| Summary : A music hall and inn built in 1865, with the remains of a late 18th century inn to the east. It was designed by George Smith for Charles Thornton and is of rendered brick with a slate roof. The theatre block is of three-storeys and seven-bays built on the narrow Swan Street. Its former entrance at the east end of the north side from The Headrow is now obscured by a canopy. The remains of the inn comprise a four-storey, two-bay block fronting Swan Street, this block projects forward of the theatre and has the main theatre entrance to the left. When the music hall opened it consisted of three tiers, with the upper balcony taking the form of an end balcony, the slips being added in the 1880s. A flat supper-room-style foor was probably converted to a rake at about the same time. The three-centred arched proscenium may be a later insertion whilst there is a shallow stage with apron and flies. The City Varieties is one of most important early grand music hall survivals, comparabile in rarity and completeness with London, Wilton's and Hoxton Hall. Charles Thornton was the landlord on the Swan Inn in Swan Street, built in 1762; the Swan Inn is identifiable on the 1850 OS map as the projecting block to the right of the theatre. Thornton rebuilt the singing room as 'Thornton's New Music Hall and Fashionable Lounge', opened 7 June 1865; the building evidence suggests that he modified the inn by altering the Swan Street entrance to provide the main access to the theatre and bar/dining room. He leased the building to John Stansfield in 1876 and in 1894 it became the City Varieties. The public house was sold off to Tetley's in the early 1950s. |
More information : (SE30283372) City Palace of Varieties (NAT) (1)
1.
5114 LS1 THE HEADROW LS1 (South Side)
City Palace of Varieties
SE 3033 44/106 15.2.60.
II*
2.
It has been a singing room since 1762 and the present theatre's
decorations are untouched - period circa 1850. Dress circle supported
by cast iron columns with Corinthian type caps, modillion cornice,
crinoline or bow fronted solid balustrade decorated with plaster
enrichments, swags, medallions with female busts. Boxes have
Corinthian columns with lotus leaf bases; gallery similar but less
ornate. Flat ceiling with plaster decorations. 3-centred proscenium
arch with Royal Arms over.
The exterior, facing Swan Street, is stuccoed round-headed recesses
and modillion cornice. (2)
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