Ramsden Street: Theatre Royal (rebuild after fire)

On the 15th of February 1880 the first Theatre Royal was destroyed by fire and a new Theatre was then built on the same site by J. A Love of Southport to the designs of the architect B. E. Entwistle. Construction began in August 1880 and the new Theatre opened on the 11th of April 1881 with a production of 'As You Like It' with Miss Wallis playing Rosalind.

The Theatre's main frontage of square stoned Ashler was on Ramsden Street and was 60 foot wide with six entrances, including access to the Dress and Upper Circles through a spacious Vestibule of 23 foot by 18 foot. The Boxes were approached from a handsome staircase in the Vestibule. The side elevation on Bull and Mouth Street was in hammer dressed stonework, 118 foot in length, and provided entrances to the Stalls and Stage, and exits from the Pit and Gallery.

The stage, which was on street level, designed for easy access, was 55 foot wide with a proscenium opening of 26 foot by 28 foot high and had two tiers of boxes on either side, two on each tier. The Grid was 47 foot high. The Dress Circle could accommodate around 120 people and the Upper Circle around 130. The Upper Circle also had its own smoking lounge, refreshment bar, and crush room. The Gallery and Pit could each accommodate around 1,000 people. Underneath the Pit was a room designed for Band Practice.

The proscenium was embellished with bas relief ornaments and above the stage was a large fresco painting illustrating Shakespeare's comedy and tragedy with a figure of Shakespeare himself in the centre. The auditorium ceiling consisted of 16 panels with figures representing Music and Drama. The Act Drop for the new Theatre was painted by George Tweddell and represented a party of merry makers embarking on board a large gondola.

The Theatre Royal, was demolished in 1961 by the Huddersfield Corporation, allegedly because it was in a dilapidated condition. A new Market Hall was built on the site.

[Extract from: "The Music Hall and Theatre History Website"]