Home Home

 

Hippodrome / Coventry Theatre / Apollo show archive

An 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 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 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

1903

'Tin' Hippodrome, Pool Meadow

Date(s)ShowNotesImages
Mon 3rd Aug until Sat 8th Aug 1903First Shows at 'Tin' HippodromeSeating 1,200, the new Hippodrome on Pool Meadow opened with: Caicedo, King of the Wire. Miss Beatie Worth, Comedienne and Burlesque Artiste. Sam Shipley, London Eccentric Vocal Comedian and Dancer. The Great Burnetti, Quick Change Musician. The Musical Coopers, and many more.
Mon 10th Aug until Sat 15th Aug 1903Ella and her Troupe of Forest-Bred LionsPlus Robbins and Collier, comedy speciality artists. George Neno, character comedian. George Fairbourne, descriptive vocalist. Ida Royston, serio and expert dancer. Verini, comedy contortionist.
Mon 17th Aug until Sat 22nd Aug 1903Lettie and Minnie, Speciality ArtistesPlus miss Minnie, champion lady pedestrian, walking from Birmingham to Coventry Hippodrome and attempt the walkers' record. The Edisons. Paul Pelham, the would-be wonders. Nellie Randall, sisters Le Graham, George Prince, etc.
Mon 24th Aug until Sat 29th Aug 1903Herr Fritz, Europe's Greatest IllusionistAssisted by Leo Fritz and Co. Plus Harely and Hardon, miss Maude Beaumont, George Rowe, Harry Bent, Maude and Maxwell, etc.
Fri 23rd Oct 1903Benefit Night for the Fire BrigadeCouncillor Newman entered the den of lions, tamed by Miss Ella.

Prev year: 1902Showing 1903Next year: 1904

1884 1887 1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 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.

 
Search this site:
 
 
Associated pages....
Home | How this site began | Bibliography | About me | My music | Discussion Forum | Steve's website | Historic Stoke, Coventry | Orland family website
Top of the page
3,328,559

Website by Rob Orland © 2002 to 2024

Load time: 32ms