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

Baroness Betty Boothroyd, O.M., P.C.

Baroness Betty Boothroyd, O.M., P.C.

Betty Boothroyd was born on 8 October 2023 in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, the daughter of Ben Archibald Boothroyd (1886-1948) and Mary Boothroyd née Butterfield (1901-1982).  In the 1939 England and...

Person, Dance, Politics & Administration, USA

1 memorial
Dame Marie Rambert

Dame Marie Rambert

Ballet dancer who had a great influence on ballet in Britain. Born Cyvia Ramberg in Poland. Arrived in England in 1914. Married Ashley Dukes in 1918, a marriage which lasted until his death. Founde...

Person, Dance, Poland

2 memorials
Ballet Rambert

Ballet Rambert

Britain's oldest dance company. Founded by Dame Marie Rambert initially as Rambert Dancers, and then, at the Mercury Theatre, in 1931, as the Ballet Club and then, until the 1980s, as Ballet Ramber...

Group, Dance

2 memorials
Ruthie Henshall

Ruthie Henshall

Actor, dancer and singer. Born in Bromley as Valentine Ruth Henshall. She has appeared in many west end productions, including 'Cats', 'Chicago' and 'Les Miserables'. Nominated five times for an Ol...

Person, Dance, Music / songs, Theatre

1 memorial
Princess Seraphine Astafieva

Princess Seraphine Astafieva

Ballerina. Danced for Diaghilev, and opened a ballet school in 1916 in London. The title of ‘Princess’ may be spurious. In the picture the Princess is on the right. Alicia Markova is the dancer on ...

Person, Dance, Russia

1 memorial