History of Wilton's Music Hall Wilton's Music Hall Location Map Wilton's Timeline (BBC London) Wilton's and the Methodist Mission Memories of the Old Mahogany Bar Rory Bremner's plea to restore Wilton's Music Hall books (fact and fiction) Roger Wilmut's Music Hall website |
Wilton's Music Hall was the first and one of the most successful of London's music halls. Situated in Grace's Alley, just off Cable Street in London's East End, it was opened by John and Ellen Wilton in 1858. Known as "the handsomest room in town" Wilton's was a highly successful music hall for over a quarter of a century. Mirrors covered much of the walls of the main hall, and light was provided by a gas-burning chandelier made from 27,000 cut crystals. Wilton's was taken over by the East End Mission of the Methodist Church in 1885 and reopened as a church in 1888. It was used by the Mission until 1956, after which the building was sold and used as a rag warehouse. In 1964 John Betjeman led a successful campaign to save it from demolition. It was bought by the GLC in 1966. After years in a near-derelict state, Wilton's was taken over by Broomhill Opera in 1999, and is now the setting for a variety of operatic and theatrical productions. Other Victorian music halls still in use include Leeds City Varieties and The Gaiety Theatre, Isle of Man. Sadly, Scarborough's Alexandra Music Hall has now been demolished, but Glasgow's Britannia Music Hall is still standing, and an appeal for its restoration is under way. Other Wilton's webpages:
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