Building    From 1887  To 1931

People's Palace

Proposed by Walter Besant, the first People's Palace was built by the Beaumont Trustees, ‘Unitarian philanthropists’, to replace Beaumont's Philosophical Institution which had been in Beaumont Square. 

It was built on 5 acres of land on the Mile End Road, starting with the Queen's Hall, opened in 1887. By 1892 a library, swimming pool, gym and winter garden had been added. Entertainment and education were provided and by 1900 the University of London introduced a Bachelor of Science degree. It burnt down in 1931 but the educational sections were quickly rebuilt as Queen Mary College. In 1937 a hall, called the People's Palace (pictured here), was built and in 1954 was subsumed into QMC.

Queen Marys hold a plan of the original Palace (annoyingly that link is dead, 2024).

The Theatre Trust has a description of the 1937 hall and how it has been restored and used.

Sources include: Elizabeth Doyle Research, Queen Mary College archives.

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This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
People's Palace

Commemorated ati

Baron de Stern clock tower

Ornamental Passions has a photo of the seagull relief and explains that "Time...

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Clement Attlee statue

It's rather disconcerting that the plaque refers to "Queen Mary College" as "...

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People's Palace

The plaque names only 6 relief panels but there are 7, music being represente...

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Other Subjects

Charles John Vaughan

Charles John Vaughan

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Person, Education, Gender Issues, Religion

1 memorial
Dinah Fryer

Dinah Fryer

Born in 1954, Dinah Fryer was an Australian history schoolteacher at Golden Grove High School in Adelaide, South Australia, who was on her first overseas trip with her husband Chris Fryer and their...

Person, Education, Tragedy, Australia, Southeast Asia

1 memorial
Ainoshin Togo

Ainoshin Togo

Became a student at UCL in 1865.

Person, Education, Japan

1 memorial
Lawrence Sheriff

Lawrence Sheriff

Probably born in or near Rugby, 1515-16. In 1534 he went to London as an apprentice to a grocer. 7 years later he was a grocer and in 1554 he was elected to the Worshipful Company of Grocers. He wa...

Person, Education, Philanthropy

1 memorial
Red House - John Lyon School

Red House - John Lyon School

Bought by the school in 1956, its opening in 2013 was probably following a major refurbishment of some kind. At Lyonian Association we learnt: "The Red House Memorial Garden contains several trees...

Building, Education

1 memorial

Previously viewed

Christ Church - 1873

Christ Church - 1873

SE1, Westminster Bridge Road, Lincoln Tower

This foundation stone marks the beginning of the building works on the church. It was salvaged from the ruins of the church after WW2 and...

6 subjects commemorated, 1 creator