Flowers Final 28:02:25 - Flipbook - Page 34
At 22 he married Sarah Martineau and took his new wife on a tour of the brewery buildings. Together
ent to America where they met uncle George Flower and saw the Flower settlement of Albion. Later,
he helped to organise the 1864 tercentenary celebrations of Shakespeare's birth with his father, he was to
of a permanent theatre in Stratford for the ensemble performance of Shakespeare's plays.
Charles Edward Flower 1830-1892
The Shakespeare Memorial Theatre
4 Charles bought two acres of land and announced to the town council that he would donate a theatre to
rd as a Shakespeare memorial. Mark Twain who stayed with Charles supported the idea in a letter to the
ork Times. There was much opposition from the press who believed London to be a more fitting place
h a theatre. "A theatre built on beer" sneered the Saint James' magazine. More than half the cost came
Charles
harles Flower. Contributors from America included the showman, PT Barnum, who had even attempted
Shakespeare's birthplace and transport it brick by brick to America! In 1879, the theatre opened on
peare's birthday with an eight day inaugural festival. The first production was "Much ado About Nothing".
ition to the development of the theatre, Charles transformed the brewing operation. In 1870 he built a
new brewery, installing the very latest equipment. The fermentation vats were given names from
peare. Hamlet, Prince Hal, As You Like It, Measure for Measure and Falstaff.
l as selling more beer, Charles Flower brought a new life and energy to the Shakespearean tradition in
rd. He sought an atmosphere at the theatre which was creatively stimulating rather than purely "box office".
eas seem to have crystallised out of the methods of the German Meiningen company which were not to
in England until 1881. Their work was already celebrated in Europe and it was there constitution as a
lyy subsidised ensemble company that interested Charles. Subsidy was to be central to the Memorial
e's artistic development and most of the funds came from the Flower family themselves. In January 1883,
s spent his birthday with his father Edward Fordham, who was not well. On March 24th he died and there
procession
rocession through the streets of Stratford. The family had lost their guiding light and inspiration, but time
reveal similar talents in generations to come.
e Shakespeare Memorial festival in 1886 Charles engaged Frank Benson as the leading actor. He was one
ast old-style actor-managers and became a major influence in the development of the Memorial Theatre.
8 Charles became ill and the brewery and theatre passed into the hands of Edward Fordham's youngest
gar. He succeeded as chairman when his brother died in 1892.
