n attempt to list all the shows ever performed at our Hippodromes, beginning with the temporary circus buildings, which from 1884 were specially erected on Pool Meadow for each visit - then, in 1903, to the first permanent, but short-lived, 'Tin' Hippodrome on the Priory Street side of Pool Meadow facing the old Swimming Baths. The popularity of these shows created the demand for a theatre worthy of our city, and so in 1906 began the construction in Hales Street, next to Swanswell Gate, of what we now regard as the Old Hippodrome.
Again, the success of this theatre meant that barely three decades later a greater capacity was required, and so we come to our lovely art-deco New Hippodrome in Hales Street, once known as the Showplace of the Midlands. Opening on the 1st November 1937, it was renamed Coventry Theatre in 1955, then from 1979 became The Apollo, giving its final performance in June 1985. After a short spell as a bingo hall it was eventually realised that such a building could not be put to any practical use, so, sadly, it was demolished in 2002. If anyone still has any tickets or programmes and would like to see them used to illustrate a show, please contact me.
1884 1887 1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985
1904 | 'Tin' Hippodrome, Pool Meadow | ||
| Date(s) | Show | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 28th Feb until Fri 4th Mar 1904 | Le Roy, Talma and Bosco | World's Monarchs of Magic in the heaviest and most costly show in the world. Plus, Bros. Esdale, Clarice Netta, Toney Iveson, Happy Attwood, and more. | |
| Mon 7th Mar until Sat 12th Mar 1904 | The Marvellous Staigs | In their elevated bicycle performance. Plus, Syd Herman, Ivy Lennard, Stylo, The Mannons. Bennet and German, and more. | |
| Mon 14th Mar until Sat 19th Mar 1904 | Miss Marie Loftus | England's greatest serio comic and burlesque actress. Plus, Tom Hays, Miss Omega, the O'Martis Troupe, Fred Curran, and others. | |
| Mon 21st Mar until Sat 26th Mar 1904 | Zarmo, Original Comic Juggler | With, Cora Gray, Miss Criss Florence, Les Voces, the Laurels, Harry Bent, Selbo, etc. | |
| Mon 28th Mar until Sat 2nd Apr 1904 | Charles Morritt, World's Greatest Illusionist | Plus, The Warlocks, The Sisters Terry, Master George, The Hippograph, Miss Marie Elsie, Ryder Sloane, and more. | |
| Mon 4th Apr until Sat 9th Apr 1904 | Miss Lydia Yeamans-Titus | The greatest Vaudeville star of the day. Plus, Beatie blanch, Alfred & Theodore, The Two Bees, Patty Yole, The Metramos, Walter Clark, the Herald Comedy Four. | |
| Mon 11th Apr until Sat 16th Apr 1904 | The Chevers and Kennedy Company | Miss Lue Lord, Lidden & Hayward, Valeria, Miss Lucy Marney, Walter Munroe, George Globe, and Prince Ishmael. | |
| Mon 18th Apr until Sat 23rd Apr 1904 | Arsuka, Troupe of Japanese | Plus, Miss Vakey Gaflar. Messrs' Hart & Reed. Full London Company performing "The Enemy of Man". Will Dalton. Three Clarions. And more. | |
| Mon 25th Apr until Sat 30th Apr 1904 | For King and Country | Tom Herman's Grand Military Spectacle. Plus, Andy Fagan, Miss Cooper, The Brewsters, Nelson's Newsboys Quintette, and more. | |
| Mon 2nd May until Sat 7th May 1904 | Remingtons, Gymnastic Speciality Act | With Lily Turner, Mystic Gause, Haidee Lee and Wallace Kingston, Cliff and Kean, Maud Clifton, Maddison Dubois, Sandy and Carl. | |
| Mon 9th May until Sat 14th May 1904 | The Real Chinese Princesses | Princesses Le Hung Foo and Maggin. Madeleine May. George Prince. Lord, Murray and Lord. The Four Sisters Trees. The Hansons, and more. | |
| Mon 16th May until Sat 21st May 1904 | British Quartette | George Daunton, Obo Brothers, The Howards, Two Maddison Girls, Steeley & Dowton, The O'Malleys, Helene & Emilion. | |
| Mon 23rd May until Sat 28th May 1904 | Brinn, with 'Pastimes on a Battleship' | Including balancing a complete Carriage and Gun while firing. Plus, Flo Hilton, Grey and Welford, Steens, Tom Vine, and more. | |
| Mon 30th May until Sat 4th Jun 1904 | Mis Maggie Duggan | The greatest of all living descriptive and character comediennes. Plus, Ernie Myers, Lily Lonsdale, Mdlle. Lucretia, Luba de Sarema, and others. | |
| Mon 6th Jun until Sat 11th Jun 1904 | Professor Duncans Canine Orchestra | Plus, the Morrison Sisters, Morton & Rendon, the Three Rumphios, CHas. McGregor, Kennedy, and may more. | |
| Mon 13th Jun until Sat 18th Jun 1904 | Anestatse and Barrett | In an exhibition of English and French boxing. Plus, Pat Carey, Alexandra Royal, The Haldynes, The Fordices, Bill Baitey, and others. | |
| Mon 20th Jun until Sat 25th Jun 1904 | Cooke and Rothert | The great north American eccentrics. Plus, Lil Gorman, Nash and Noel, The Great Revell Troupe, Sisters Pool, The Sylvestograph, latest war and comic films, and more. | |
