Building    From 3/5/1951 

Royal Festival Hall

Categories: Dance, Music / songs

A 2,700-seat concert, dance and talks venue within Southbank Centre. The first post-war building to be protected with a Grade 1 Listing, in 1981.

The project was led by London County Council's then chief architect, Robert Matthew, with a young team of talented designers including Leslie Martin, who was eventually to lead the project.

Built on the site of the former Lion Brewery, the foundation stone was laid in 1949 and the building was officially opened on 3 May 1951.

A London Inheritance has a splendid post about the construction of the RFH, with lots of historic photos.

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This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Royal Festival Hall

Commemorated ati

Clement Attlee - Royal Festival Hall

This film shows what looks like a time capsule being buried, and Attlee layin...

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Other Subjects

Hammersmith Palais

Hammersmith Palais

Former dance venue. It opened as a roller-skating rink, then became an ice rink, before being turned into a popular ballroom and concert hall. During WW2 it was used for making tanks and also as a ...

Building, Dance, Music / songs

1 memorial
Fred Astaire

Fred Astaire

Dancer, singer, actor. Born and died America. Brother and sister, Frederick and Adele Austerlitz, started as children as vaudeville performers. Between 1917 and 1932 they appeared in musical shows ...

Person, Cinema, Dance, Music / songs, Seriously Famous, USA

1 memorial
Lydia Lopokova

Lydia Lopokova

Ballerina famous during the early 20th century. Born in Russian as Lidiya Vasilyevna Lopukhova. Trained at the Imperial Ballet School. Toured with the Ballets Russes in 1910, and rejoined them in 1...

Person, Dance, Russia

1 memorial
Cecil Sharp

Cecil Sharp

Collector of English folk-songs and dances. Born Denmark Hill. Spent 1882 - 92 in Australia. Developed an interest in English folk-music in 1899 and began his prolific collection which later expand...

Person, Dance, Museums / Libraries, Music / songs, Australia

1 memorial
Sammy Davis Jnr

Sammy Davis Jnr

Born Harlem in New York City into a show-biz family.  Hit the big-time in 1951.  Lost his left eye in a car crash in 1954.  Member of Sinatra's Rat Pack.  In 1967 on TV he greeted Frank's daughter,...

Person, Cinema, Dance, Music / songs, Seriously Famous, Theatre, USA

1 memorial

Previously viewed

Tycho

Tycho

Dog buried in the V&A garden. 2016:Londonist led us to the V&A's unveiling of the identity of Tycho. Sir Henry Cole's diary for Saturday, 4 February 1882 reports ‘Out in Gardens with Tycho...

Animal, Animals

1 memorial