the damaging physical and psychological effects of political ambition on those w ...

''. Thorne then toured Ireland and

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

. She married the Irish political author and biographer

Thomas Macknight Thomas Macknight (15 February 1829 – 19 November 1899) was an Anglo-Irish newspaper editor, Biography, biographer and publisher. He was the originator of the Two Nations Theory (Ireland), Two Nations Theory in 1896, which argues that the Ulst ...

. They had two children during their three years together, Edmund (b. 1860) and Elizabeth (b. 1862), but due to incompatibility the couple separated soon after the birth of their daughter.

Actress-manager

Returning to the United Kingdom, from August 1863 to 1865 she appeared in leading roles in Paisley and Edinburgh. She also appeared in

Jersey Jersey ( , ; nrf, Jèrri, label=Jèrriais ), officially the Bailiwick of Jersey (french: Bailliage de Jersey, links=no; Jèrriais: ), is an island country and self-governing Crown Dependencies, Crown Dependency near the coast of north-west F ...

. From October 1865 to March 1866 she played the leading female roles in the plays of

Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

at the National Standard Theatre in

Shoreditch High Street Shoreditch High Street is the old main street of Shoreditch, London. It is part of the A10 road and connects Norton Folgate to the south with Kingsland Road to the north. It constitutes a segment of the Roman Ermine Street, which ran directl ...

. She became an actress-manager in 1867 when she took over the lease of the Theatre Royal,

from her father, Richard Samuel Thorne. Sarah Thorne declared that, under her management, she intended to offer the "newest pieces approved in the metropolis as occasion permits" but also would not forget to produce "old and legitimate productions". When the theatre's lease was sold at auction in August 1873 she was forced to hold a less responsible managerial role during 1874. Christmas 1874 saw her return to Margate during the tour of her annual pantomime. In March 1876 Thorne took over the Theatre Royal at

Worcester Worcester may refer to: Places United Kingdom * Worcester, England, a city and the county town of Worcestershire in England ** Worcester (UK Parliament constituency), an area represented by a Member of Parliament * Worcester Park, London, Englan ...

as actress-manager. Here she booked touring companies as well as having her own company of actors producing both classical and new drama. When the Theatre Royal burnt down in November 1877 Thorne founded a touring company which included the veteran actor

Charles James Mathews Charles James Mathews (26 December 1803 – 24 June 1878) was a British actor. He was one of the few British actors to be successful in French-speaking roles in France. A son of the actor Charles Mathews, he achieved a greater reputation than ...

. The lease of the Theatre Royal in

becoming once again available, in January 1879 Thorne returned to that venue, booking touring companies which included that of her brother

, one of the founding managers of London's

. In late 1879 she leased

Astley's Amphitheatre Astley's Amphitheatre was a performance venue in London opened by Philip Astley in 1773, considered the first modern circus ring. It was burned and rebuilt several times, and went through many owners and managers. Despite no trace of the theatr ...

in London for a short period. Here she appeared with another brother, George Thorne, who had trained under her as an actor. It is claimed that Thorne had a "somewhat imperious manner"

School of acting

Thorne opened her 'School of Acting' in 1885, based at the Theatre Royal in

. Open to both men and women, her apprentices included

Harley Granville-Barker Harley Granville-Barker (25 November 1877 – 31 August 1946) was an English actor, director, playwright, manager, critic, and theorist. After early success as an actor in the plays of George Bernard Shaw, he increasingly turned to directi ...

Louis Calvert Louis James Calvert (25 November 1859 – 18 July 1923) was a British stage and early film actor of the late 19th and early 20th centuries and an actor-manager. He is perhaps best remembered today for having created roles in plays by George ...

Gertrude Kingston Gertrude Kingston (24 September 1862 – 7 November 1937) (born Gertrude Angela Kohnstamm) was an actress, an English actor-manager and artist. Early life Kingston was born in Islington in London, the daughter of merchant Heiman Kohnstamm and h ...

, Julia Stewart,

Evelyn Millard Evelyn Mary Millard (18 September 1869 – 9 March 1941) was an English Shakespearean actress, actor-manager and "stage beauty" of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries perhaps best known for creating the role of Cecily Cardew in the ...

Janet Achurch Janet Achurch (17 January 1863 – 11 September 1916) was an English stage actress and actor-manager. She made her London debut in 1883. She played many Shakespearean roles, but is best known as a pioneer of major roles in the works of Ibsen a ...

Adelaide Neilson Lilian Adelaide Neilson (3 March 184815 August 1880), born Elizabeth Ann Brown, was a British stage actress. Early life Neilson was the daughter of a strolling actress, Anne Brown, and was born, out of wedlock, at 35 St Peters Square Leeds ...

