We have received some programmes from Tessa Manning, who writes:
These programmes were owned by my late Mum, Pamela Elderfield who lived in Tierney Road in the early 1950’s. She loved going to the theatre and went throughout her long life. It would make her happy to donate these to your archive, and I hope the theatre gets a chance to live again. Good luck with your campaign.”
We’ve catalogued them and added them to our archives, joining a growing collection of programmes.
The August edition of Best of British magazine features the late Jim McManus, local resident and renowned actor, who told us his memories of Streatham Hill Theatre. Jim died on 11 April 2023.
The article is a response to a reader’s question:
What became of Jim McManus who was possibly the best actor to have impersonated Tony Hancock?
The Theatres Trust ran a useful webinar today about planning and listed building consent for heritage buildings.
Did you know:
A listing covers the whole building, its fixtures and fittings, including stage machinery and any specially designed furniture, and the curtilage of the building (area around it)
A listed building needs ‘listed building consent’ as well as ‘planning application consent’ for changes
Even some maintenance might need listed building consent
It is a criminal offence to  work on a listed building without consent
Most of you probably know that the Friends maintain a record of all theatre programmes that are given to us, and Iâm always happy to update the spreadsheet, which gives me the excuse to escape these troubled times for a while and step back in time.
The most recent bequest of programmes includes a grand haul of 173 from âthe second Golden Ageâ 1950 to 1962.
These later programmes are brief and basic, combining a cast list and synopsis of scenes with pages of advertisements for local businesses. Iâve been studying these adverts to see what they tell us about life in Streatham in the 50s and very early 60s.
Programme 1: International Ballet, November 1951
The Ballet was directed by Mona Inglesby, and on the night of Wednesday November 21st, they performed For Love or Money by Algeranoff, who despite his name was a British ballet master and choreographer who had partnered Anna Pavlova.
Many of the advertisements from the early 50s clearly reflected the everyday peacetime preoccupations of theatregoers.
Estate agents: Russell and Co. Estate Agent of Leigham Hall Parade on the High Road; the Clerkenwell Building Society;
Home improvements: Paull Brothers Ironmongers of Streatham Hill, Parkerâs Wholesale Buildersâ Merchants of Brixton Hill, Sanitary Specialists; Trembath and Co. Frigidaire service, also of Streatham Hill.
Personal grooming: Alfred C. King, the hairdresser. also of Leigham Hall Parade, who had been there since the 1930s; Collins Bros. (Menâs Wear) Ltd. of Electric Avenue Brixton and Julian Sloman of Streatham Hill (High Class Ladiesâ and Gentsâ Tailor).
For those with a keen interest in the new technology, there was Television House, on Streatham Hill and Sternhold Avenue and Fotographia, for all your photographic needs, next to the Regal Cinema (later the ABC, before it closed in 2000).
However, theatregoers still allowed themselves to have fun occasionally. The Palm Beach, almost adjoining the theatre? Your obvious choice for a meal either before or after the theatre offered Continental Cuisine and Wholesome Food. They managed to open seven days a week too, in spite of ongoing food rationing. George Wine House, nearly opposite this theatre, was available for a range of spirituous liquors, and finally, the jewel in Streathamâs crown, the Stork Club, opened by Charles Chaperlin in 1948, boasted 10,000 members by 1957. The Stork advertised Cocktail Lounge with TELEVISION (sic) and Friday Gala Nights with Cabaret.
Programme 2: Patience, August 1955
This was not the Gilbert and Sullivan opera, but a comedy starring Geraldine McEwan, whom many will remember as playing Miss Marple on television, from 2004 to 2008. I remember her around the same time, the proud possessor of a Fulham season ticket, taking her grandchildren to Craven Cottage!
By the mid-50s, although some of the original firms were still going strong, new trends were coming to the fore, including car repair. CarMart Ltd. of Streatham, next to where Tesco Extra is now, claimed to use only GENUINE AUSTIN PARTS, while John A. Sparks & Co. of Ardwell Road, next to the theatre, specialised in Morris âquality firstâ service. Lucas of Brixton Hill, on the other hand, specialised in re-cellulosing, which I believe involved spraying the car to give a shiny finish.
More restaurants had opened, probably due to the end of food rationing in 1954. Howards Restaurant, the theatregoersâ rendezvous for the DISCRIMINATING, at 29, The High and The Apollo Restaurant, with the Exclusive West End Cuisine, three course dinner 5/-, joined the Palm Beach, which was under the new management of Mr. Charles Anthony.
Presumably, the rise of eating out led to an interest in slimming. If the all new SLIMSWIFT bath treatment (approved by doctors, no rigorous dieting, no wearisome exercises) somehow failed to slim you down, you could always fall back on the tried and tested Slimfit Corset Co., of Leigham Court Parade, Corset Makers since 1880!
Fotographia were still in business, now offering the latest G. B. Bell and Howell cine camera. But perhaps the stand-out advertisement of 1955 was this from A.G. Wireless and Electrical Co. of Norbury.
The audiences of August 1955 were only a month away from Grace Archerâs death in a stable fire and the birth of Independent Television, the eventual death knell for provincial theatre.
