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

Trinity Laban

Trinity Laban

Music and dance conservatoire based in Greenwich. It was formed with the amalgamation of the Trinity College of Music and the Laban Dance Centre.

Place, Dance, Music / songs

1 memorial
Ricki Gail Conway

Ricki Gail Conway

Deputy chair of the Royal Ballet School.

Person, Dance, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
William H. Heath

William H. Heath

Mayor of Wandsworth 1936/37 and ballroom dancer. The cutting in our photograph is dated 24/8/1937, so we presume Mrs Heath was still around, and happy for him and Nellie Wood to go off together!

Person, Dance, Politics & Administration, Austria

1 memorial
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

Previously viewed

John Hampden Gurney

John Hampden Gurney

Anglican clergyman and hymnist. Born the son of a lawyer at 12 Serjeant's Inn. Rector of St Mary's, Bryanston Square, from 1847 until his death at home 63 Gloucester Place.

Person, Music / songs, Religion

2 memorials
Arnold James Burton

Arnold James Burton

See Burtons.  The picture shows, left to right: Arnold, Barbara, Stanley, Raymond.

Person, Commerce

2 memorials
Dr Joseph T Clover

Dr Joseph T Clover

W1, Cavendish Place, 3

Placed 2 March 1994.

1 subject commemorated, 2 creators
Sir Robert Peel x 2

Sir Robert Peel x 2

W1, Upper Grosvenor Street, 16

English Heritage Sir Robert Peel, 1750 - 1830, manufacturer and reformer, and his son, Sir Robert Peel, 1788 - 1850, Prime Minister, fou...

2 subjects commemorated, 1 creator
Morgan Fund Trustees

Morgan Fund Trustees

We guess this was a short-lived organisation, created to manage the funds raised to erect the plaque, probably in 1913.

Group, Politics & Administration

1 memorial