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The Park Palace, Corner of Park and Mill Streets, Liverpool

Liverpool Index

Above - The Park Palace, Liverpool in 2009 - Courtesy K.R.

The Park Palace was built in 1893, as a purpose-built suburban Music Hall and was designed by J. H. Havelock-Sutton, who also built the Shakespeare Theatre in the City center in 1888, and the Metropole Theatre in Bootle in 1911, both now demolished. The Park Palace featured films along with its variety shows as early as 1905, and in 1909 the building was even renamed the Park Palace Kinematodrome. The Theatre still retained its Music Hall Licence however and continued with both variety and cinema until it was closed in 1959 to be converted into engineering works, offices and stores for Crofts Engineers Ltd.

Above text (edited) and image on the right are from the book 'A Tram Ride To Dingle' by Philip Mayer - Bluecoat Press.The image shows the building in 1982 when it was being used as a Chemist shop which itself closed in 1995. The building still stands today, albeit in a severely dilapidated state.

The Theatres Trust database says that 'This was a music hall of 1,100 capacity. It had a simple rectangular auditorium, with one balcony around three sides and two boxes decorated with fibrous plaster enrichments, and fitted with tall oval bevelled mirrors, each with brass gas brackets.

Right - Detail of the proscenium - Courtesy Ted Bottle - Photo Ted Bottle 1988.

There may once have been a gallery. The proscenium was flanked by fluted Corinthian pilasters with bulbous acanthus leaf bases, a straight entablature and broken triangular pediment. After a visit by King Edward VII the Royal coat of arms was installed above the proscenium.

After 1959, the Palace was used as a factory. The boxes and balcony etc were removed and a floor inserted but the proscenium ornament remains. The exterior was very plain with no fly tower and was much altered in latter years.' - Above text in quotes courtesy the Theatres Trust.

The Park Palace is currently (2010) being leased to the theatre company Zho and they have formed a new company that proposes to develop the site, athough funding is short for such a venture. You may be interested to visit this website dedicated to the revival of the Park Palace.

Arthur Lloyd is know to have performed at the Park Palace 1895 1896 1901 1902

Right - This image shows a detail of the front elevation of the Park Palace in 2004. Picture by Marky.

Week beginning August 31st 1896 - "Arthur Lloyd with his three talented relatives, holds the star place in the 'Park' programme." The Era, Saturday 5th September 1896. Arthur was at the Park Palace again for the week commencing 7th December 1901. "Arthur Lloyd with his clever daughters, Lily and Dulcie, in the sketch 'Little Charlie'." - Courtesy Ted Bottle.

Left - Poster for Arthur Lloyd at the Park Palace February 11th 1901 - Click to enlarge. This poster is from a large collection of original Lloyd Posters collected since the mid 1800s by members of the family and found recently after being lost for 50 years. To see all these posters click the Poster Index here...

Above - The Park Palace in 2004 - Picture by Marky.

Above - The auditorium ceiling - Courtesy Ted Bottle - Photo Ted Bottle 1988.

Above - Rear of the Park Palace in 2004 - Picture by Marky.

Above - The Park Palace in October 2004, disused and in a sorry state. It is currently unknown what the future holds for this once popular Variety House and Cinema. - Pictures by Marky.

In response to a request for personal reminiscences of the Park Palace the following was sent in by a 76 year old reader now living in Australia. He writes: Thanks for your page on the PARK PALACE, I remember the building on the corner was the co-op, the one on the right was part of the domestic mission. Regarding the Palace it was I think a dark maroon with gold tiled exterior, it did have a (gods area) balcony, the seats were just like big steps with some sort of cushions on them. The big problem below was the pillars that supported the balcony, if you got stuck behind one of them they blocked of the show. Thanks for the memory I'm 76 and would have been there about 1935 for the cowboy pics, poor but happy days. Regards John in Australia.

Left - This image, taken in 1988, shows the stage and proscenium of the Park Palace, Liverpool partly bricked up and being used for storage. - Courtesy Ted Bottle - Photo Ted Bottle 1988.

Most of the internal pictures of the Park Palace on this page were taken by Ted Bottle in 1988. Ted Bottle is the author of 'Coventry's Forgotten Theatre, The Theatre Royal and Empire' published by Badger Press. Click the image right to buy this book at Amazon.co.uk.