Toby Jones, star of Mr Bates vs The Post Office, was left speechless after uncovering remarkable details about his family history on the BBC series Who Do You Think You Are? The 59-year-old actor learned that his great-great-great-grandmother, Sarah Thorne, was a pioneering theatre manager who established one of the UK's first drama schools in the 1800s.
A Theatre Pioneer in Margate
Jones began his journey by visiting his two brothers to construct a family tree, which revealed five generations of actresses on his mother's side, tracing back to Sarah Thorne. To learn more, he traveled to Margate, where Thorne managed the Theatre Royal Margate. There, he met Hayley White, who is leading the theatre's restoration. White showed Jones a written interview Thorne gave in 1895, along with reviews of her performances.
White explained that Thorne ran a drama school at the theatre, stating: 'Yeah, so we believe one of the first-ever UK drama schools was set up by Sarah Thorne, here, in this very theatre. We also know that until that point, acting had been largely handed down and taught in families. So, this is the first professionalism of acting and performances as a skill and as a career.' Jones replied: 'Wow. This is while she was the theatre manager here? How interesting, what an extraordinary woman.'
Confirming Indian Heritage
Later in the episode, Jones explored his father's side of the family. He had long suspected Indian roots, a notion the family had dismissed. In Stoke, he met Ben Miller, curator of ceramics at a museum, who revealed that Jones's great-great-grandfather had married a woman born in India, confirming his father's instincts. Miller then dropped a bombshell: 'There's something else I feel I need to reveal at this point in time. I was visiting my mum, who still lives locally. She showed me a letter from a TV production company saying they were interested in researching the family history. A branch of her family was of interest to them. So, we're related. It's quite the coincidence, I know, it really is. So John and Jane are also my mother's great-great-grandparents, which makes us third cousins once removed.' Jones shook Miller's hand and joked, 'That's extraordinary!'
Who Do You Think You Are? is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
