Leslie Evershed-Martin

Leslie Eric Evershed-Martin
CBE
Born(1903-05-25)25 May 1903
Clapham, London
Died7 January 1994(1994-01-07) (aged 90)
NationalityBritish
Occupation(s)Theatre impresario, city councillor and optician

Leslie Eric Evershed-Martin, CBE (1903–1991) was a British theatre manager, city councillor and optician, and founder of the Chichester Festival Theatre.[1]

Evershed-Martin was born in Clapham, London in 1903. His father was a bank manager, and he trained as an optician. He was twice Mayor of Chichester and founded Chichester Players in 1933.[2] In 1959, Evershed-Martin founded the Chichester Festival Theatre, and then successfully raised the funding to see this 'Impossible theatre' built, in 1960.[3] The theatre opened with Laurence Olivier as its first artistic director, and attracted a host of prominent directors during its first two decades.[1] In July 1963 he was recognised with the award of member (serving brother) of the Order of Saint John.[4] He was awarded an OBE in June 1967,[5] and a CBE in June 1990 for his services to theatre.[6]

He was married with two sons and died in 1991.

  1. ^ a b "Obituary: Leslie Evershed-Martin". The Independent. 28 January 1994.
  2. ^ "1994: Leslie". Chichester Festival Theatre.
  3. ^ "Chichester Festival Theatre - how it all began..."
  4. ^ "Page 5648 | Issue 43045, 2 July 1963 | London Gazette | The Gazette". www.thegazette.co.uk.
  5. ^ "Page 6281 | Supplement 44326, 2 June 1967 | London Gazette | The Gazette". www.thegazette.co.uk.
  6. ^ "Page 8 | Issue 52173, 15 June 1990 | London Gazette | The Gazette". www.thegazette.co.uk.