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____________________________________________________________________________________________ The Theatre Royal, Fountain Street, Manchester |
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'The foundation-stone was laid in 1806, and the new theatre was opened on June 29th, 1807, with the comedy Fall as It Flies and Rosina under the management of Mr Macready, father of the tragedian, who agreed to give an annual rent of £1,600, increased by rates and taxes to £2,200. The theatre, which occupied a site of 2,065 square yards, at an annual chief rent of £180, was bounded on the north by the Garrick's Head, on the east by Back Mosley-street, on the south by Charlotte street, and on the west by Fountain-street. The title deeds of the property reveal the names as proprietors of some of the most prominent and influential inhabitants and include Roger Aytoun, after wards Major-General Aytoun ; ThomasWalker, jun., the father of the author of The Original; and Dr. Percival, a relative of Prime Minister who was murdered in the lobby of the House of Commons by Bellingham. The building was too large, and Mrs Linnaeus Banks tells us in the novel of "A Manchester Man" that the box lobby was so capacious that a coach and four could have been driven from one end to the other. It subsequently underwent a reduction, and the lobby was converted into a warehouse, which divided the theatre from the Garrick's Head. It then held upwards of 2,000 persons comfortably seated, and the rent was reduced to £800, the warehouse bringing in £330. On the opening of the theatre it was visited by a rapid succession of metropolitan meteors, to wit - Munden, Mrs Siddons (her farewell visit), your Roscius, and Elliston. In 1809 Macready found himself in financial straits, and young Macready, who was then at Rugby, was recalled, and although only a youth of sixteen, became practically manager of his father's company. In 1811 and 1813 Joseph Grimaldi appeared at the theatre, and in November, 1813, John Astley was there with his equestrian troupe. In the same year, Mrs Clark, youngest daughter of William Cowdroy, proprietor of the Manchester Gazette, appeared as Euphrasia, in The Grecian's Daughter. She was kindly received, and on the occasion of her benefit realised £200. In 1843 Simms Reeves made his debut as plain John Reeves at this theatre in the character of Tom Tug, having been engaged for singing parts, a circumstance which he appears to have forgotten, judging from his autobiography. It is worthy of note that Mr Salter's salary at this theatre was 50s. per week, and that when the younger Macready was here in 1834 Clarke paid him £91 for the week.
Above - A Token for the Theatre Royal, Manchester - Courtesy Stan Owen - The coin is stamped Theatre Royal Manchester on one side and The Hardmans esq on the reverse. If you know who these Hardmans were please Contact me. As the token is undated it may have actually been for the later Theatre Royal on Peter Street. This theatre was burnt down on May 7th, 1844, Mr Robert Roxby being the lessee at the time. The building, which had cost £10,700, was insured in three offices for £15,200, and as the insurance companies preferred to make a settlement in cash rather than rebuild the theatre, the proprietors determined to abandon the theatrical venture, believing the land to be more valuable for warehouse purposes. They thereupon sold the patent to Mr John Knowles. They reckoned, however, without their host, for the land remained vacant until quite recent years (if we except a timber building called the Philharmonic Hall, erected during the exhibition year of 1857, and commonly let as a circus), when Daniel Lee and Co. built a warehouse upon its site. On the burning down of the old Theatre Royal in Fountain-street, a committee of gentlemen set to work, and obtained a fund of nearly £800, whereby every person employed at the theatre received his or her stipulated salary for about six weeks, until Mr Roxby transformed Cooke's Circus, then in Mount-street, into a temporary Theatre Royal, which was opened about June, 1844, with She Stoops to Conquer. After the New Theatre Royal in Peter-street was opened it became again Cooke's Circus, and was called the City Theatre, and its name is now and again mentioned in the inquiry columns of our local newspapers.' The above text in quotes is from an article in the ERA, 4th of January 1896. If you know any more about this Theatre of have programmes or images you are willing to share please Contact Me... |
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