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The South London Music Hall / South London Palace, London Road SE

Above - Image of the South London Palace - From a programme - Courtesy Peter Charlton

This was the third music-hall to succeed in London, following the Canterbury and Weston's (Holborn Empire). It was a handsome hall, built and decorated like a Roman Catholic Chapel, and it opened on 30 Dec. 1860, with E.W. Mackney, the original black-faced comedian, in the bill. It was burnt down in 1869, but speedily rebuilt. In 1874 it was taken over by J. J. Poole, a most enterprising man, who produced excellent spectacles and ballets there. Among his discoveries were Barrington Foote, Connie Gilchrist, and J. J. Dallas. It was Poole who gave Leybourne his nickname of the 'lion comique'. The Great MacDermott appeared there, singing his 'Scamp' song, and Fred Coyne made his last appearance at the South London, which later saw the debut of Florrie Forde. One of it's chairmen was 'Baron' Courtney. It was badly damaged by enemy action during the Second World War.

The Oxford Companion To Theatre (First Edition) 1950

Arthur Lloyd is known to have performed here in: 1867, 1870, 1871, 1873, 1878, 1881, 1885

Right - South London Palace Bill with Arthur Lloyd - Click for six more Lloyd Bills.

THE SOUTH LONDON PALACE
A review from The Era of August 7th 1870

When such an agreeable variety of amusement is provided as we find at the South London Palace, it is difficult to select any items of the programme for especial commendation without appearing unfair to others.

First there is the band, which, under the direction of Mr. Spillane, performed on the night of our visit a selection from Verdi’s Traviata in a style worthy of one of the operatic establishments. Indeed, we have rarely heard so good a quality of tome and such neat and finished execution, in a Music Hall.

Then came an old favourite of the public, Mr. Critchfield, who, in his comic songs, made sundry remarks upon topics of the day, which elicited shouts of laughter and applause. The comic element is especially strong at the South London, for the “new comic,” Mr. Hillier, immediately followed with a song appropriate to the times, about a German who is on his way home to fight for Fatherland.

Mr. Arthur Lloyd then introduced the infinitesimal tenor, Mr. Henry Collard, who sang “She wore a wreath of roses” and “Happy be thy dreams” extremely well; after which Mr. Arthur Lloyd himself made us acquainted with the mysteries of the “Roman Fall” and compared it with the “Grecian Bend” to the disadvantage of the latter. But, merrily as this popular song was received, its reception was tame when compared with the description of the “Baby Show” in which Mr. Lloyd, dressed in feminine costume, describes the experiences of a fond mother at North Woolwich with her “own precious tootsicums,” her anxiety respecting its weight and the exultation of her maternal heart when she at length receives a prize.

Above - Notice in the ERA of 1870 - Mr. Arthur Lloyd settles all Engagements for Mr Henry Collard, the "Great Little Wonder," the Greatest Novelty in London at the present moment. Eighteen Years of age, and less in stature than Tom Thumb or Commodore Nutt. A perfect little gentleman in miniature. He appears until furthur notice, at the South London Palace and Royal Music Hall, Holborn. - Courtesy Emmi Birch.

We have often heard men object to being “treated like a dog” but it is very certain that Mr. Doughty’s dogs have not been treated badly and that he has trained up a dog in the way it should go is very evident from the clever performance we saw.

Liskard’s entertainment was as popular as ever. His droll performance of a portion of Paganini’s “Carnival of Venice” upon the accordion showed a combination of musical ability and quaint humour which is very rare indeed. His manipulation of a pair of bellows and the melody he draws from a book are equally odd and original.

The first part of the programme was graced with the excellent singing of Miss Constance Loseby, who, during the recess of the Gaiety Theatre, has taken a short engagement here. Her singing of “Sally in our Alley”, though it is rather a song for a tenor than a soprano, was received with immense applause. The ballet of The May Queen ended the first part and the spectacle of one hundred pretty girls disporting themselves around the May-pole, wreathing festoons of gay –coloured ribbons and fluttering flags about, to say nothing of their own pretty faces and prettier – well say – feet.

The hearts of many susceptible youths at the South London bounded as they watched this display of grace and beauty and at the close Mr. Villiers was vociferously called for to receive the acknowledgments due to his taste and liberality. We are almost afraid to say what else there was to be seen and heard at the South London, or our notice will exceed all reasonable bounds. Briefly, then, there was Mr. Brian, dancing as merrily as usual; there was the extraordinary gymnastic performances of Culleen and Atrato, which, owing to the admirable arrangements, relieved the audience from that disagreeable sense of danger which too frequently accompanies such exhibitions; there was Mr. Wash Norton’s Negro drollery; there was the comic ballet; there was – what else? the fullest and most orderly and respectable audience we have seen in any Music Hall for a long time.

Text above from The Era for the 7th August 1870 - Kindly sent in by Emmi Birch whose Great Great Grandfather was Thomas Culeen of 'Culeen and Atrato' who often appeared on the same Bills as Arthur Lloyd (See above). Culeen and Atrato were a Circus act, Trapeze Artists and Gymnasts. Thomas ended up in the 1880's as a famous (locally) Circus and Theatre proprietor at The Gaiety Theatre in Burnley, Lancashire. If you have any information you are willing to share on Culeen and Atrato then please Contact Me here...

Extract from
Discovering Southwark

...Although many things were different in the Victorian Era, people still knew how to have a good time. Music halls were very popular, including the South London Palace. It seated up to 4,000 people who would come to watch performing dogs, champion-rope dancers and Otto ‘the bicycle wonder of the age’. People also liked to go out for a drink and where better than the Old Kent Road, the ‘Thomas a Becket’ being a popular choice...

From Discovering Southwark.

Left - Programme for the South London Palace Circa 1890s - Click for details

Programme for Variety show at the South London Palace July 19th 1937

Above - Programme extracts for Variety show at the South London Palace July 19th 1937