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Terry's Theatre was built by Walter Emden on the site of the old Coal Hole public house and music hall on the Strand. The Theatre opened on the 17th of October 1887 with the farce 'The Churchwarden.'

In 1905 the Theatre was altered by the renowned architect and theatre builder, Frank Matcham.

As with so many other Theatres of its period Terry's closed as a live Theatre on the 8th of October 1910 and was converted to a cinema.

The Theatre was demolished in 1923 to accommodate the widening of the Strand.

Right - Terry's Theatre seating plan - Click to Enlarge.

Terry Edward O'Connor, (1844) English actor, was born in London, and began his stage career in a small and struggling way in the provinces.

Between 1868 and 1875 he was the leading comedian at the Strand theatre, London, but it was not till he joined Hollingshead's company at the Gaiety in 1876 that he became a public favourite in the burlesques produced there during the next eight years.

With Nellie Farren, Kate Vaughan and Royce, he made the fortune of this house, his eccentric acting and singing creating a style which had many imitators.

Left - Line drawing of Terry's Theatre from 'The Romance of London Theatres' by Ronald Mayes. From a programme for the Lewisham Hippodrome.

In 1887 he went into management, opening Terry's theatre, where his production of Pinero's Sweet Lavender was a great success. (See programme below.)

But in subsequent years he was only occasionally seen at his own theatre, and made many tours in the provinces and in Australia, America and South Africa.

Off the stage he was well known as an ardent Freemason, and an indefatigable member of the councils of many charities and of public bodies.

Above text on Terry from the Encyclopedia Britannica (11th Edition.)

The Romance of London Theatres
By Ronald Mayes
No. 119. Terry's

Terry's Theatre stood in the Strand on the site now occupied by Fountain Court and Woolworth's Stores. In the eighteenth century there stood on the same spot "The Fountain Tavern" and "The Coal Hole," the meeting place of the Wolf Club, of which about 1820, Edmund Kean was a leading member. "The Coal Hole" was one of the places illustrated by Thackeray in his scenes of old-time song and supper rooms, and where the well-known "Baron" Nicholson held "The judge and jury Club."

After this the house was acquired by Charles Wilmot, an Australian, who christened it "The Occidental Tavern," which became a popular resort of actors.

It was Wilmot, in conjunction with Dr. Webb, who built the theatre, which was opened in 1887. It afterwards came under the control of Edward Terry. The first play he produced there was called "The Churchwarden." He liked this kind of play, because he was a very keen parochial worker. It was followed by "The Wornan Hater" -both plays were fairly successful. Terry's Theatre was not a remarkable success until the production of Pinero's play "Sweet Lavender."

Right - Programme for 'Law and Physic' and the very successful 'Sweet Lavender' which opened at Terry's Theatre on the 21st of March 1888 and ran for 684 performances. - Click for details.

On the first night there was fiasco over the complimentary seats, and one well known critic was apparently excluded from the invitations. He arrived uninvited, however, but was stopped on his way to the stalls. He cursed the play, the actors and everything connected with it, and raising his hands to heaven he expressed the wish that the theatre would be burnt to the ground. Happily, however, the theatre still stood and his wish for failure did not materialise, for "Sweet Lavender" was an unprecedented success and became the rage of the playgoing public. The sweetness of the play was haunting, the acting unforgettable, and it continued to run for such a length of time that people began to ask "Will there ever be a last perforance of 'Sweet Lavender' ?"

"Sweet Lavender" brought a clear £20,000 profit to the manager and ran for seven hundred nights.. It had an astonishingly good cast, including Terry, Brandon Thomas, Maude Millett and Carlotta Addison. The play cost £66 to produce. The running expenses were very little, the largest salary paid being £18 per week.

Pinero wrote other pieces for this theatre, including "In Chancery," which was produced in 1890 and "The Times" in 1892. Terry's actual contribution to theatrical history was not really remarkable. There were, however, several plays which enjoyed quite long runs, including "The New Boy," Jerome's "Old Lamps for New" and "The Pantomime Rehearsal," the latter play being particularly successful. "My Lady Motly," too, had a record run and proved very popular with the public.

Left - Programme for 'Jedbury Junr' at Terry's Theatre February 14th 1896 - Click to see entire programme.

In 1894 there was an endeavour to reassociate Kate Vaughan and Edward Terry in a series of sketches from old Gaiety successes, but it was not successful.

Prior to its demolition in connection with the Strand widening scheme, the theatre was run as a cinema for some years.

Text from 'The Romance of London Theatres by Ronald Mayes" - From a programme for the Lewisham Hippodrome.

Above Text is from the back of a programme for 'Sweet Lavender' 1887

Safety in Theatres

The following report, which was printed in the Pall Mall Gazette a week before Terry's Theatre opened on the 11th of October 1887, is about Safety in Theatres, specifically safety at the new Terry's Theatre, and is from an interview with the Theatre's Architect, Walter Emden.

