Building Name

Public Hall Rylands Street Warrington

Date
1861 - 1862
Street
Rylands Street
District/Town
Warrington
County/Country
Cheshire, England
Work
New build

WARRINGTON - The Public Hall here has been opened. The large hall will seat 800, the gallery 400 and the platform or orchestra 150 more. The gallery is the same height as the Free Trade hall, Manchester, the architect of which, Mr Walters, was also the architect of the new hall. Daylight and ventilation are secured by lofty windows, opening at bottom and top; and the artificial light is amply secured by four sun-lights, reaching some 10 or 15 feet from the ceiling, over which are orifices to take the heated air through the roof. The hall has been built by Messrs Gibson of this town; and the gas fittings supplied by Mr Helsby of Manchester; and the heating apparatus by a Salford firm. The cost of the hall is stated as £4,000.

The Public Hall was first converted into a Theatre in 1885 at the cost of £1,000, to designs by Alfred Darbyshire, but continued to use the Public Hall name.  It was rebuilt as Royal Court Theatre (architects Darbyshire and Smith) and opened on 27 July 1892 at which time the new name of Royal Court was adopted.

Reference           Builder 22 November 1862 Page 833