Palace Theatre, Nelson, Lancashire

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Palace Theatre, Leeds Road, Nelson, Lancashire Above - The Nelson Palace Theatre's original facade in a photograph by Geoff Lord - Courtesy Terry Kirtland
The Nelson Palace Theatre in Leeds Road, Nelson was built in 1909 and opened on December the 13th the same year. The auditorium originally had two balconies and a single box either side of the proscenium framed by columns, and had a capacity of nearly 2,000. The stage was 32 feet wide across the proscenium. On the 8th of June 1921 an accident occurred in the Theatre during a trapeze performance when one of the artistes, Miss Winifred May Hunt, who was known as one of 'The Dancing Dinnies', fell 16 feet to the stage when a rope broke. She was badly injured and the subsequent court case was reported in the Times later that year. To read the transcript of the case click here. In 1970 the Theatre was faced with a demolition threat but the building was saved when Peter Miller campaigned vigorously for its survival. Above - The Nelson Palace Theatre in a photograph taken in August 2009 which shows the 1983 'sawn off' facade to great effect when compared with the photograph top of page - Photo courtesy Neil Foster In 1983 the Theatre's original stone facade was removed so that Leeds Road could be widened. This left the Theatre without a facade at all, and a new entrance was created in the former pit stalls. The Theatre was then used for Bingo until its closure this year, 2009, when the building was sold to the local Council who have decided to demolish it to create a car park on the site. Above - The Nelson Palace Theatre in a photograph taken in August 2009 - Courtesy Neil Foster A new campaign to save the Theatre is in full swing as the Council want to demolish the building immediately. The Theatres Trust has submitted an application to English Heritage for Listing but it may be too late. If you feel strongly about the imminent demolition of the Nelson Palace please see this page on the Theatres Trust's site which has details of what you should do and who you should write to.
Last Pantomime at the Nelson Palace An article written by Geoff Lord, reporter for Old Theatres - From Old Theatres Magazine, issue two, with kind permission, Terry Kirtland I first became acquainted with The Palace in 1953 when I saw a production of Wild Violets by The St. John's Operatic Society. From that first visit, I fell in love with the Palace and hoped that one day I might become part of the 'team' there. That wasn't to happen for another two years when I approached the Society and enquired if I could be of any assistance backstage. (No previous experience - only a love of the theatre). Sure enough, I was welcomed and was virtually in at the deep end with the November 1955 production of Oklahoma, becoming part of the team on the prompt side, running flats and wings, rostrums, etc. Following that show came an early bonus when the Burnley Light Opera Society used the Palace for the next three years, as none of the Burnley theatres was available. All the amateur musicals in those days had 'full sets' for most scenes with little improvisation. This tested the facilities and the staff at the Palace to the fullest extent, and, save for the odd cloth that couldn't be hung, everything was made to work. The whole staff were experienced from the days of Variety and Revue, if only on an occasional basis. The Palace had been mainly films since the twenties. I couldn't have had better tuition anywhere. My 'teacher' and one of the prompt side team was the Stage Manager for the theatre, Albert Spencer, who knew the business inside and out, and it showed! The team virtually came together for just twice a year in those early years, as, apart from amateur musicals, there wasn't the necessity to warrant a full crew for the occasional concert and Drama Festival. These were the only times during the year when the Palace came 'Live'. But, nevertheless, it was a joy to fly the cinema screen whatever the attraction. The Palace stage was in a 'rough' state and for the musicals a canvas cloth was needed to cover the playing area. Flying facilities were via hemp lines and worked well with approx 30 working sets. One interesting thing about the Palace was a double row of cleats. (The bottom for the tie off [dead] and the top for tying off when cloths, etc, are flown out.) For the infrequent use over the years all the lines survived well. On the annual musical week, the backstage scene resembled any full time theatre taking in touring productions. Wing side space wasn't too bad, except OP. Prompt side fared a little better. The stage depth was approximately 28 feet, proscenium opening 34 feet. 'Get-in' was good on street level at PS. The fascinating thing about backstage at the Palace was that much old scenery had been retained with certain wings and borders used for occasional concerts. Lots of old cloths were in evidence, held on the back wall, and lots of scenery on the OP fly floor. These rarely saw the light of day from year to year. Access from PS to OP in the flies was via a bridge on the back wall. Dressing rooms were very basic and, unusually, on the PS fly floor, three rooms led directly to the line workings for the flies, mainly for light battens, safety curtain and cinema screen winch. House tabs were operated from the Prompt corner. Serving 'my apprenticeship' backstage was a wonderful experience. Learning to handle the 18 foot flats and wings was a real test, especially when time was short in quick scene changes. Box sets were common and 'cleating' was an art in itself. When braces were needed to support 'flats', etc, it was a common practice to secure them to the stage with 'stage screws' which simply screwed into the stage floor and not with weights. During my time at the Palace, I 'worked' 21 musicals with the scenery for many of these coming from Watts & Corry of Manchester. Thirty foot cloths with battens top and bottom were common, and these were the first to set up after the 'get in'. With often foliage border and legs these really did stretch the capacity needed in the flies to the limit ! There was one week that really made my day, and that was for the professional pantomime Red Riding Hood which came for a week in January 1958 after a short run at Stockton Hippodrome. Presented by Edwin Hicks, it starred Peter Webster as Simple Simon and Jock Glen as Dame. Not a great week for business, but a thoroughly enjoyable one from a backstage point of view. (This turned out to be the very last professional show of any kind there.) The musical weeks ran on until 1972 when, by that time, the Palace had already succumbed to Bingo and 'live' shows finished: the last production being Fiddler on the Roof. The theatre is still there and catering for the 'Eyes Down' brigade. Unfortunately, in 1983, the Palace frontage was demolished and a new entrance created in the former pit stalls (All this for a road widening scheme !) The auditorium and stage areas are still intact to this day. One interesting fact is that on December 13th 2009, the Palace will 'celebrate' its centenary, which for all its 'ups and downs' will be quite an achievement. The above article was written by Geoff Lord and is reproduced from Old Theatres Magazine, Issue Two, Summer 2009, with the kind permission of Terry Kirtland.
