Hi,
I'm trying to find out as much as possible about the Palace Theatre (previously named the Alhambra and subsequently as the 'Attercliffe Palace') which was on Union Street.

It was owned at one time by my Grt. Grt. Grandfather, T. Allan Edwardes along with a number of other music hall theatres in the Midlands area (The Hippodrome in Nottingham, The Grand Theatre and Opera House in Derby, 'the old tin Hippodrome' in Grimsby, possibly a Palace Theatre in Derby, and maybe another as yet unknown theatre in Brighton).

I am interested in both T. Allan Edwardes life from a family history point of view, but also in the history of provinical music hall in the Midlands (the plan is to write a book). So, even the most trivial seeming snippet might be invaluable - a memory of what the theatre looked like, or who played there and when.

I also have an interest in Tom Barrasford (a northern music hall entrepreneur) as he must have known my Grt. Grt. Grandfather.

Finally, does anyone know about the social standing of such theatre owners, from about 1900-1914? These people clearly had plenty of money, but I wonder what kind of 'society' they were accepted into? Although more acceptable by then, the music hall was still frowned upon by some. Yet my Grt. Grt Grandfather was clearly socially aspirational - he was able to send my Grt Grandmother to finishing school in Switzerland and her marriage was relatively grand (and reported in the local papers at least). I wonder how he juggled these aspects of his life if there was conflict between these two aspects...

My gt gt grandfather John Alleyne was chairman of the Alhambra Music Hall, Sheffield some time between 1864 and 1874. I have a copy of a programme with his name on it, but the address is Charles Street - is this a different music hall to the one you mention?

the address had me puzzled, too.

Is there a Union Street at attercliffe?

there was an Empire theatre, that was somewhere around the Charles Street/ Union Street junction, but that was in the sheffield city centre.

the Attercliffe Pavilion was on Attercliffe Common, IIRC, and the Adelphi was on (i think) Vicar lane, near Newhall Road.

P (scratching her head) T

The Sheffield picture Palace Union St later called the Palace closed in 1964 The other Palace was in Attercliffe near Banners
look for photo's on picture sheffield.;)

Hi all,
Thanks for your replies.
Yes after a bit more digging (I was on day 1 of my investigations before), there were 2 Alhambras - one on the corner of Charles and Union Street and the other in Attercliffe - called the Attercliffe Palace Alhambra or the Attercliffe Palace for short and presumably to distinguish it from the Alhambra Palace on Union Street. I am especially interested in the Attercliffe Palace, but information on either would be great...
Thanks

For information purposes, the Empire Theatre was on Charles Street and its junction with Union Street. In fact the entrance to the God’s was on Union Street. But the owner of that particular theatres was Moss Empires. There had been a previous theatre on that site, and THAT was the Alhambra. Look up Moss Empires on Google and you’ll find out who owned what. The Empire, incidentally, cost only £65,000 to build.

The Palace, Attercliffe, was regarded as a third rate theatre although I saw some good acts there many years ago. I’m getting on a bit — 77 next month — but if it was called the Alhambra it was before my time! Occasionally it still gets a mention from older comedians — like Bruce Forsythe — more jokingly than seriously, despite the fact that they learned their craft in such theatres.

Out of interest I’ve just Googled it and it WAS the Alhambra from 1895 to 1907. After that, during a variety of periods it alternated between music-hall and cinema. The Alhambra, Charles Street, in the city centre, was the only Alhambra standing during the period when it was owned by your Great-grandfather

Dear Peter,
Thanks for that. I am making really good progress with my research now. I now know that T.Allan Edwardes owned The Attercliffe Palace from1907-1913, that he owned (or managed) The Grand Theatre and Opera House in Derby, The Palace in Grimsby and the Hippodrome in Grimsby and possibly a Palace theatre in Derby as well. You're right - not exactly first rate theatres, but he certainly did alright out of it (as I'm sure did the soubrette that he eventually ran off with - allegedly).

Can you remember what the Theatre looked like inside at the time you used to go there? Or any particularly memorable moments? I'd really like to hear anything you can remember.
Thanks
Rachel

When I used togo there it was looking shabby. Lots of pillars holding up the circle, and I always did my best not to sit behind one! That’s all I remember.

Hi all,
Thanks for your replies.
Yes after a bit more digging (I was on day 1 of my investigations before), there were 2 Alhambras - one on the corner of Charles and Union Street and the other in Attercliffe - called the Attercliffe Palace Alhambra or the Attercliffe Palace for short and presumably to distinguish it from the Alhambra Palace on Union Street. I am especially interested in the Attercliffe Palace, but information on either would be great...
Thanks

Hi goolywool, I remember the old Attercliffe palace, l remember going to the xmas pantomines as a child, l'm talking about sixty years ago now, and later in the fifty's they used to have nude shows where the nudes used to be topless only, and they was only allowed to pose and not to move a muscle,l think the top stripper at the time was named Gypsy Rose Lee. They also had variety shows with some very good acts for the times,l remember going to see one of the top tenors at the time his name was Joseph Lock.

My gt gt grandfather John Alleyne was chairman of the Alhambra Music Hall, Sheffield some time between 1864 and 1874. I have a copy of a programme with his name on it, but the address is Charles Street - is this a different music hall to the one you mention?


It was The Sheffield Empire which was on Charles Street. The Palace was on Union Street and The Attercliffe Palace was in Attercliffe of course, on the main road,

Hi goolywool, I remember the old Attercliffe palace, l remember going to the xmas pantomines as a child, l'm talking about sixty years ago now, and later in the fifty's they used to have nude shows where the nudes used to be topless only, and they was only allowed to pose and not to move a muscle,l think the top stripper at the time was named Gypsy Rose Lee. They also had variety shows with some very good acts for the times,l remember going to see one of the top tenors at the time his name was Joseph Lock.


Another top stripper was Phyllis Dixey - a regular at the Attercliffe Palace.

Out of interest I’ve just Googled it and it WAS the Alhambra from 1895 to 1907. After that, during a variety of periods it alternated between music-hall and cinema. The Alhambra, Charles Street, in the city centre, was the only Alhambra standing during the period when it was owned by your Great-grandfather


Peter - The Moss Empire opened in 1895 in Charles Street. Are youi saying that street had two theatres? It was only a very short street.

Alhambra Atterclife records are now available at the National Records Office. I put this on another Post

A few I can remember from the palace are Harry Secombe, Frankie Howerd, George Fairhurst who was a tenor (he used to stay at my grandmother's in Bodmin St.) I remember the spotlights used to be at the front of the balcony and actually the inside of the building was quite ornate for a third rate theatre, though pretty dingy in the 1940s. The nudes used to raise a giggle in the crowd of youngsters who went especially to see them.