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Theatres and Halls in Clapham Junction and Battersea

Grand Theatre - Alan Chudley on the Clapham Grand - The Chief Projectionist of the Clapham Grand - Grand Hall of Varieties - Munt's Hall - Imperial Picture Theatre - The Shakespeare Theatre - Memories of Clapham's Theatres and Cinemas

Also see in this area - The Battersea Palace

The Grand Theatre, 21 St. John's Hill, Clapham Junction, Battersea

Also known as The New Grand Theatre of Varieties / Essoldo Cinema / Mecca Bingo / The Grand Nightclub

Above - The Grand, Clapham Junction, which is the tallest building on the right.
From a postcard 1905 - Courtesy Alan Garner & Richard Milsom

The Grand, Clapham Junction, Battersea, designed by E. A. Woodrow (the only completely surviving example of his work) was built by Gray Hill of Coventry and opened in 1900 with a capacity of 3000.

The Theatre was built for a consortium which was led by the well loved Music Hall artistes Dan Leno, who lived nearby in Clapham Park, and Herbert Campbell. They had already built two Theatres, namely The Granville in Waltham Green and The Camberwell Palace, both of which have since been demolished. Before building the Clapham Grand they took over an earlier Concert Hall in Clapham called Munt's Hall to see if their idea of a larger hall in the area was viable. Satisfied that it was they set about commissioning A. E. Woodrow to build their new Theatre, the Grand. It was to be Leno and Campbell's last venture in Theatre building as the Syndicates were soon to become all powerfull.

Right - Poster for the Grand for the week of October 13th 1947, during Nat Tennens' Management who ran the Grand between 1946 and 1949.

The Theatre had a stage 68' wide and 28' deep. In 1930 it was converted for cinema use and renamed the Essoldo Cinema. The projection room was behind the screen and the film had to be laced emulsion forwards, and the sound head had to be modified to get the sound to function, the projectors at that time where Kallee 8s.

The Theatre was converted again, this time for bingo use, in 1972 and run by Mecca Bingo.

In 1991 the building was partly restored and altered for live music concerts but this was mostly unsuccessful. In the late 90s the pub chain Whetherspoons bought the Theatre hoping to convert it into a pub but The Theatres Trust, English Heritage and Wandsworth Council all felt that the interior would be damaged and the project was scrapped. You can read about this successful appeal against pub conversion form the website of The Institute of Historic Building Conversion here... In 2005 the Theatre is being used as a Nightclub, still retaining the name; the Grand.

Left - Programme for the Grand - October 6th 1947

The remarkable thing is that despite its history of various uses and even its current incarnation the Grand is still in a pretty good state, has much of its original decoration, most of its structure remains intact and it could be readily converted back into a Theatre if the inclination and funds were present. The Grand is Grade II listed.

Above - The Grand, Clapham Junction in 2005 - Photo Courtesy Alan Garner & Richard Milsom

The Chief Projectionist at the Clapham Grand

A visitor to the site, Tony Rogers, has sent along some interesting memories of his time at the Grand when he was Chief Projectionist there in the late 1950s:

Reading your article about the Grand Clapham Junction brought back many fond memories as I was the Chief Projectionist at the Grand (Essoldo) between 1956 and 1958. It was used as the shop window to demonstrate the new "Essoldomatic" automatic projection system so the projection room had to be kept spotless at all times.

Above - Auditorium of the Grand, Clapham in 1992 - Courtesy Ted Bottle

The Manager at that time was Terry Cooke and was indeed a personal friend of the late Anthony Newley who often visited the theatre. Terry Cook had been a POW in Germany during the war and would tell some great stories of his time spent in captivity. After the war he got into theatre management and before coming to the Grand had managed a large theatre in Harrogate. The managers office at the Grand was very lush, it even had its own washing and changing room.

I remember Terry Cook showing me some old tickets and sales books from the Theatre's early days with Dan Leno and even Charlie Chaplin.

Left - The Projection Room at the Grand / Essoldo in the late 1950s - Courtesy Tony Rogers.

The Projection room at the Grand was in the old Lime (Spotlight) room way up above the upper circle. We had to carry the film transit cases up numerous flights of stairs (we must have been very fit then) and we were equipped with Two Kalee model 21s projectors, President Arc lamps and Duosonic sound system. This in 1956 was state of the art. The grand was chosen by Sol Sheckman (Essoldo) to promote the Essoldomatic Projection system. They were trying to sell this to other cinema chains, and eventually did in 1958 when it was sold to the Rank organisation and re-named Projectormatic. We were still using twenty minute reels of film in those days and this gadget would auto change-over reels, close the screen curtains Etc. The projection room being so high up and away from living beings meant that we could only see the stage and screen from the projection ports, this meant we had no idea if we had an audience of 20 or 2000.

