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.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

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

Commemorated ati

Other Subjects

Peggy Ashcroft

Peggy Ashcroft

Actor. Born Edith Margaret Emily Ashcroft in Croydon.

Person, Cinema, Theatre, TV & Radio

1 memorial
Henry Condell

Henry Condell

Fellow actor and friend of William Shakespeare and John Heminge. Heminge and Condell had been co-partners with Shakespeare in the Globe Theatre. On his death the plays existed only in the form of ...

Person, Theatre

1 memorial
Gatti family

Gatti family

Swiss-Italian family.  Restaurateurs, music hall, theatre and electricity supply entrepreneurs. Four generations of note, all born in Dongio, Val di Blenio, Ticino, Switzerland: Carlo; Agostino (18...

Group, Commerce, Food & Drink, Theatre, Switzerland

1 memorial
Anthony Newley

Anthony Newley

Actor, singer and songwriter. Born at 230 High Street, Hackney. He played the Artful Dodger in David Lean's 1948 film of Oliver Twist, and on television he was in the impenetrably surreal 1960 come...

Person, Cinema, Music / songs, Theatre, TV & Radio, USA

1 memorial
Jessie Matthews, OBE

Jessie Matthews, OBE

Actor, singer and dancer. Born into a large family in Berwick Street.  Made her name in theatre and in the 30's was Britain's favourite musical film star.  Post-war her career flagged but in 1963 s...

Person, Cinema, Dance, Music / songs, Theatre, TV & Radio

2 memorials