Basic Site Details Name: | Empire Theatre | City or county: | Glasgow | Country: | Scotland | Parish: | | Status: | Demolished | Grid ref: | | Notes: | EMPIRE THEATRE, GLASGOW.-The new theatre which has been built by the Glasgow Empire Palace Company, to take the place of the old Gaiety Theatre, has now been completed. It is situated in Sauchiehall-street and West Nile-street. The plans were prepared by Mr Frank Matcham. The elevations are faced with Dumfriesshire freestone, of a light red colour. The front to Sauchiehall-street contains four shops, with show-rooms above, and in the centre are the entrances to the principal parts of the theatre. The building will accommodate altogether 2,158 persons, divided in the following manner : Stalls, 156; pit, 655; dress circle, 220; upper circle, 327; gallery, 750; private boxes, 50.The total expenditure on the reconstruction of the theatre will be about £30,000. [Builder 17 April 1897 page 363]
Contractor for 1930 work - John Emery & Sons, Jessie Street, Glasgow. | Building Type ClassificationThe building is classified under the following categories: | | Classification | Original classification? | Notes | | Theatre | | |
Street AddressesThe following street addresses are associated with this building: | | Address | Main entrance? | Notes | | Sauchiehall Street | Yes | | | West Nile Street | Yes | |
EventsThe following date-based events are associated with this building: | | From | To | Event type | Notes | | 1897 | | | Original thetare | | 1931 | | | Internal rebuilding of Matcham's theatre on larger scale and alterations to exterior | | 28 September 1931 | | | Opened after rebuilding | | 1963 | | Demolition | |
PeopleDesign and ConstructionThe following individuals or organisations have carried out design/construction work. Where architects or practices worked together, matching letters appear beside their names in the Partnership Group column. | | Name | Role | Partnership Group | From | To | Notes | | Frank Matcham | | | 1897 | | | | Stanley Wayman Milburn | | A | 1928 | 1931 | Internal rebuilding of Matcham's theatre on larger scale and alterations to exterior | | Thomas Ridley Milburn | | A | 1928 | 1931 | Internal rebuilding of Matcham's theatre on larger scale and alterations to exterior | | W & T R Milburn | | A | 1928 | 1931 | Internal rebuilding of Matcham's theatre on larger scale and alterations to exterior | | William Milburn | | A | 1928 | 1931 | Internal rebuilding of Matcham's theatre on larger scale and alterations to exterior | | William Milburn (junior) | | A | 1928 | 1931 | Internal rebuilding of Matcham's theatre on larger scale and alterations to exterior |
ClientsThe following individuals or organisations have commissioned work on this building/design: | | Name | Notes | | Glasgow Empire Co. | and Edward Moss | | Glasgow Empire Palace Company | 1897 | | Moss, Edward | and Glasgow Empire Co |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this building: | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Earl and Sell | 2000 | Guide to British Theatres, 1750-1950 | | London | | | Peter, Bruce | 1999 | Scotland's Splendid Theatres: Architecture and Social History from the Reformation to the Present Day | | Edinburgh: Polygon (an imprint of Edinburgh University Press Ltd) | pp101-105 | | Walker, Brian | | Frank Matcham Theatre Architect | | | pp 25, 85,158 |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this building: | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | Architect and Building News | 1930 | Jan-Jun | | p776 | | Builder | 17 April 1897 | LXXII | | p363 | | Builder | 29 August 1930 | | | p359 | | Builder | Late 1931 | CXLI | | pp799, 705-709 (Plans, illustration) | | Building Industries | 15 April 1897 | | | Orignal theatre | | Building News | 24 April 1897 | | | Orignal theatre |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this building: | | Source | Archive name | Source catalogue no. | Notes | | Tyne & Weir Archive | Milburn Papers DT.TRM | | DT.TRM/1/65-99 |
|