Martin Marshall
Left: Martin in 1944 with his wife Elsie, him as MacHeath and her as Polly, in a production of the Beggars' Opera.
As a young man, he could have had a career in opera but preferred to stay with his family and be engaged politically. Also a talented painter, his activities for the Communist Party in the 1930s included campaigning for aid to Spain and organising the Birmingham tenants' strike of 1939.
In 1940, he became a founding member of Birmingham's Clarion Choir. Along with his wife, Elsie (see separate entry), and was an active and leading member, indeed Chair, until his death in 1984.
Source: `Shining Vision', programme for Clarion tribute to Martin Marshall 20th April 1985
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