Marjorie Lillian Dence MBE (14 June 1901 – 23 August 1966) was a British actress and the first female theatre manager and owner in Scotland, based in Perth.

Life

left, Perth Theatre in 2008 Dence was born in

Teddington Teddington is an affluent suburb of London in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. Historically an Civil parish#ancient parishes, ancient parish in the county of Middlesex and situated close to the border with Surrey, the district became ...

in 1901. Her parents were Annie Eleanor Searle and Ernest Martin Dence (d. 1937) who was a brass-founder and company director. Dence went to University in London where she joined the local dramatic society, where she met David Steuart. In 1934 they were both members of the

Lena Ashwell Players Lena Margaret Ashwell, Lady Simson ( Pocock; 28 September 1872 – 13 March 1957) was a British actress and theatre manager and producer, known as the first to organise large-scale entertainment for troops at the front, which she did during Wo ...

. Dence's management career began when her father decided to buy the theatre in Perth after Marjorie saw it advertised for £4,000 in

The Stage ''The Stage'' is a British weekly newspaper and website covering the entertainment industry and particularly theatre. Founded in 1880, ''The Stage'' contains news, reviews, opinion, features, and recruitment advertising, mainly directed at thos ...

. Dence's parents appointed her as manager and she and David Steuart found another £1,000 to refit the theatre. David was an actor and close friend but they were (only) business partners. Dence appointed the new theatre's company and in 1935 they staged their first play ''The Rose without a Thorn'' by

Clifford Bax Clifford Lea Bax (13 July 1886 – 18 November 1962)Armorial Families: A Directory of Gentlemen of Coat-Armour, A. C. Fox-Davies, T. C. & E. C. Jack, 1910, p. 106 was a versatile English writer, known particularly as a playwright, a journalist, ...

followed by others each week. Dence and Steuart created the "Perth Repertory Company" which was the first professional theatre company in Scotland, led by a woman. In 1937 her father died and she became the owner of the theatre. Finances were slim and the theatre closed for three months in 1937 and 1938 but the following year they created Scotland's first Theatre Festival just before the second world war started. During the war the theatre was organised and staffed by the company. The actors lived in the theatre and they undertook all the jobs necessary to keep the theatre running. The theatre made a profit and those profits were shared equally with the company. Dence was a Justice of the Peace. She was made an MBE in

1952 Events January–February * January 26 – Cairo Fire, Black Saturday in Kingdom of Egypt, Egypt: Rioters burn Cairo's central business district, targeting British and upper-class Egyptian businesses. * February 6 ** Princess Elizabeth, ...

for Services to the

Festival of Britain The Festival of Britain was a national exhibition and fair that reached millions of visitors throughout the United Kingdom in the summer of 1951. Labour Party cabinet member Herbert Morrison was the prime mover; in 1947 he started with the ...

Death and legacy

Marjorie Dence Plaque in Perth Theatre hallway

Dence died in 1966 in Perth. Under the terms of her will the theatre was offered to the city of Perth for the fixed price of £5,000. This was equal to the original investment in the 1930s. There is a plaque in Perth Theatre's foyer recording Dence's contribution to the city.

Wire Sculpture

"Raise the Roof" 2022, (Visit Scotland Media Toolkit ), a Visit Scotland Year of Stories, event in Perth, conducted a project to create artistic wire sculptures of notable Perth Women, including Dence. The Wire Women project took place as part of Perth and Kinross’ Year of Stories' with community groups, creatives and cultural organisations sharing the stories of women. Dence was No 17 of 20 wire sculptures which were set out in a trail around Perth City Centre. The Dence sculpture was situated outside the Theatre's High Street entrance but was subject to vandalism whilst it was sited there.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dence, Marjorie 1901 births 1966 deaths Actors from the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames English theatre managers and producers Actors from Perth, Scotland Theatre owners 20th-century English actresses Members of the Order of the British Empire People from Teddington Actresses from Perth and Kinross 20th-century English businesspeople 20th-century English businesswomen Businesspeople from London 20th-century theatre managers