B/W print; High view of Leicester Square during the opening ceremony and unveiling of the Shakespeare Memorial by London Stereoscopic and Photographic Company, 2 Jul 1874
Main details
| Reference number | 1999/1496 |
|---|---|
| Description | High view of Leicester Square during the opening ceremony and unveiling of the Shakespeare Memorial. The Royal Alhambra Palace and other buildings are shown on the east side of the Square. |
| Photographer | |
| Dates | 2 Jul 1874 |
| Collection | |
| Object type |
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| Photograph number | Ukn |
| Location | |
| Topics | |
| Completeness | 72% |
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Physical description
Item content Attribute Value Annotation LEICESTER SQUARE: THE OPENING CEREMONY AND THE UNVEILING OF THE SHAKESPEARE MEMORIAL, July 2, 1874. Showing the Alhambra and other Buildings on the East Side of the Square.
THE ALHAMBRA was the first theatre built in the Leicester Square district. It was erected, from the designs of T. H. Lewis, in 1852-53 as the Panopticon of Science and Art, a sort of rival to the Regent St. Polytechnic; but the lectures, musical entertainments, etc., given here were unprofitable, and the Panoptican was sold in 1857. In March, 1858, it re-opened as a circus and music-hall, and subsequently became notable for its ballets. On the night of December 7, 1882, the Royal Alhambra Theatre was burnt down, two firemen losing their lives through the fall of debris. (The writer witnessed this fire). The building was reconstructed (the roof was surmounted by three golden domes, in place of the old central dome and the two flanking minarets) and again opened on December 3, 1883.
Note, next to the Alhambra, the Turkish Baths (still here, in 1923), and, to the north, the Hotel Cavour, now, in this and the house south of it, the Cavour Restaurant. For account of Archbishop Tenison's School see overleaf.
Photograph an enlargement of a slide by the London Stereoscopic Co., supplied Feb., 1923.
LEICESTER SQUARE:
ARCHBISHOP TENISON'S SCHOOL.
(See Photograph overleaf).
This building was erected in 1870 and occupies the site of the old Sabloniere Hotel, which was established in two of the old houses of the square, one of them the town house of Hogarth. It is said that the billiard-room of the Hotel had been the studio of the painter. The Sabloniere was managed by the wife of the landlord of the Provence, at the northern end (Cranbourn St. corner) of this side of the square, and on its demolition, the Provence became the Sabloniere and Provence Hotel. In later years it was the Provence Hotel, a glorified pub with a not very genteel reputation, and finally was demolished to make way for Jones's Corner House.
The School was founded in 1685 by Thomas Tenison, Rector of St. Martin's-in-the-Fields and afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury (1636-1715). The original school was in Castle St. (now merged in the Charing Cross Road), and was endowed by Tenison with the interest of £1,500. Along with it, the kindly Rector established the first public library in London. This was sold in 1861 and the proceeds applied to the benefit of the school. "Dr. Tenison communicated to me his intention of erecting a library in St. Martin's parish, for the public use, and desired my assistance, with Sir Christopher Wren, about the placing and structure thereof, a worthy and laudable design. He told me there were thirty or forty young men in Orders in his parish, either governors to young gentlemen or chaplains to noblemen, who being reproved by him for frequenting taverns or coffee-houses, told him they would study or employ their time better if they had books. This put the pious Doctor on his design, and indeed a great reproach it is that so great a city as London should not have a public library becoming it." - Evelyn: DIARY, February 15, 1684.Design Attribute Value Shot medium exterior -
People involved
Role Person(s) involved Photographer London Stereoscopic and Photographic Company, 2 Jul 1874 -
Associated companies, people and places
Places Location Leicester Square, Westminster, WC2People Attribute Value People Charles White -