Group    From 25/2/1828  To 28/2/1828

Royal Brunswick Theatre

Categories: Theatre

The Royal Brunswick Theatre was built on the site of a previous theatre, the Royalty Theatre (1785-1826) which had burnt down. The Royal Brunswick, designed by Stedman Whitwell, was constructed, stretching from (what is now) Ensign Street with its back on Dock Street.

It opened on Monday 25 February, with an auditorium that held 2,000, with a production of 'The Mermaiden's Well'. The construction of the theatre was still not finished so during the daytime workmen were on site, as well as those involved in rehearsals, etc.

Just 3 days after the theatre opened, on the Thursday morning, the roof collapsed killing 11-16 people (accounts differ) including one of the owners of the theatre, and around 20 people  were seriously injured.

Londonist has published the remarkable first-hand account of the aftermath of the disaster by one of the men who had been working nearby, constructing St Katharine Docks, and were called on to help dig out the wounded and the dead.

We note that the bollards do not appear in the drawing from Spitalfields Life, nor in the drawing that Londonist shows but this probably doesn't mean anything - artists might consider bollards distracting details, best not included.

Information from Arthur Lloyd, Londonist, Spitalfields Life.

See Sailors' Home for what was then built on the site.

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

Commemorated ati

Other Subjects

Mary Moore, Lady Wyndham

Mary Moore, Lady Wyndham

Actress. Married Charles Wyndham.

Person, Theatre

1 memorial
Alastair Sim

Alastair Sim

Character actor. Born Edinburgh. Only became a professional actor aged about 30. Worked in Shakespeare at the Old Vic and then spent the 1950s making many British films, such as the 1954 The Belles...

Person, Cinema, Theatre, Scotland

1 memorial
Sir Charles Wyndham

Sir Charles Wyndham

born Charles Culverwell at Liverpool. Qualified as a doctor. Actor and manager.

Person, Theatre

4 memorials
Charles Coborn

Charles Coborn

Music hall entertainer and songwriter. Born Colin Whitton McCallum at 25 Sydney Square, Mile End. Best known for the songs 'Two Lovely Black Eyes' and 'The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo'.  ...

Person, Music / songs, Theatre

1 memorial
London Palladium

London Palladium

Londonist has some interesting facts about this theatre.

Building, Theatre

4 memorials

Previously viewed

Henry Valentine Longley

Henry Valentine Longley

From the parish of St Peter's in Bethnal Green and killed in WW1, a rifleman aged 18.

Person

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
Councillor Doreen Mardon
1 memorial
Watch House in Hampstead

Watch House in Hampstead

A watch house was an early form of local police station. Soon after the formation of the Hampstead police force in 1829, prisoners were kept in the Watch House at the top of Holly Walk.

Building, Law

1 memorial
Lord Bingham of Cornhill

Lord Bingham of Cornhill

Born as Thomas Henry Bingham on 13 October 1933, his birth was registered in the Marylebone registration district. Appointed to the High Court Bench (Queen's Bench Division) in 1980; a Lord Justic...

Person, Law, Wales

2 memorials
RNH - Casualty Department

RNH - Casualty Department

N7, Manor Gardens, Royal Northern Gardens

See the mosaic for more information about the Casualty Department.

2 subjects commemorated, 1 creator