Programme 3: Honour Bright, July 1958
This play included what must have been an early appearance by Richard OâSullivan, a huge star in the 1970s.
More restaurants had now appeared. The Plantation Grill, near where Westburyâs chemist is now, offered a mix of French and Oriental cuisine, and Le Leon Blanc Grill Room was a feature of the White Lion.
Meanwhile, the Camberwell Building Society had been subsumed by the South London Building Society.
Collins Bros. were offering the latest STRADS trousers with self belts, rubberised shirt grips and zip fronts for 89/6 (ÂŁ9.48), in competition with Gaydonâs (When it comes to clothes, come to Gaydonâs) and G.S. Evangeli the Tailors (buy yourself a really good handmade suit). While all these stores catered mainly for men, Ava Sports, the sportswear specialists, billed itself as the Skirt Shop.
A.G. Wireless and Electricals were now offering 17 inch televisions for 67 guineas (ÂŁ70.35 in new money!), while Fotographia proposed the camera of your dreams – the Kodak Bantam Coloursnap Camera for ÂŁ10.15s.1d, or ÂŁ10.75 (why the odd penny I wonder?)
Programme 4: The Rehearsal, June 1962
This was the very last production performed at the theatre before it became a Mecca bingo hall. It featured Judy Parfitt, still stealing every scene as Sister Monica Joan in Call the Midwife. Strangely, there is absolutely no indication in the programme that this was the end of an era. This makes me wonder if the theatre was forced to close very quickly. Perhaps others can shed light on this.
Streathamites of the early 1960s obviously appreciated Asian food. Howards Restaurant, the theatregoersâ rendezvous for the DISCRIMINATING, at 29, The High and The Apollo Restaurant, with the Exclusive West End Cuisine, three course dinner 5/- become the Blue Orchid and Yang Chow Chinese restaurants respectively.
Alfred C. King, the hairdresser, seems to have morphed into Robert, who brought Hairstyling in the Mayfair manner to the High Parade, as well as Croydon, Purley, and other south London locations.
In 1962, for those who wanted to stray beyond Streatham however, an Atlantic cruise was on offer. Six days of luxury aboard the liner Hanseatic, air-conditioned throughout and most cabins with private facilities, all for ÂŁ82 half round trip!
And finally, the prize for the longest running advertisement goes toâŠ.
Fotographia, now offering a Kodak Brownie Movie 8 camera and projector, and Cosy Cars, a long-standing taxi firm which closed only recently.
In their 2023 register Theatres Trust highlights the change in ownership and say:
“A theatre company that Theatres Trust and local campaign group The Friends of Streatham Hill Theatre were supporting had been in discussion with the buildingâs owner regarding purchasing the property. However, in May 2022 it was reported that the theatre had been sold to another buyer â a property development company. Despite the efforts of the campaign group to discuss options on the theatre, the building was then sold onward at a reportedly vast increase in price to church group, the Rauch City Church. The church currently has a base in neighbouring Brixton but had been seeking a new property. The organisation also owns the Grade II* listed Gaumont State, Kilburn. Rauch City Church will need to apply for planning permission for a change of use to enable use for public worship or religious instruction.
“The Friends, theatre company and Theatres Trust are all seeking discussions with the church to understand if there may be opportunity for a shared theatre and / or community use of the space.
“Prior to the sale to Rauch City Church, Merkur and Mecca were released from their leasehold responsibilities, including, it is understood, dilapidation costs. We remain concerned about the condition of the building, particularly as it is vacant making it ever more vulnerable to deterioration.
“We will continue to support The Friends of Streatham Hill Theatre and work with them, the council, and other key stakeholders, to seek to progress discussions with the new owner and ensure that the building, its historic fabric, and community and live performance use are protected.”
We have received a large batch of programmes from Elizabeth Maytom, whose mother and grandmother were regular and avid attendees at the theatre both pre-war and post-war, when they lived in ABC roads.
We’ll be cataloguing them and adding them to our archives, joining a growing collection of programmes.
“We are thrilled to announce that the Crown and Sceptre has re-opened. The new team are set on bringing the community back to the pub and restoring its good old days by reconnecting with the locals. Expect new weekly events, live music, DJs, a tasty new food & drinks menu (including cocktails!), pub quiz, themed nights and more, and you can catch all the sport across its 5 60 inch LED screens!The 500 square foot pub is also available for private hire, and offers 9 fully kitted-out bedrooms for any guests looking to stay.
To celebrate we have reprinted John Cresswell’s fascinating book The Streatham Hill Theatre: The story of a suburban theatre.
This issue is a facsimile of the original book published in 2000, using some original covers left over from the original print run. The number of copies is limited by the available covers. You can buy your own copy at our online shop.
On stage right there was a row of one arm bandits where punters jammed in their one-pound coins in the interval. Some of the original doors remained at the back of the stage, and I imagined the corridors to the dressing rooms and wondered if they were still intact or cordoned off due to health and safety.
I gazed out from the stage, feeling the tears well up as I remembered my father Jack singing âIâve got a Mottoâ in The Arcadians, with me watching him from the stalls on my birthday in 1956, and the cake I had backstage afterwards.
Somehow the birdie song was not appropriate. Did no one else feel this loss of theatre?
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