Place    From 1903  To 1958

Gaiety Theatre

Categories: Theatre

 Before the Aldwych development in 1906 the street pattern was very different.  The site between the current Lyceum Theatre and the current corner, Silken Hotel, was occupied by the Lyceum Theatre, which moved in 1834 to its current site.  Another theatre was built on this in-between site and took the name The Gaiety in 1868.  George Edwardes took over the management in about 1886 and in the 1890’s introduced the new style, now known as Edwardian musical comedy, which was very successful, especially the dancing Gaiety Girls.  Then the Aldwych redevelopment happened.  The Gaiety was demolished in 1903 and rebuilt on the new Aldwych corner site.  More success followed but by 1939 it was run down and so it closed.   The building was damaged by WW2 bombs and was demolished in 1956. Arthur Lloyd has a magnificent page on this theatre.

From Londonist we learn "Before the Gaiety was torn down {1956}, however, some of the internal fixtures from the auditorium were mysteriously saved and now grace the upstairs bar of The Victoria pub near Lancaster Gate tube."

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This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Gaiety Theatre

Commemorated ati

Gaiety Theatre

On this site stood the Gaiety Theatre, built in 1903 for impresario George Ed...

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Gaiety Theatre - SWET

Gaiety Theatre On this site until 1957 stood the re-sited Gaiety Theatre whic...

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Other Subjects

Nigel Playfair

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1 memorial
Dick Whittington's cat

Dick Whittington's cat

See Dick Whittington. The picture is the charming logo adopted by the Whittington Hospital on Highgate Hill.

Animal, Literature, Theatre

1 memorial
Bertolt Brecht

Bertolt Brecht

Eugen Berthold Friedrich Brecht, known professionally as Bertolt Brecht, was a German theatre practitioner, playwright, and poet.

Person, Seriously Famous, Theatre

1 memorial
Ralph Reader

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Person, Armed Forces, Music / songs, Theatre, TV & Radio

2 memorials
Charles Dibdin

Charles Dibdin

Dramatist, composer, writer and theatre proprietor. Employed Grimaldi at Sadler's Wells. Charles Isaac Mungo Dibdin was known professionally as Charles Pitt or Charles Dibdin the younger. Born in R...

Person, Music / songs, Theatre

1 memorial

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Faithless

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Group, Music / songs

1 memorial
Westminster City Council

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The ancient parish of St Margaret's was divided into St Margaret's and St John's in 1727 but it was still run as a single vestry. In 1855 the two parishes were reformed into the Westminster Distric...

Group, Politics & Administration

183 memorials
Greenwich Market

Greenwich Market

There has been a market in Greenwich since the fourteenth century. The buildings surrounding the current market are Grade 2 listed and were built from 1827 to 1833. The market is open from Wednesda...

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1 memorial
English Heritage

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Group, Architecture, History, Property

417 memorials
City of London School for Girls

City of London School for Girls

Founded by William Ward. On the Carelite site 1894 to 1969 and then moved to the Barbican.

Building, Education

1 memorial