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PROMINENT CITIZENS

GEORGE SIDNEY KING (1875-1927)

Updated:  15 March 2011 

George Sidney King was born in Cambridge in 1875, where he was educated at Perse Grammar School and Trinity Hall.

Although it was intended that she go into the legal profession, he chose to go on the stage, making his first appearance at the Theatre Royal, Brighton, in 1897 in the play "Love in Idleness".  His apprenticeship continued with various companies in London and the north of England, before he came to Plymouth in 1905 to manage the Metropole Theatre in Devonport.

In association with Mr H Parry and W Davey, he took over the Empire Electric Theatre in Union Street soon afterwards and then took the cinematograph to Cornwall in 1911 by opening the Polytechnic Hall in Falmouth, Cornwall, for a mixture of films and vaudeville.

In 1912 he acquired the lease of the Metropole Theatre and renamed it the Palladium, intending to stage the same mixture of films and variety.   The venture failed and he altered it to twice nightly drama instead.  He then sold the lease to Mr Bliss of the Hippodrome Theatre, Devonport, and in 1913, with Messrs Parry and Davey, took over the Grand Theatre in Stonehouse instead.  In  1915 he and Mr Parry opened the Repertory Theatre in Plymouth.

Mr George Sidney King died in a Plymouth nursing home on Wednesday April 20th 1927.  He was survived by a son, Mr George R King Anningson.


Sources:

"Mr G S King Dead: Plymouth Repertory Theatre's Loss", Western Morning News, Plymouth, April 21st 1927.

"Late Mr G S King: Remarkable Tribute at Plymouth", Western Daily Mercury, Plymouth, April 25th 1927.

©  Brian Moseley, Plymouth, UK

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