Basic Site Details Name: | King's Theatre (and tenement) | Town, district or village: | Kirkcaldy | City or county: | Fife | Country: | Scotland | Parish: | | Status: | | Grid ref: | | Notes: | 1903 - At Tuesday’s meeting of Kirkcaldy Dean of Guild Court plans were passed for the King’s Theatre which it is proposed to erect on a central site on High Street and Redburn Wynd. The frontage to High Street is to be occupied by a large block of buildings comprising shops and dwelling houses with a wide entrance leading to the theatre. The theatre is to be fireproof throughout and will be erected on the cantilever principle. The theatre is expected to cost between £20,000 and £30,000. The architects are Mr J D Swanston and Mr W Williamson, Kirkcaldy. [British Architect 10 July 1903 Page 36]
Builder: W S Cruickshank (as at King's Theatre in Edinburgh)
Alterations to the Opera House are proposed by Scottish Cinema and Variety Theatres Limited to plans by Mr C J McNair LRIBA 112 Bath-street, Glasgow [Reference not given by Darlington]
A contract for rebuilding the Scottish Opera House for Scottish Cinema and Variety Theatres Limited, has been placed with the Cinema Construction Company Limited. 154 West Regent Street, Glasgow. Plans are by Mr Charles J McNair LRIBA 112 Bath Street, Glasgow. [Builder 14 June 1935 Page 1126]
A contract for the main building work for a new Cinema in the High-street (Messrs McNair and Elder architects, 272 St Vincent Street Glasgow) has been placed with Messes Scott and Company, Dellburn-street Motherwell. [Builder 23 October 1936]
N.B. also 1935 rebuilding the Opera House - is this part of the same contract?
| Alternative NamesThe following alternative names are associated with this building/design: | | Name | Current name? | Notes | | ABC Cinema | | in 1963 | | Canon Cinema | | | | Hippodrome | | Renamed as such 1908 | | MGM Cinema | | | | Regal Cinema | | in 1937 | | Scottish Opera House/The Opera House | | Prior to rebuilding as cinema in 1916 |
Street AddressesThe following street addresses are associated with this building: | | Address | Main entrance? | Notes | | 252-262, High Street | Yes | | | Redburn Wynd | Yes | |
EventsThe following date-based events are associated with this building: | | From | To | Event type | Notes | | 1903 | 1904 | Build/construction | Original building | | July 1903 | | Plans approved | | | 14 November 1904 | | Opened | | | 1909 | | | Alterations | | 1924 | | | Alterations - staircase removed | | 1935 | 1937 | Alteration/conversion | Proposed alterations to Opera House. Interior rebuilt as cinema. |
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 | | John Daniel Swanston | | A | 1903 | 1904 | In collaboration with William Williamson | | William Williamson | | A | 1903 | 1904 | In collaboration with John Daniel Swanston | | John Daniel Swanston | | B | 1909 | | Alterations | | Swanston & Syme | | B | 1909 | | Alterations | | William Syme | | B | 1909 | | Alterations | | Charles James McNair | | C | 1935 | 1937 | Interior rebuilt as cinema | | McNair & Elder | | C | 1935 | 1937 | Interior rebuilt as cinema - McNair responsible |
ClientsThe following individuals or organisations have commissioned work on this building/design: | | Name | Notes | | Buchanan, Robert C | | | Scottish Cinema and Theatre Company | Client for 1924 work |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this building: | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Glen, Duncan | 2008 | William Williamson | | | p23-24 (illus) | | 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) | pp220-1 | | Pride, Glen L | 1990 | The Kingdom of Fife | | Edinburgh: Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland | p55 | | Pride, Glen L | 1999 | The Kingdom of Fife | 2nd Edition | The Rutland Press | p55 | | Who's Who in Architecture | 1914 | | | | | | Who's Who in Architecture | 1923 | | | | |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this building: | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | British Architect | 3 July 1903 | | | Page viii - contracts open | | British Architect | 10 July 1903 | | | p36 - plans passed | | Builder | 1904 | LXXXVII | | | | Builder | 11 January 1908 | | | | | Builder | 14 June 1935 | CXLVIII | | p 1126 | | Builder | 23 October 1936 | CLI | | p 802 | | Building News | 1903 | LXXXV | | p 34 | | Building News | 3 July 1903 | | | p34 - contracts open | | Building News | 1904 | LXXXVII | | p 741 | | Building News | 1909 | XCVII | | p 490 | | Fife Free Press | 28 January 1956 | | | Swanston obituary |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this building: | | Source | Archive name | Source catalogue no. | Notes | | Courtesy of Neil Darlington | Information sent via DSA website | | Sent June 2009 | | Fife Archives, Iona House, John Smith Business Park, Kirkcaldy | Kirkcaldy Dean of Guild Court | | 1903 Ref 648; 1909 reference DG/K/1/951; 1924 ref 13/24 and 36/24; 1936 ref 49/36 | | Historic Environment Scotland | Listed Buildings Register | 44063 | |
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