I well remember showing some big blockbusters during my time there. "Oklahoma", "The King and I", "High Society" were just a few that come to mind. The upper circle had no seats but was often used by policemen who should have been on the beat but decided going to the pictures was much more to their liking. In 1958 I was moved on to run two cinemas in Hertfordshire, sadly I said my farewell to the Grand, and then in a few years it was to become a Bingo Hall. I was delighted to learn that it became a listed building, and long may it prosper in whatever form it is used for.

Above text and image kindly sent in by Tony Rogers.

Alan Chudley writes on the Clapham Grand Theatre

I was very interested in the Grand Clapham page. During the mid 1940s I knew this theatre very well, and was friendly with the Stage Manager Ernie Skeggs.

Right - Variety Programme for the Grand, Clapham in 1945 - Courtesy Alan Chudley.

I include a programme for this time when on a Saturday night a good seat in the dress circle could be had for one shilling and nine-pence (17½ p). The theatre was extremely well run at this date. The Lessee Mrs George Barclay, wife of the one time agent George Barclay was better known as the Music Hall star Kate Carney. The Booking agent for the Grand, Gordon Norval, was also the booking agent at that time for the Kilburn Empire. - Courtesy Alan Chudley.

Above - Variety Programme for the Grand, Clapham in 1945 - Courtesy Alan Chudley.

Visit the Website of the Grand, Clapham Junction, Nightclub here...

Also see in this area the Battersea Palace

The Imperial Picture Theatre, St. John's Hill, Clapham Junction

Formerly Munt's Hall / The Grand Hall of Varieties

The Imperial Picture Theatre was originally built in 1890 as a Concert Hall called Munt's Hall. The Hall which faced the railway station opened on the 27th of November that year.

Four years after Munt's Hall was built it was renamed the Grand Hall of Varieties on the 22nd of October 1894.

In 1900 a consortium led by the well loved Music Hall artistes Dan Leno and Herbert Campbell took over the former Munt's Hall to see if their idea of a larger hall in the area was viable. Satisfied that it was they set about commissioning A. E. Woodrow to build a new Theatre in Clapham called The Grand. It was to be Leno and Campbell's last venture in Theatre building as the Syndicates were soon to become all too powerful for the smaller players in Theatre building.

Right - Programme for the Imperial Picture Theatre (Late Munt's Hall), Clapham Junction.

In 1914 the Grand Hall of Varieties, as Munt's Hall had become known, was converted into a Cinema called The Imperial Picture Theatre. The new Cinema had a capacity of 800 and opened with the film 'Moths.'

In 1955 the Cinema was renamed when the Picture Theatre part of the name was dropped in favour of a new simpler Imperial. The Imperial closed in 1973 at the end of its run of showing the films 'Innocent Bystanders' and 'Crucible of Terror.'

The Cinema was then renamed The Ruby with a smaller capacity of 450 but closed in 1981 whilst showing the film 'Raiders of the Lost Ark.' And that was the end for this 91 year old building as the Theatre was then demolished to make way for a branch of Barclays Bank.

Some of this information on the Imperial Picture Theatre was gleaned from the interesting Website Dark Screens: Lost Cinemas of South London.

Above - Details of a Film Programme at the Imperial Picture Theatre (Late Munt's Hall), Clapham Junction.

The Imperial Picture Theatre Programme shown above has the following details of the films which would be shown that week:

On August the 9th, 10th and 11th the programme consisted of 1. Pathe Gazette, 2. Mary Pickford in 'Behind the Scenes', 3. 'A Near Thing' Comedy, 4. 'Our Empire's Shield' The official Admiralty Pictures production showing how the ships ran the gauntlet in order to supply the nation with food, 5. 'Eastward Ho' From W. F. Raine's famous novel, 6. Selection by the Imperial Symphony Orchestra under the Direction of Mr. Julius Kantrovitch.

On August the 12th, 13th, 14th and 15th the programme consisted of 1. Pathe Gazette, 2. 'A Mexican Trifle' a comedy featuring Winkle, 3. Charles Urban's 'Movie Chats', 4. 'South of Santa Fe,' a drama in two acts, 5. 'The Flag Lieutenant' by Major W. P. Drury and Leo Trevor. Adapted from Mr. Cyril Maude's great West End success, 6. Selection by the Imperial Symphony Orchestra.

The Shakespeare Theatre and Opera House, 168 Lavender Hill, Clapham Junction

Above - An early postcard of the Shakespeare Theatre, Clapham Junction

The Shakespeare Theatre was built by Charles Gray Hill to the designs of the prolific Theatre Architect W. G. Sprague on a site next to the Battersea Town Hall, which is still standing today, on Lavender Hill, and was separated from it by Theatre Street.

The Theatre opened on the 16th of November 1896 and was mainly used as a 'legitimate Theatre' showing drama and plays. Ellen Terry, Lily Langtry and Sarah Bernhardt are all said to have performed here.

The Auditorium consisted of Stalls and Pit, Dress Circle, Balcony, and Gallery and had a capacity of 1,205 including boxes.

