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The London Pavilion / Trocadero, Piccadilly Circus,
City of Westminster

Above - Early postcard of the London Pavilion, Picadilly Circus, London.

The building history of the London Pavilion is complex, involving two sites. The first entertainment room was attached to the Black Horse Inn in Tichbourne street (what is effectively now Great Windmill Street). In 1859 Loibl and Sonnhammer roofed in the irregularly shaped inn yard and created the first London Pavilion Music Hall. It did not amount to much as a building but it was successful as an entertainment house. A gallery was added on the north and east sides in 1862, and furthur improvements followed in 1876. Progress was then halted by land transactions for the cutting of the new highway to be called Shaftsbury Avenue. The site, by now in the hands of R.E. Villiers was acquired by the Metropolitan Board of Works and the hall closed in 1885.

Right - The original London Pavilion Music Hall in 1880. - Click to enlarge.

And Below - Just readable on the Bill were Mr. G H Macdermott, Mr. James Fawn, Mr. Arthur Lloyd, Mr. Fred Albert, and Miss Bessie Bellwood.

In the same year (1885) Villiers built a new London Pavilion on a triangular site created by the roadworks. It was the first building created in the new Shaftesbury Avenue.

Right - Auditorium of the original London Pavilion Music Hall - Museum of London.

Click here to read the review of the new London Pavilion on its opening night, with Arthur Lloyd on the Bill.

The new London Pavilion, by James Ebenezer Saunders, with elevations by R.J. Worley was the most lavishly appointed variety hall yet seen in London.

Right - The auditorium of the new London Pavilion - Click to enlarge.

It was remodelled in 1900 and again in 1918 for C.B. Cochran. It ceased to be a variety house in 1934 and was converted to a cinema, although it continued to be licensed for stage plays and music. It has since been gutted and contains shops and an outstation of Madame Tussaud's...

Above - The New London Pavilion Theatre rebuilt on Picadilly Circus and the corner of newly built Shaftesbury Avenue in 1885 - From a postcard Undated.

Above - The London Pavilion in 2005, now called The London Trocadero - Photo M.L. 2005

...Despite all these changes, the exterior below roof level remains essentially that of the 1885 London Pavilion and it should, perhaps, be regarded as the key building in Piccadilly Circus group.

Left - The penultimate programme for the London Pavilion in its 1885 form - March 26th 1934 - Click to see more of the programme and press cuttings about the conversion to a cinema.

The most recent conversion works removed all trace of former theatre use, but provided a compensating benefit by removing the clutter of illuminated signs which had disfigured its Circus facade. The Survey of London account of the building is full and authoritative.

The above text is reproduced with kind permission of The Theatres Trust From their indispensable book - 'The Theatres Trust Guide to British Theatres 1750-1950' John Earl & Michael Sell. Available from the publishers, A&C Black (tel 01480 212666).

Above - Demolition of the London Pavilion interior in 1986 - From 'The History of the London Pavilion,' a book commisioned by the Grovenor Square Properties Group PLC to celebrate the opening of the newly refurbished building in 1986.

Below - Seven Programmes for the London Pavilion - Click each to see the entire programme.

Above - From Left to Right - Pavilion programmes for 1892 1892 1894 1898 1900 1902 1913 - Click for details.

Arthur Lloyd at the London Pavilion

The first of the great names at the London Pavilion was that of Arthur Lloyd. He was trained as a legitimate actor. His father was a Scottish comedian of some local importance, and Arthur Lloyd's first professional experience was gained in the stock company at Edinburgh, of which his father was a member.

Click here to read the review of the new London Pavilion on its opening night, with Arthur Lloyd on the Bill.

Right - Programme for Arthur Lloyd at the London Pavilion 1886 - Click to enlarge.

Left - Press Cutting for Arthur Lloyd at the London Pavilion August 30th 1902.

His success in songs performed between the dramatic pieces, and a marked facility for writing tunes and lyrics, suggested a transfer to concert-room work, and he accordingly made a beginning at 'The Whitebait' a musical tavern in Glasgow.

Left - London Pavilion Programme February 1st 1892 with Arthur Lloyd on the Bill, with Albert Chevalier, G. W. Hunter and many others in this Music Hall Line up. - Click to see the entire programme.

His arrival in London in 1862 or (he may have worked for a short time as an apprentice to a hatter in The Strand) where he secured an engagement at the Islington Philharmonic Hall, was quickly followed by his first great song success, and his consequent appearance at The London Pavilion was the turning point, both in his career, and that of the new music hall.

Right - Click to see Special Feature on this London Pavilion Programme for July 1892.

Left - The London Pavilion. Unequalled for its Amusements and universally patronised as a favourite Lounge. First-rate Talent continues to grace the Programme, which embraces a fund of popular Entertainment. The risible faculties are kept in perpetual motion by Arthur Lloyd, J. H. Stead (“the Cure”) and Harry Liston; whilst the more serious disposed have ample to admire in the effective singing of Miss Ada Herminie and Miss Barrie. In Serio-Comic, Miss Kate Bella continues to shine; as a Necromancer Professor Beaumont still astonishes and as the Great Lady Tenor Miss Florence Wreghitt is incomparable. The Sisters Lotto and Jessie, the Sisters Lindon (Comic Duettists), James Doughty and his Performing Dogs and Messrs. Lawson and Garte (the amusing “blacks”), are also added to the numerous attractions. Text and cutting from The Era – 17th July 1870 - Kindly sent in by Emmi Birch.

Under the influence of his personal triumph, the house rapidly achieved a reputation, and its status was further raised by the adoption of a policy, instigated by Lloyd, under which the refreshment ticket method of admission was abandoned for a system of priced seats.

The song which was in the main responsible for these occurrences was called 'Not For Joseph' (Shown Right) it was written and composed by Lloyd himself and, on publication, achieved unprecedented sales. It was based on an individual character, that of a bus driver named Baxter, a man who was in the habit of referring genially to himself in the third person. The idea was one in complete harmony with the music hall of the time.

A number of his earlier songs were elaborate character studies, often of musicians and instrumentalists. He developed, also, a lyrical style, as in his song 'Pretty Lips'. Then there were the cockney studies, such as 'Immensikoff' and a number of nonsense songs.

Lloyd's face was expressive.... heavy, yet lit by a smile with a charming dimple in the cheeks.