Wilton's Music Hall

Infobox Theatre
name = Wilton's Music Hall


caption = Fill image
address = Graces Alley, Cable Street
city = Tower Hamlets, London
country =
designation = Grade II* listed
latitude = 51.510680
longitude = -0.066930
architect = Jacob Maggs
owner = Wilton's Music Hall Trust
capacity = 400 hall and gallery
type = Saloon music hall
opened = 1828
yearsactive = 1828 - 1888 1999 - present
rebuilt = 1878 J. Buckley Wilson 1979-89 Peter Newson
closed =
othernames = 1828 Prince of Denmark Public House 1839 Mahogany Bar
1878 Frederick's Royal Palace of Varieties
production =
currentuse = Theatre
website = www.wiltons.org.uk

Wilton's Music Hall is a grade II* listed building, a former Music hall and performance space in Grace's Alley [Graces Alley is named for the former Cistercian house that stood on the site, known as "St Mary of Graces", founded in 1350, by Edward III in gratitude for the naval victory at Sluis. Between 1348-9, the district had been used as one of the City of London's main plague pits.] , off Cable Street in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.

History

Originally, the "Prince of Denmark Public House" (1828, also known as the "Mahogany Bar", from c.1839) owned by Matthew Eltham. The Mahogany Bar came into the ownership of John Wilton in about 1850. The Music hall was built for him in 1858 by Jacob Maggs, on the same site, as the former concert room of the public house. The bar, itself, was retained as the public entrance, and the hall was built in the area behind the existing block of houses. This was common practice at the time, as 'street frontage' for music halls was very expensive.

The music hall passed into the ownership of George Robinson (1870), to George Fredericks in 1874, and then in 1877 to Henry Hodkinson. The hall was rebuilt after a disastrous fire in 1877, [The Times (Saturday 1 September 1877): 'In regard to the destruction of Wilton's music-hall at the east of London on Thursday morning, it may be added that the total burning of the hall was not the only damage ...'] by J. Buckley Wilson of Wilson, Wilcox and Wilson of Swansea, when a raked auditorium floor and proscenium arch were introduced and re-opened as "Frederick's Royal Palace of Varieties". In 1880, John Wilton died, aged 60.

The theatre is an unrestored example of the 'giant pub hall'. In the theatre, a single gallery, on three sides and supported by 'barley sugar' cast iron pillars, rises above a large rectangular hall and a high stage with a proscenium arch. In its heyday, a 'sun-burner' chandelier of 300 gas jets and 27,000 cut crystals, illuminated a mirrored hall. Today, charring is still visible in the rafters, where the chimney exhausted the heat of this massive device. The hall would have had space for supper tables, a benched area, and promenades around the outside for standing customers ["Building News" 15 April 1859] .

Wilton's was modelled on many other successful London halls of the time, including the second Canterbury Hall (1854) in Lambeth, Evan's New (Supper Room) Music Hall (1856) in Covent Garden, and Weston's (1857) (later known as the 'The Royal Holborn'). Wilton's remains the only surviving example.

Wilton's became a mission hall in 1888, and by 1963, it had become a rag sorting depot. The building survived use as a church, fire, flood and war intact, but virtually derelict. After a campaign in 1964 led by Sir John Betjeman to list the building, and save it from demolition, the hall was finally purchased by the GLC in 1966 and transferred to the Music Hall Trust. Wilton's was returned to performance by Broomhill Opera in 1999, and is currently used for both opera and theatrical productions. It is now owned by the Wilton's Music Hall Trust - who are attempting to raise money for the stabilisation and restoration of the building. In June 2007 the World Monuments Fund added the building to its list of the world's "100 most endangered sites". [ [http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/story/0,,2098219,00.html "In praise of Wilton's music hall"] "The Guardian", 2007-06-08]

George Leybourne, known as "Champagne Charlie" appeared here, and the first ever Can-can in London was (reputedly) performed here, and promptly banned.

ee also

*Hoxton Hall

References

* John Earl and Michael Sell "Guide to British Theatres 1750-1950", pp. 147-8 (Theatres Trust, 2000) ISBN 0-7136-5688-3
*Peter Honri "John Wilton’s Music Hall, The Handsomest Room in Town" (1985)
*Diana Howard "London Theatres and Music Halls 1850-1950" (1970)

External links

* [http://www.wiltons.org.uk/ Wilton's Music Hall site]
* [http://s119102005.websitehome.co.uk/curtains_detail.asp?theatreName=&town=&originalDateFrom=&originalDateTo=&architect=&offset=680&ID=1849 Theatres Trust database entry]
* [http://www.arthurlloyd.co.uk/Wiltons.htm "Wilton's theatre history" (Arthur Lloyd site)]
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/london/yourlondon/restoration/wiltons_musical_hall.shtml 2003 BBC Restoration candidates]
*imdb title|title=A Little of What You Fancy (1968)|id=0290234
*imdb title|title='Wiltons' - The Handsomest Hall in Town (1970) (TV)|id=0274301