'''MR, WALTER EMDEN believes he has designed a theatre which is as proof against fire and panic as it is possible to make a building under existing conditions. Mr. Terry's theatre, in the Strand, certainly marks a decided advance on anything yet attempted in theatre building, and Mr. Emden proposes to follow on the same lines in the construction of the new Court Theatre. In a conversation with our representative Mr. Emden entered fully into the details of his plans.

A UNIQUE BUILDING

"No theatre has ever been constructed in the same way either in England or on the Continent," said Mr. Emden. "The materials are iron, concrete, and brickwork. Wood has been used only to a very limited extent, such as in doors and windows and the fixing of blocks, and where other material could be used it was preferred. Every bit of wood that is used has been covered with fireproof paint, so that if it were attacked by fire it would only smoulder, and not flame. Instead of the ordinary lath and plaster in the walls and ceilings, a continuous roll of wire is used, and the plaster affixed to that. The partitions between the boxes and in other parts of the house are either of hollow fire brick or wire and plaster. The iron beams are covered in the same way, so that no iron is exposed to the action of the heat if a fire did occur. Except in the pit, no columns appear in the theatre. The corridors and floors are either formed of mosaic or cement, and there are no carpets except a strip for the feet of the people in the stalls, dress circle, and private boxes. Even the seats are partially constructed of metal. The hangings are of silk brocade and plush, materials which will not flame like cotton. All the ornamental work forming the box fronts and other parts of the building is fixed on iron standards, and is composed of fibrous plaster that is not combustible. The roof of the auditorium is of iron and concrete, and there is no large space between ceiling and roof in which to generate a fire and support it."

THE PRECAUTIONS ON THE STAGE.

"But as fire usually originates on the stage, what have you done there? "

As in the auditorium, so on the stage, we have made everything possible of fireproof materials. The roof of the stage, which is much higher than that of the auditorium, is in concrete and iron. There are two great exhausts to draw off smoke and heat from the stage. Then the stage is cut off from the auditorium by an asbestos fireproof curtain, which will be worked between the pieces in the same way as the ordinary green curtain, so that being in constant use and simple and light to manage, there will be no chance of its not being in order when required in an emergency. Next, the stage is dominated by sprinklers above and below, worked by a valve at the stage
door so that they can be instantly turned on, and the fireman will have no fear as to his own safety, as his escape is certain. The whole of the woodwork, flies, gridiron, and all parts are coated with fireproof paint. The dressing rooms are entirely of fireproof materials. Besides all this, electricity is used throughout the building for lighting.''

AN EXPERIMENT.

"You have made some experiments, have you not ?"

"Yes; we made an experiment some time back, when the whole of the interior of the building was full of scaffolding, and the risk was therefore greater; A fire was lighted on the stage and allowed to mount up through the flies to the height of about 40 ft. Within two minutes the fire was put our by the sprinklers. Besides the sprinklers there are hydrants behind the scenes and on each side of each of the circles."

"But what about the chances of asphyxiating the audience by smoke and gases generated by a fire on the stage ?"

"To prevent any smoke from the stage passing into the auditorium, as much as for ventilation, we have placed the two large exhausts I have mentioned over the top of the stage, and as the roof of the stage is some twenty feet or more above the roof of the auditorium the smoke would be drawn to the higher level by the exhausts; Thus in the case of fire on the stage we do not believe any smoke would pass to the front of the house."

ABUNDANCE OF EXITS..

"As to exits, what have you done?"

"According to the regulations of the Board of Works, it is necessary that there should be one 4½ ft. stair case for 400 people, with an increase of 6in. for every further hundred. We have provided exit accommodation according to this scale for 3,500 people, while the house will only hold 800. The regulation as to gangways is that they shall be 3 ft., but in no case are they made as small as that. They vary from 3½ ft. to 4 ft. The dress circle is constructed so that each row has two exits into the corridors, and every part of the house is provided with double means of exit to the street. From the gallery there is one staircase to Savoy-buildings and another without any turn to the Strand. From the pit and stall level there are three exits, and from the dress circle, besides the main one, there is another of 4½ ft. into the Savoy. There is a separate exit for the upper boxes, which only accommodate about seventy people, of 4½ ft."

COST AND OFFICIAL SUPERVISION.

"How does the matter stand as to cost?"

"The new system will cost at least from 20 to 25 per cent more than the ordinary method, but theatrical managers are willing to face even that outlay to secure absolute safety. It is an entire myth to suppose that they are careless on this point; Both architects and managers would welcome the supervision by the Board of Trade or the Home Department, which would be regular, just, and equitable, and whose rules would be applied equally; such a supervision as is given to mines and factories, with regular and constant inspection; and the managers of theatres and music halls would, as stated by their spokesman, Mr. Irving, at the deputation last year to the Home Office, find all the money necessary for such supervision and inspection. Every one concerned would welcome it, not only for the assurance it would give the public, but also the assurance that panic and a want of thorough knowledge of the subject would not subject the managers to constantly changing and possibly useless and costly alterations; while the regular and thorough supervision would make both the public and the property itself safe."'

Above text in quotes is from the Pall Mall Gazette, 11th of October 1887 - Courtesy BF.