History Lesson (Updated) that not many people know.
Posted by Norman Dunn on 23/12/2024, 11:22 am
Edited by board administrator 23/12/2024, 1:17 pm
Not many people know Hebburn had its own ‘Music hall Theatre’ ‘in the Quay area that opened as the ‘Grand Theatre’ on the 1st of February 1897 with a production of the Pantomime 'Cinderella'. The Theatre was sandwiched between Carr St and Lyon St and was adjoined to the ‘Ellison House Hotel’ on the corner of Prince Consort Rd formerly James St. The Theatre was created where some houses and business premises had been. The main entrance was on Lyon Street and the rear exit in Carr St. There are no photos of our Theatre only this news clipping after the fire. It was reported in 1897 that 'The theatre has been constructed and fitted on the most modern lines with the very latest Improvements, whilst the peculiarity of the site affords numerous exits and entrances for the audiences in case of alarm and most comfortable dressing-rooms for the artists. The main approach to the circle is very elaborate, the steps being of white marble. At the top of the staircase are ladies cloakrooms and gentlemen's retiring rooms, whilst to the left is the first-class refreshment bar. The chairs in the circle are all tip up type and there is a Box each side of the auditorium , close to the stage that are elegantly furnished for when wealthy people attend eg the Ellison family or Business owners. The ceiling has been decorated in a most masterly fashion, and being so high, it dispels any fear of stuffiness. The theatre is capably of seating about 1,500, and is fitted throughout with electric light, nothing else being used on the stage. Below is an advertisement for the opening of the new re-named ‘Theatre Royal,’ Hebburn From the Shields Daily Gazette, Monday the 6th of August 1900.
Note that the Manager/owner in 1900 is Arthur Jefferson, the father of the famous Stan Laurel, of ‘Laurel and Hardy’ fame in Hollywood. Arthur had several other Theatre’s in the area at the time and went on to run quite a large circuit of Theatres in his career. Having acquired the Hebburn Grand Theatre in 1900 Arthur Jefferson quickly closed it and set about refurbishing and altering it and reopened it as the ‘Theatre Royal’ 6th of August 1900 with a production of the burlesque 'Little Red Riding Hood'. For the reopening, Jefferson added two new exits, new refreshment bars, altered the position of the Box Office, added a new dressing room beneath the stage, and another one behind the auditorium box on the north side of the building, he also added a new Band room and Paint Frame, and a new stock of scenery, and had the Theatre entirely redecorated in cream, blue and gold to the designs of Alexandra Craig.(Mr Craig later had a wallpaper/paint decorating business on Hedgeley Rd- Station Rd corner that was locally called ‘Craig’s Corner’ . On the reopening the Theatre still seated 1,500 people, however, provisions for the comfort of its patrons had been improved and the local press described the new scheme of decorations as "Cheerful and Bright". The Theatre subsequently went on to entertain the people of Hebburn and surrounding districts for the next 50 years, under several different owners. Sadly, late Friday night on October the 6th 1950, whilst under the management of the Dawes Brothers who had run the Theatre since 1927, a disastrous fire broke out which eventually destroyed the building and spread to the Ellison House Hotel next door badly damaging that Hotel which eventually re-opened. Not long after reopening it closed permanently and the replacement ‘pub’ was the new ‘Mill Tavern’ on Mill Lane. Ten fire engines and 70 fire fighters tackled the blaze but by the Saturday morning all that was left of the Theatre was the brick shell of the building. The Theatre was never rebuilt or reopened but was instead demolished. I (Norman Dunn) was 6 years old at this time and lived in an upstairs Flat, 14 Lyon St diagonally across from the Theatre. I had been in bed asleep about 10pm on the Friday night when my dad woke me up to tell me that the Theatre was on fire. He knew I had really been looking forward to the next episode of an exciting Film next day Saturday afternoon so he allowed me to come down to the front door to watch the Firemen fighting the blaze. I never did see that next episode. As we know they failed to save the severely damaged Theatre and it had to be demolished a short time later even though it was only 53 years old. Because it was to be demolished, the brothers promised Hebburn people that they would be back with a replacement. They kept their promise and the replacement was ‘The Rex’ Cinema on Victoria Rd West- North Farm Rd junction. Below is the 1950s replacement, including an internal view.
we still had another Cinema in the Town called ‘The Gem’ on Albert St which was sandwiched between William St & the Cuthbert St back lane. The ‘Gem opened in 1912 and was a popular Hebburn Cinema. (We also had the choice of 3 Jarrow Cinemas, ie the ‘Regal’ the’Picture House’ & the ‘Empire’ so plenty choices.
The ‘Gem’ ( pictured above ) had matinees every Saturday afternoon and were well attended. I was a matinee regular there along with my pals. After watching a Cowboy film we’d come out into the afternoon sunshine pretending we were cowboys slapping our backsides as if we were riding a Horse & we’d all run all the way down Tennants Fields to the riverside. There was a large rock we sat on as it was shaped a bit like a stage coach so we nicknamed it ‘Stagecoach Rock’. Happy days. Norman Dunn born June 1944
|