Programme cover from November 12th 1917

The Hippodrome, Commercial Road, Portsmouth. May 1st. 1939.

Tom Mix, 13th February 1939.

Claude Marner (1884-1936) Was born in St Pancras in 1884 & was to become a very popular theatre Manager. Managing the Holborn Empire, the Boscombe Hippodrome & the Alhambra theatre in Paris. He took up the position as acting Manager at the Kings theatre, Southsea in 1910 & was there for 2 years before he moved to the Palace theatre in Shaftesbury Avenue. It was at this theatre on 1st June 1912 that the first Royal Command performance was performed in front of King George 5th & Queen Mary. He moved back to Portsmouth in 1914 & became General manager of the Hippodrome in Commercial Road. It was in his office at the theatre that he was found dead on 11th May 1936 with knife wounds to his throat & wrists. The inquest stated that he had a fear of growing old, although only 52 & the verdict was 'suicide while the mental balance of his mind was disturbed'. A sad end for a much loved manager.