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Aquarium Theatre Great Yarmouth

Later The Royalty Theatre / Hollywood

The Aquarium, Marine Parade opened as an aquarium in 1883. Became a Theatre in 1896 - Oscar Wilde lectured here. A cinema from 1914. Became The Royalty in 1982. Renamed The Hollywood in 1992.

Arthur Lloyd is known to have performed here in 1870, 1886 and 1887 - "Mr Arthur Lloyd will Commence his Annual Tour of the Provinces on Monday, 15th August, at Yarmouth, with a Company of Select Artistes. Elegant Stage Fittings, Costly Dresses &c. No expense spared to render this the Best Entertainment travelling." - The Era.

Above - Notice in the ERA of the 14th of August 1870 - Mr. Arthur Lloyd is accompanied by a select company of artistes, and will visit the following towns the ensuing week: - Yarmouth, 15th, 16th, and 17th; Lynn, 18th; Boston, 19th; and Great Grimsby, 20th. Business Manager, Mr W. Morton. - Courtesy Emmi Birch.

The Royalty Theatre (originally the Aquarium) is still a cinema and theatre, with the original refreshment rooms at the rear being converted into a discotheque, now called ‘Rosie O’Grady’s’. The whole complex was once purchased by the Forte Group, who fitted the largest cinemascope screen in East Anglia. However it was later purchased by the Jay Leisure group, who now own many other entertainment establishments in Great Yarmouth. Now it has been leased to the Hollywood chain of cinemas, and has been recently refurbished boasting four screens, with plans for another two...

...The most unusual of the nationally important seaside architects were John Norton (1923-1904) and Philip Edward Masey (1823-97), designers of Great Yarmouth Aquarium (1875-6) and Tynemouth Winter Garden (1876-8) (left), both buildings incorporating an aquarium and a winter garden, and at the forefront of provision of rational recreation at the seaside.

Left - The Tynemouth Aquarium - From a postcard.

Neither development was successful, though the directors of the companies promoting the buildings appear to have profited from the ventures at the expense of the shareholders. Norton, a pupil of Benjamin Ferrey, had a large and lucrative country house practice, and his otherwise inexplicable involvement with the shady world of the aquarium companies must be attributed to his association with Masey...

Above text courtesy Lynn Pearson - From her Book 'The People's Palaces, Britain's Seaside Pleasure Buildings 1870-1914.