Arthur Lloyd is known to have appeared in Harrogate at the Royal Spa Concert Rooms on September 5th 1879 The next week he was in Morecambe.

Left - Advertisement for Two Hours Of Genuine Fun from The Harrogate Herald - 3rd September 1879 - Courtesy Harrogate reference library.

Below - The Cheltenham Pump Room, Later- Royal Spa Concert Rooms, 'Harrogate Wells' - reproduced with kind permission - Harrogate Borough Council, Museum & Arts Royal Pump Room Museum.

 

In 1571 William Slingsby, drinking from a spring near Knaresborough, noticed that the water there tasted like the water of the spas on the Continent. Some years later Timothy Bright, a doctor, made the declaration that the spring's waters could even heal various ailments. In the 18th and 19th centuries, yet more springs were discovered in the area, rich in iron and sulfur, and a town was created around them; Harrogate, which later became one of Britain's most celebrated spa towns. Harrogate was soon offering cures for everything from a bout of gout to cases of nervous tension. Naturally the Spa town blossomed into a very popular place to visit but as the years went by, and science developed more sophisticated medicines and drugs, the use of the Spa waters declined. Harrogate adapted well to this change of values however and transformed itself into a major conference and exhibition centre. The town's architecture is predominantly Victorian, built with Yorkshire stone, and has some of the best examples of Victorian architecture from that period. M.L. 2002

Left - Site of the Royal Spa Concert Rooms in 2002 - Courtesy Duncan Branley.

 

I am indebted to Duncan Branley, Stephen Thompson, and Peggy Thompson for their research into, and subsequent images of, The Harrogate Royal Spa Concert Rooms, and Arthur Lloyd's Harrogate press notice advertising his appearance there.

Empire Theatre / Gaiety Theatre, Cheltenham Mount, Harrogate

Above - The Empire Theatre, Harrogate in 1988 - Courtesy Ted Bottle

The Empire Theatre, Harrogate was originally built as a Methodist Chappel in 1872 but was converted to a Theatre in 1910. The Theatre was renamed the Gaiety in 1930 but closed in 1931. The building's history after this was very untheatrical. For a number of years it was used as a garage! In the 1970s the FOH area was converted to a restaurant and then enlarged in the 1980s to incorporate the auditorium. The Proscenium arch was restored in the 1980s and is unusual in that instead of plaster it is made entirely of wood. Cast Iron balcony fronts were later installed along the line of the original balcony. What was once the stage is now used for dining.

 

Harrogate Theatre / Grand Opera House, Oxford Street, Harrogate

Above - Auditorium of the Grand Opera House, Harrogate in 1986 - Courtesy Ted Bottle

The Grand Opera House, Harrogate was built by Frank Tugwell and opened on the 11th of January 1900. This intimate little Theatre was refurbished in 1972 and currently has a capacity of 500. The Harrogate Theatre is Grade II listed.

For a detailed history of Harrogate Theatre and to see booking details of current productions you may like to visit the Theatre's own Website here...