An Accident at the Nelson Palace - 8th of June 1921 On the 8th of June 1921 an accident occurred in the Nelson Palace Theatre during a trapeze performance when one of the artistes, Miss Winifred May Hunt, who was known as one of 'The Dancing Dinnies', fell 16 feet to the stage when a rope broke. She was badly injured and the subsequent court case was reported in the Times of December the 8th 1921 which is transcribed below: KING'S BENCH DIVISION. A TRAPEZE PERFORMER'S ACCIDENT. HUNT v. THE NELSON HIPPODROME, LIMITED. (Before "MR. Justice Horridge and Mr Justice Shearman.) This was an appeal from a judgment of the County Court Judge at Colne in favour of the defendants. Mr. Arthur Lawton appeared for the-appellant; and Mr. B. A. Leverson for the defendants. Right - The side elevation of the Nelson Palace Theatre in a photograph taken in August 2009 showing the 1983 'sawn off' facde - Courtesy Neil Foster. The plaintiff, Miss Winifred May Hunt, was known on the stage as one of "The Dancing Dinnies," and on June 8 last she was engaged in giving a trapeze performance at the Palace Theatre, Nelson, when a rope broke and she fell 16ft. to the stage, and received injuries which incapacitated her for several' weeks. It was stated, in evidence before the County Court Judge that, although the plaintiff herself provided the ladder - which depended from the rope and reached to a pedestal on the stage - and other portions of the equipment, she did not provide the rope. The management of the theatre gave the plaintiff three ropes to choose from, and that which she chose turned out to have some weakened strands. Above - The rear elevation of the Nelson Palace Theatre in a photograph taken in August 2009 - Courtesy Neil Foster. Mr. LAWTON said that if the management supplied a rope for the use of the artists and it proved to be defective, they were liable. He understood that the rope was suspended from the roof. On it was secured a ladder, on the top of which a chair was fixed, and in that the plaintiff went through the various parts of her performance, and at the bottom of the ladder was a pedestal resting on the stage. MR JUSTICE HORRIDGE - Does everything depend upon the rope? Mr. Lawton. - The plaintiff was climbing up the rope when it broke. Above - The side elevation of the Nelson Palace Theatre in a photograph taken in August 2009 - Courtesy Neil Foster. Counsel went on to argue that the management had means of knowledge of the defective character of the rope, and that if they failed to inform themselves by examination they must be held liable for the consequences. He cited Heaven v. Pender (Q.B.D., 503). Mr JUSTICE HORRIDGE said that there was a more recent case - Bates and another v. Batey and Co., Limited (29 The Times L.R., 616 - [1913] 3K.B.D., 351), which had been tried before himself and which went to the Court of Appeal. In that case some defective ginger-beer bottles had exploded, and it had been held that there was no contractual obligation on the part of the manufacturer, as he had used other people's bottles and had no knowledge and no opportunity of knowing of the defects. Mr. JUSTICE SHEARMAN said that there was no obligation to provide a rope. At the most it could be only a case of an invitee suing an invitor. MR. JUSTICE HORRIDGE addressing Mr. Lawton, said that if the defendants had said "We supply a rope for acrobatic purposes" he might have had a case, but here the whole point was that the plaintiff might have used her own rope, and instead of doing so she thought fit to borrow one. Hence it was difficult to see where the contractual obligation came in. Mr. LAWTON contended that there was al least a common interest. MR. JUSTICE HORRIDGE - Not at all. That is a confusion of ideas. There was no common interest,. The woman was hired to give a performance, and it was for her own interest only. If, for example, there had been a hole in the floor, and she had gone through, the case might have been different. Mr. LAWTON argued that the effect of the judgment in Cox v. Coulson's (32 The Times, L.R., 406; [1916] 2 KB., p. 177) was that the opportunity to have acquired knowledge was equivalent to negligence in not communicating it. Mr. JUSTICE HORRIDGE - A man can't be guilty of gross negligence in not communicating a thing unless he knew of it. Mr.. JUSTICE HORRIDGE - after reciting the facts, said that they had been asked to draw the inference that the plaintiff became an invitee by borrowing a rope for the purpose of the performance. He did not think so. The only obligation on the lender was to disclose the fact that it was unsafe, if he knew it, and, as it was clear that he did not, there was an end of the case, and the appeal must be dismissed. MR JUSTICE SHEARMAN concurred. Solicitors - Messrs. Judge and Priestley; Messrs. Francis, White, and Needham, for Mr Frank Roberts, Nelson. Above text from The Times, 8th of December 1921 - Courtesy BF. Above - The 1983 front elevation of the Nelson Palace Theatre in a photograph taken in August 2009 - Courtesy Neil Foster. If you feel strongly about the imminent demolition of the Nelson Palace please see this page on the Theatres Trust's site which has details of what you should do and who you should write to.