Above - Detail from an early postcard of the Shakespeare Theatre, Clapham Junction

The Shakespeare Theatre was eventually converted for Cinema use in 1923 and, sadly, was later badly damaged by bombs during the Second World War. Battersea Council bought the bomb damaged site and demolished the Theatre in 1957. A modern office block called Shakespeare House now stands on the site.

Memories of Clapham's Theatres and Cinemas

A visitor to the site recently sent along some interesting memories of the Grand and other places of entertainment in the Clapham Junction and Battersea area. Read his personal reminiscences below:

In response to your article on The Grand - I was born in Clapham Junction in 1946, and lived there until 1967 when I married and moved from the area. In the 1950’s, Clapham Junction was a great place to grow up in. The Granada Cinema stood at the top of St. John’s Hill and The Grand was situated on the right-hand side, going down towards Arding & Hobbs. It was always known as The Grand, even though the name had changed to The Essoldo Cinema. But even in the mid 1950’s, I can remember my older sister taking me to see a Circus/Variety show there. As we queued up outside, I remember seeing an elephant being led up some steps through large double doors at the side-entrance in Severus Road.

Right - Excerpt from 1947 programme under the Nat Tennens' Management.

The Manager of The Grand was always immaculately dressed. I can still visualise him standing in the foyer as we queued up to go in; a black dress suit with velvet lapels, white shirt and black bow tie. I believe he was a friend of Anthony Newley. Before Anthony Newley became a big star he was often seen talking with the manager at The Grand, and interestingly, the film that made him a star, Idol on Parade, was premiered at The Granada, Clapham Junction. Incidentally, when The Grand opened in 1900 it was originally called The New Grand. The New Grand was mainly financed by Dan Leno, the Music Hall star, who lived nearby in Clapham Park. Artistes who subsequently appeared at The Grand, included Marie Lloyd, Little Tich and Harry Tate.

A little further down St. John’s Hill on the same side, stood The Imperial Cinema, later known as The Ruby. This was much smaller in size than The Grand. The whole building was demolished about 30 years ago, and the present site is now occupied by a new Barclays Bank. The Imperial Cinema in St. John’s Hill originally opened as the Grand Hall of Varieties in 1894, but because of the competition from The Grand which opened in 1900, it was rarely used and was converted to a cinema in 1914 with 800 seats.

Turning right at the bottom, takes you along St. John’s Road and into Northcote Road. Just past the traffic lights on the left-hand side stood The Century Cinema, formerly known as The Globe. I can vividly recall being taken there in 1953 with a party from my school, Belleville Junior Boys, to see a film of Edmund Hillary conquering Everest.

Left - The Grand, Clapham Junction in 2005 - Photo Courtesy Alan Garner & Richard Milsom

I believe it was demolished later in the 60’s or 70’s in favour of a supermarket. The Century Cinema originally opened as The Bio Picture Palace in 1908, converted from a former assembly room. It changed to The Standard Electric Theatre in 1912, then The Bolingbroke Picture Hall, The Globe, and lastly The Century.

Going straight on at the bottom of St. John's Hill, takes you into Lavender Hill. About 200yds up on the left-hand side is an Asda supermarket. On this site in the mid 1950's stood the remains of the Pavilion Cinema which opened in 1916 and was destroyed by a V1 flying bomb in 1944. As a boy my friends and I used to play amongst the debris.

I would point out that there is a popular misconception about Clapham Junction. When the railway station opened in 1863, it was called Clapham Junction because of the criminal reputation of the Battersea area. It was thought that by calling it Clapham it would give the station a more acceptable image. Clapham Junction is in fact in the heart of Battersea. Clapham lies further south. How times change. When I grew up there, Battersea was a working-class area. It’s now a very up-market place – the home of the rich and famous. Also, according to my memory, The Grand was never known as The Clapham Grand. It was just called The Grand (Clapham Junction, Battersea)

A little further along Lavender Hill on the same side of the road, stood The Shakespeare Theatre which was also badly bomb damaged during World War II. It stood to the left of the still existing Battersea Town Hall, separated by Theatre Street. It is still called Theatre street, and the current site of The Shakespeare is now occupied by a modern office block called Shakespeare House. It originally opened in 1896 mainly as a dramatic theatre. Ellen Terry, Lily Langtry and Sarah Bernhardt performed there, amongst others. It was eventually converted to a cinema in 1923. After the war, Battersea Council bought the bomb damaged site and demolished it in 1957.

The Washington Music Hall in York Road originally opened as The Royal Standard. It had nine name changes between 1886 and 1917, including The Washington Music Hall and The Palace of Varieties. It opened as a cinema in 1924 and was called The Super Palace.

Above Text Kindly sent in by Alan Garner with some factual details gleaned from ‘Battersea Past’ by Patrick Loobey.

Above Right - Excerpt from 1947 programme under the Nat Tennens' Management.

Also see in this area - The Battersea Palace