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Scotia Music Hall, Metropole Theatre, 116, Stockwell Street, Glasgow
Later The Scotia Variety Theatre / The Metropole Theatre

Glasgow Index

Above - The Auditorium of the Scotia Variety Theatre, Glasgow in 1890 - Courtesy Graeme Smith

James Baylis, who ran the Milton Colosseum Music Hall at Cowcaddens Cross, built and opened his new three storied, very large SCOTIA HALL in Stockwell Street near the River Clyde to the designs of the architect Robert Black. The Scotia Hall opened on 29th December 1862. The ground was bought and building erected all in one year. It was the first purpose built Music Hall in the city and could accommodate around 4000 people, many times more than the nearby Theatre Royal, Dunlop Street. The record in the Scotia was on the evening of 1st November 1865 when the Prime Minister-to-be William Gladstone MP addressed an audience of 5000, mainly working men, on the day he received the Freedom of the City of Glasgow.

Right - Programme for the Metropole Theatre 1945/46 Season.

James Baylis died relatively young and was succeeded by his wife Christina Baylis who became the matriarch of variety in the 19th century. The Baylis family continued to own the Theatre Royal Hope Street for ten years.

Following a fire the Scotia was rebuilt in 1875, designed by the architects Campbell Douglas and James Sellars, known as the Scotia Variety Theatre and still the largest in Scotland.

Left - Programme for the Metropole Theatre - Undated but believed to be mid 1940s.

On her passing in the 1890s the newspapers remarked: 'It was the ability and enterprise of James Baylis and of Mrs Baylis that the townsfolk of Glasgow during the past generation have been chiefly indebted for healthy music hall recreation. Many of us recollect the early days, or rather nights, of the Scotia. In that glittering temple, to the tune of blithesome music, our eyes would eagerly follow the movements of the young sylphides of the corps de ballet in such gorgeous spectacles as "The White Dove", "Scotland and her Shires", "The Gathering of the Clans", and "As Good as a Pantomime".'

After being managed by H. E. Moss for a few years, the theatre was substantially rebuilt in 1897 to the designs of the Newcastle architects Joseph Charlton Maxwell and William Hope and changed its name to The Metropole, a name which continued into the 20th century.

The above text was written by Graeme Smith and kindly sent in for inclusion on the site in 2008, and is from his forthcoming book 'THE THEATRE ROYAL: Entertaining a Nation' www.glasgowtheatreroyal.co.uk

The Metropole Theatre was destroyed by fire on 28th October 1961 (See image Right)

Right - The Metropole Theatre, formerly Scotia Music Hall, after the fire in 1962 - From the book 'Glasgow since 1900' Archive publications.

A Programme and some details for the Scotia Variety Theatre can be seen here...

Arthur Lloyd is known to have performed here 1886 1887 1890