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 NamesThe following alternative names are associated with this building/design: | | Name | Current name? | Notes | | Grand Theatre | Yes | From 1881 |
Street AddressesThe following street addresses are associated with this building: | | Address | Main entrance? | Notes | | Cowcaddens Street | Yes | | | Stewart Street | Yes | |
EventsThe following date-based events are associated with this building: | | From | To | Event type | Notes | | 4 August 1867 | | Opened | Opened as the Prince of Wales Theatre. | | 14 January 1869 | | | Burnt down | | 30 September 1869 | | | Reopened after rebuilding | | March 1881 | August 1881 | | Rebuilding, reopening as Grand Theatre | | 25 September 1903 | | | Reopened after refurbishment | | 5 September 1918 | | | Destroyed by fire; subsequently replaced by a modest 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 | | William Spence | | A | 1867 | | Unclear if any involvement at this date. | | William Spence | | B | 1869 | | Rebuilding after fire. | | James Davidson | | | 1903 | | Enlargement and refurbishment |
ClientsThe following individuals or organisations have commissioned work on this building/design: | | Name | Notes | | Buchanan, R C | Client for 1903 enlargement and rebuilding. Cost £10,000 | | Davis, Alfred | Later client, with Edward L Knapp | | Hannay, Alexander | Owner when theatre rebuilt after fire in 1867. | | Knapp, Edward L | Later client, with Alfred Davis | | Stevens, Ernest | Owner after Hannay. Stevens was leasing the theatre from Hannay at this time but bought it in 1898. |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this building: | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | 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) | pp75-6 | | Smith, Graeme | 2008 | The Theatre Royal: entertaining a Nation | | Glasgow Publications | |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this building: | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | Builder | 17 October 1903 | LXXXV | | For alterations by Davidson | | Building News | 22 January 1869 | | | CHECK: who was the architect responsible? | | Glasgow Herald | September 1903 | | | Exact date uncertain (cited by Peter) |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this building: | | Source | Archive name | Source catalogue no. | Notes | | Courtesy of Graeme Smith | Information via website (from Graeme Smith) | | Sent June 2013. |
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