Holder's Grand Concert Rooms, 88, 89, 90, Coleshill Street, Birmingham.

Later - The Gaiety Theatre of Varieties / The Gaiety Picture House

Birmingham Index

Above - Holder's Grand Concert Rooms, Birmingham, later the Gaiety Theatre

This Music Hall was opened on the 24th June 1846 by Henry Holder who was the proprietor of the Rodney Inn at No.87 next door (both shown above.)

It was known as Holders Hotel and Concert Hall on its opening but would later become Holder's Grand Concert Hall eventually accommodating some 2,500 people. It had many changes of proprietors during its time including Soward and Gardner who took over in 1863, John Soward junior in 1867, John Judd and Company in 1871, who changed the name to The Birmingham Concert Hall, and Phillips and Chowles who took over in 1876.

Right - A programme for Holder's Grand Concert Hall during the management of T. Gardner & Co between 1863 and 1867. On the Bill were Miss Crosley, Mr. Arthur Lloyd, Lawrence & Manning, Mrs. Mears, and Miss Smythson - Courtesy Ian Gibb whose G G Grandmother was Mary Ann Mears, who appeared on the Bill of this programme - Click to see entire Programme.

In 1886 Charles Barnard became the proprietor, and changed the name, to the Gaiety Concert Hall.

Left - A Music Hall Entrance Token for Holder's Grand Concert Hall, Birmingham - Courtesy Michael Manwill who says 'On one side is a picture of the hall then on the other it says "To be spent in the concert hall the same evening as received." It cost 3d. This was in a box of my grandad's so it is amazing to think it could of been his parents who visited.'

In 1897 the building was reconstructed by S. A. Davidson and A. R. Dean of Birmingham at a cost of £30,000, to the designs of the architects Crouch and Butler, and William Hope, and reopened as the Gaiety Palace of Varieties on Monday the 8th of November 1897. Seat prices on its opening were one shilling for tip-up chairs in the Dress Circle and 1s 6d for tip-up chairs in the Stalls, and altogether it was stated that the Theatre could accommodate some 3,000 to 4,000 people. The Gaiety Theatre opened with a variety show including artistes such as Katie Lawrence, the Brothers Edgar, Ford and Hanson, the Brothers Lang, Verno and Voyce, Reuben Hill, the Almontes, George Leyton, Massaco, Bessie Munroe, and Louis Gaslier.