| Mon 27th Jun until Sat 2nd Jul 1904 | Capt. Alfonso Gerard's Troupe of Performing Lions | With, Bros. Hannaway, Amstell and Luie, Ford Wallace, Tom Prichard, Minni Munroe, Bioscope, and more. | |
| Mon 4th Jul until Sat 9th Jul 1904 | Lama Lama | In a great speciality performance from Berlin. Plus, Sam Shipley, Beatie Worth, and many others. | |
| Mon 11th Jul until Sat 16th Jul 1904 | The Abadaroffs, Prehistoric Mountebanks | Plus, Bill Bailey, Miss Bliss, Miss Emma Amies, Robins and Collier, Mayfleur Brooks, and others. | |
| Mon 18th Jul until Sat 23rd Jul 1904 | The Arthur Saxon Trio | The strongest men living. Plus, Bella Leaburn, Merton and Rydon, Rappo and Ella, Martino, and others. | |
| Mon 25th Jul until Sat 30th Jul 1904 | Mademoiselle Florence | The famous London to Brighton Globe Walker. Plus, Tom Hughes, Clyo and Russell, Hallow, Chevers and Monti, and more. | |
| Mon 1st Aug until Sat 6th Aug 1904 | Captain Woodward's Wonderful Sea Lions | Plus, Marks and Marks, Edie Endon, Clarks, Royal, Keen and Waldo, Bianchi. | |
| Mon 22nd Aug until Sat 27th Aug 1904 | Lanas and Demotesm, Comedy Act | Plus Florence and Monlell, Larry Lassus, James Jee, George Rennie, and many others. | |
| Mon 29th Aug until Sat 3rd Sep 1904 | O'Brian Brothers | The greatest Three Bar performers in the World. Plus comedian, J. Croft, Sisters Brookland, Bell Pearl and Co., and more. | |
| Mon 5th Sep until Sat 10th Sep 1904 | Driscoll and Beattie | In grand comedy sketch. Ray and Miles, Amy Elcock, Craig, Rose & Craig, etc. | |
| Mon 12th Sep until Sat 17th Sep 1904 | Ginnette's Great Rejected Remounts | Plus, George Lane, George and Edwards, Les Belles Americaines, Bodnia Trio, and others. | |
| Mon 19th Sep until Sat 24th Sep 1904 | James Day - The Birmingham Postman | The famous handcuff expert. Plus, Warde & Wylie, Miss Rosie Bartlett, The Dixon Brothers, Tom Ford, and more. | |
| Mon 26th Sep until Sat 1st Oct 1904 | Woolford's Circus | Including, Prosper, Miss Ethel Davis, Revington and Gordon, Boccaccio Comedians, and many more. | |
| Mon 3rd Oct until Sat 8th Oct 1904 | Tom and Marie Motramo | In their musical comedy act, "Chase me Girls, I can Reverse." Plus, Beatty & Blanche, Three Original Ferganas, Tom Steward, and others. | |
| Mon 10th Oct until Sat 15th Oct 1904 | The Great Achmed Ibrahim Troupe of Real Bedouin Ten Arabs | Plus, Keith and Werson, Miss Nellie Randell, Little Uno, Carl and Andy, and more. | |
| Mon 17th Oct until Sat 22nd Oct 1904 | Auto Atlas, The Continental Wonder | Who will lift a real motor car with three people in with his teeth. Plus, Benson and Waite, Dorothy Wyladd, Mons. Souplessi, etc. | |
| Mon 24th Oct until Sat 29th Oct 1904 | Claude Ginnett's Original 'Rejected Remounts' | Plus, Selby and Myers, The Alaskarions, Herald Comedy, Bob Hamilton, The Mill Girls, and more. | |
| Mon 31st Oct until Sat 5th Nov 1904 | Delevines | In a new act entitles 'Flirtation', a pantomimical musical melange. Plus, Professor Hulbert, Bliss and Bliss, The Great Kyoto, and others. | |
| Mon 7th Nov until Sat 12th Nov 1904 | Miss Ella and her Marvellous Troupe of Educated Forest-Bred Lions | Plus, Miss Valoni Vandum, Mdlle. Elenorium, Miss Molly Doon, Sisters Lee, and many more. | |
| Mon 14th Nov until Sat 19th Nov 1904 | Imperial Boys Orchestra | Plus, Messrs. Selby & Myers, Miss Scott, Ernie Myers, Matt Wilkinson.s comedy company, and much more. | |
| Mon 21st Nov until Sat 26th Nov 1904 | Miss Scott Hanneford | The World's Greatest Barebacked Equestrienne. Plus, Jack Hilton, Miss Dolly Seymour, Miss Biddall, Ike Scott & Son, and many more. | |
| Mon 28th Nov until Sat 3rd Dec 1904 | Zantorios | With Frank Dunlop, The Countees, Reuben Hill, Toil D'Araigne'e. Ryder and Beeman, The Hanniford Family, and others. | |
| Mon 5th Dec until Sat 10th Dec 1904 | The Bensons | Plus, Miss Marie Blythe, The Woellhafs, The Glaitorions, Oakley & James in 'The Lady and the Doctor, Miss Daisy Ray, and more. | |
| Mon 12th Dec until Sat 17th Dec 1904 | Harry Grey, Comedy Merchant | Plus, G. W. Foster, Miss Ada Martine, Helm & Cozens, Zanfretta & Napio, Signor Napiolo, and others. | |
| Mon 19th Dec until Sat 24th Dec 1904 | The Brothers Ashley | In a comedy boxing sketch. Plus, Gertrude Moore, Chas. Dixon, Michael and Polo, Miss Katie, Lynn, and more. | |
| Mon 26th Dec until Sat 31st Dec 1904 | Miss Nellie Wallace | Direct from the Tivoli, London. Plus, Miss Grace Compton, Onda and Leon, Robins and Collier, the Royal Victorian Trio, and more. | |
Prev year: 1903 Next year: 1905
1884 1887 1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985
Also of interest might be A short history of Coventry's Theatres and Cinemas, by Bill Birch.
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