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The Empire Theatre (Penge) (1913 - 1949)

 Organisation

Dates

  • Existence: 1913 - 1949

Biography

The Empire Theatre in Penge, south east London was designed by W. G. R Sprague in 1913, but didn’t open until 1915 due to the outbreak of World War One. The Empire offered a combination of variety acts and pantomime until 1928 when it introduced moving picture projections to its programme.

In 1947, the Theatre was bought by Reginald Salberg who continued presenting the same type of spectacle as his predecessors. In 1949, however, the theatre was bought by Essoldo Cinemas, who turned it into the Empire Cinema, later known as The Essoldo. The Essoldo continued operating as a full time cinema until 1960 when it was closed down and later demolished.

Found in 3 Collections and/or Records:

Handby Celeine Collection

 Collection
Reference code: NFA0107
Scope and Contents

Posters, photographs, programmes, 1 piece of sheet music for six instruments and a small amount of business records and correspondence relating to the dancing and burlesque comedy on skates.

Dates: c1920 - 1945; 2020

Penge Empire Programme, Week commencing Monday 30 March 1936

 Item
Reference code: 178K50.7
Scope and Contents

Prince of Wales’ Theatre presents, The Revue Splendid with French & Jerome, Marjorie Kauffman, A. Handby, Lilian Lee, Doris Yorke, Our Glorious Girls, Roger MacDougall, Joey Porter, John Price, Iris Dent, Gus Hamilton, Frankie Karen, Jimmy Jerome, Amanda and Marc and Handby and Celeine Trio. Blue type on white and yellow background, contains commercial advertising and programme, 4p.p.

Dates: Week commencing Monday 30 March 1936

Programmes, c1932 - 1936

 Series
Reference code: 178K50
Scope and Contents

British theatre programmes presenting Handby Celeine acts among others.

Dates: c1932 - 1936

Additional filters:

Type
Archival Object 2
Collection 1
 
Subject
Acrobats 2
Animals 2
Business 1
Circus 1
Clowning 1