, her brother George Thorne and

Irene Irene is a name derived from εἰρήνη (eirēnē), the Greek for "peace". Irene, and related names, may refer to: * Irene (given name) Places * Irene, Gauteng, South Africa * Irene, South Dakota, United States * Irene, Texas, United Stat ...

and

Violet Vanbrugh Violet Vanbrugh (11 June 1867 – 10 November 1942), born Violet Augusta Mary Barnes, was an English actress with a career that spanned more than 50 years. Despite her many successes, her career was overshadowed by that of her more famous sister ...

. Thorne's 'School of Acting' is widely regarded as being Britain's first formal drama school.

Later years

In 1894 Thorne leased the

Chatham Chatham may refer to: Places and jurisdictions Canada * Chatham Islands (British Columbia) * Chatham Sound, British Columbia * Chatham, New Brunswick, a former town, now a neighbourhood of Miramichi * Chatham (electoral district), New Brunswic ...

Lecture Hall, renaming it the Opera House; it became an alternative venue for her theatrical company. Her last theatrical appearance was in Margate during her benefit in September 1898. Sarah Thorne died at 3 New Road Avenue,

Chatham, Kent Chatham ( ) is a town located within the Medway unitary authority in the ceremonial county of Kent, England. The town forms a conurbation with neighbouring towns Gillingham, Rochester, Strood and Rainham. The town developed around Chatham ...

on 27 February 1899. She was buried at

Brompton Cemetery Brompton Cemetery (originally the West of London and Westminster Cemetery) is a London cemetery, managed by The Royal Parks, in West Brompton in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. It is one of the Magnificent Seven cemeteries. Estab ...

West Brompton West Brompton is an area of south-west London, that straddles the boundary between the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham and Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. The centuries-old boundary was traced by Counter's Creek, now lost be ...

, London on 3 March 1899. After her death her son and business manager, Edmund Macknight, took over the leases of the Opera House at Chatham and the Theatre Royal in Margate. Her daughter Elizabeth married the

actor-manager An actor-manager is a leading actor who sets up their own permanent theatrical company and manages the business, sometimes taking over a theatre to perform select plays in which they usually star. It is a method of theatrical production used co ...

Henry Dundas in 1883. Thorne's nephew, the son of her sister Emily (died 5 March 1907)"Death of a Well Known Actress – By the death of Miss Emily Thorne, the well remembered and, in her time, popular actress, another of Margate's notable successes in the profession of drama has been removed from us. Miss Emily Thorne, who in private life was Mrs Gillmore, and the mother of Frank Gillmore, a prominent actor and playwright, was one of the numerous family of the late Mr Richard Thorne, a favourite actor in his day. Lessee of the Theatre Royal, Margate and afterwards of the Pavilion in London. Her sister, Sarah, who died a few years since, was intimately connected with the stage and in her 'school' at Margate some of our best known present day performers were trained. Miss Thorne was a sister of Mr Thomas Thorne, one of the original proprietors of the Vaudeville Theatre, also of Mr Fred Thorne and of Mr George Thorne an actor long identified with 'Grossmith parts' in the

Gilbert and Sullivan Gilbert and Sullivan was a Victorian era, Victorian-era theatrical partnership of the dramatist W. S. Gilbert (1836–1911) and the composer Arthur Sullivan (1842–1900), who jointly created fourteen comic operas between 1871 and 1896, of which ...

operas on tour. Miss Thorne made her appearance in London in 1859, as Sally Scraggs in the old farce 'Stage Struck'. Her last appearance was at the Strand seven or eight years ago, when nearly the whole of the Thorne family took part in a farcical comedy at a matinee." ''Isle of Thanet Gazette'' 16 March 1907 and her husband, actor Frank Parker Gillmore, was the actor and playwright

Frank Gillmore Frank Parker Gillmore (May 14, 1867 – March 29, 1943) was an American playwright and a stage and early film actor. He was a founder and former President of Actor's Equity. He was born in New York City to John Parker Gillmore and his actre ...

. His daughters were the actresses

Ruth Gillmore Ruth Emily Gillmore (26 October 1899 - 12 February 1976) was an English-born American stage actress. Early years Gillmore was the daughter of Frank Gillmore, former president of Actors' Equity, and actress Laura MacGillivray and the sister of ...

and

Margalo Gillmore Margaret Lorraine "Margalo" Gillmore (31 May 1897 – 30 June 1986) was an English-born American actress who had a long career as a stage actress on Broadway. She also appeared in films and TV series, mostly in the 1950s and early 1960s. Family ...

References

External links

Playbill from 1868 for the Pavilion Theatre, Whitechapel – East London Theatre Archive
–

University of East London , mottoeng = Knowledge and the fulfilment of vows , established = 1898 – West Ham Technical Institute1952 – West Ham College of Technology1970 – North East London Polytechnic1989 – Polytechnic of East London ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Thorne, Sarah 1836 births 1899 deaths 19th-century English actresses Actor-managers Actresses from London People from Margate Women of the Victorian era Burials at Brompton Cemetery Actresses from Kent 19th-century theatre managers Women theatre managers and producers