Basic Site Details

Name: Prince of Wales Theatre
City or county: Glasgow
Country: Scotland
Parish:  
Status: Demolished
Grid ref:
Notes: Peter ascribes the building of this to David Hamilton but this is incorrect as he had died in 1843. Other evidence points instead to Spence.

Cost of James Davidson work £10,000

Cost of 1903 enlargement: £8,000 (Peter)/£10,000 (Builder).

Prince of Wales
After 1862 this was the new name given to the Milton Colosseum in Milton Arcade , which James Baylis was operating from 1855 as first lessee.
The Milton Arcade hall had been adapted by architects Clarke & Bell for the property owner Alexander Hannay, to become the Milton Colosseum.
Hannay changed the name to Prince of Wales when Baylis left for the Scotia Hall (Stockwell Street).
After a fire the PoW was rebuilt in 1869 for Hannay designed by William Spence.
Hannay continued as owner until 1898 when it was sold to the then lessee Ernest Stevens.

Alternative Names

The following alternative names are associated with this building/design:
 NameCurrent name?Notes
Item 1 of 1Grand TheatreYesFrom 1881

Street Addresses

The following street addresses are associated with this building:
 AddressMain entrance?Notes
Item 1 of 2Cowcaddens StreetYes 
Item 2 of 2Stewart StreetYes 

Events

The following date-based events are associated with this building:
 FromToEvent typeNotes
Item 1 of 64 August 1867 OpenedOpened as the Prince of Wales Theatre.
Item 2 of 614 January 1869  Burnt down
Item 3 of 630 September 1869  Reopened after rebuilding
Item 4 of 6March 1881August 1881 Rebuilding, reopening as Grand Theatre
Item 5 of 625 September 1903  Reopened after refurbishment
Item 6 of 65 September 1918  Destroyed by fire; subsequently replaced by a modest cinema

People

Design and Construction

The 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.
 NameRolePartnership GroupFromToNotes
Item 1 of 3William Spence A1867 Unclear if any involvement at this date.
Item 2 of 3William Spence B1869 Rebuilding after fire.
Item 3 of 3James Davidson  1903 Enlargement and refurbishment

Clients

The following individuals or organisations have commissioned work on this building/design:
 NameNotes
Item 1 of 5Buchanan, R CClient for 1903 enlargement and rebuilding. Cost £10,000
Item 2 of 5Davis, AlfredLater client, with Edward L Knapp
Item 3 of 5Hannay, AlexanderOwner when theatre rebuilt after fire in 1867.
Item 4 of 5Knapp, Edward LLater client, with Alfred Davis
Item 5 of 5Stevens, ErnestOwner after Hannay. Stevens was leasing the theatre from Hannay at this time but bought it in 1898.

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this building:
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2Peter, Bruce1999Scotland's Splendid Theatres: Architecture and Social History from the Reformation to the Present Day Edinburgh: Polygon (an imprint of Edinburgh University Press Ltd)pp75-6
Item 2 of 2Smith, Graeme2008The Theatre Royal: entertaining a Nation Glasgow Publications 

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this building:
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 3Builder17 October 1903LXXXV For alterations by Davidson
Item 2 of 3Building News22 January 1869  CHECK: who was the architect responsible?
Item 3 of 3Glasgow HeraldSeptember 1903  Exact date uncertain (cited by Peter)

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this building:
 SourceArchive nameSource catalogue no.Notes
Item 1 of 1Courtesy of Graeme SmithInformation via website (from Graeme Smith)  Sent June 2013.