Grand Theatre [London, UK]
type: Item
label: Empire Cinema @es
label: Gran Teatro, Londra @it
description: Theatre building in Islington, United Kingdom
description: theater in London Borough of Islington @nl
description: Edificio teatrale a Islington, Regno Unito @it
alternative label: Grand Theatre
EUTA building identifier: 2313
Importance: Not rated
Type of information: Performance venue
Field: architecture
Country: United Kingdom
GPS: Point(-0.1056 51.533)
Wikidata source: Q42164106
opening date: 1883-01-01T00:00:00Z
Address: 40 Islington High Street, London, N1 8XL, England
architect: Frank Matcham
City: London
city section: Islington
Note: [First venue on the site built 1860 by William Finch Hill and Edward Lewis Paraire. Oened 1860 as "Philharmonic Hall". 1874 rebuilding, re-opened as "Philharmonic Theatre". Destroyed by fire. 1883 rebuilding by Frank Matcham. Re-opened 4 Aug 1883. Destroyed by fire. 1888 rebuilding again by Frank Matcham. Opened 1 Dec 1888 as "Grand Theatre" (3000 seats).]
Note: 1901 rebuilding again by Frank Matcham, using the facade of the former building. Interior decoration by Felix de Jong. Opened Jan 1901 as "Islington Empire Theatre". 1912-1918 renamed "Islington Palace Theatre". 1932 converted into a cinema, re-opened as "Empire Cinema". Damaged by fire on 7 Feb 1938. Repaired and re-opened 6 Feb 1939. Closed 10 March 1962. Auditorium subsequently demolished in favour of a car park (while still preserving the facade which was demolished in 1981 and translocated to the Museum of London). Only the backstage wall is still extant on the site.
Fires in Theatres id: 380
Burnt down date: 1887-12-29T00:00:00Z
Burnt down date: 1883-12-29T00:00:00Z
Wikidata instance: Q19860854
Wikidata instance: Q41253
Arthur Lloyd.co.uk page: Philharmonic.htm
Arthur Lloyd.co.uk page: Philharmonic.htm#grand
location hosted performance space: 1860-01-01T00:00:00Z
Modern Opera Houses ID: 648
Modern Opera Houses index: Descriptive text, I. p. 41 ; Block plan, I. p. 41 ; Plan area, I. PL 62 ; Plan 1st tier, I. PL 62 ; Longitudinal section. I. PL 62 ; Skeleton section of audi­torium, III. PL opp. p. 62 ; Cost and dimensions, III. p. 17. London, ‘Haymaricet’ Theatre: Seating, III. p. 30; Plan of 1st tier, III. p. 30 ; Skeleton plan of auditorium, III. PL opp. p. 62. London, ‘Her Majesty’s’ Theatre: Descriptive text, II. pp. 35,36; Block plan, II. p. 35 ; View of proscenium, II. p. 35 ; P'ront elevation of block, II. p. 36 ; General view, II. p. viii; Front elevation, II. PL 73 ; Side elevation, II. PI. 73 ; Plan area, II. PL 74; Plan 1st tier, II. PL 74; Longitudinal section, II. PL 74; Site plan, III. p. 13 ; Site, III. pp. 15, 30; Plan Tst tier, III. p. 30 ; View of proscenium opening, III. p. 68 ; View of box office, III. p. 88; Skeleton plan of auditorium, 111. PL opp. p. 61 ; Skeleton section of auditorium, III. PL opp. p. 61 ; Stage : General view, III. S. p. iv ; Cost and dimension-;, III. p. 17; References, III. pp. 70, 72, 74, 79.
theatricalia id: 1np/grand-theatre-london-ontario
Preservation state: extinct building
Preservation state: Disused