PLYMOUTH |
The Encyclopaedia of Plymouth History |
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CHANGES OF OWNERSHIP When the New Palace Theatre of Varieties in Plymouth opened on September 5th 1898 it was owned jointly by Messrs United Counties Theatres Ltd, owned by the millionaire Mr Henry Pocock, and Messrs Horace and Lechmere Livermore. In September 1911 the New Palace Theatre was bought by a syndicate formed by Mr G Hamilton Baines of the Theatre Royal, Cardiff. In 1913 Mr Thomas Hoyle bought the theatre for £25,000. His First Anniversary Show was staged in June 1914. Two years later Mr Hoyle sold the Theatre to Mr Myer Fredman. However, in 1924 he sold it to Mr John Tellam but following his sudden death it was re-purchased by Mr Hoyle again for £25,000. When Mr Hoyle died ownership passed to his widow and when she died in January 1945 the Theatre was sold to Mr Saul Samuel Silver, commission agent, of Exeter, for £77,000. However, that deal fell through and it was bought by a syndicate comprising: Mr Gerard Heath (managing director), Mr G H Knapman, Mr H T Langsford, Mr C H Pearn, Mr S Roseman and Mr F A Westcott. In 1956 the New Palace Theatre was offered to the City Council but they declined th offer. They declined for a second time even though the asking price was only £15,000. A new management, Messrs Palace Theatre (Bingo) Ltd, took over in 1961 and the Circle lounge bar became a club. The new theatre manager was Mr Geoffrey Wren but a Mr Reg Sully became the resident manager and moved in to the Hoyle's old flat at the top of the Theatre, which, it is said, was 73 steps from the ground floor entrance in Phoenix Street. The directors were Mr George Roseman (managing director), Mr Ken Powell, Mr Stafford Williams and Mr Jack Lang. The Palace changed hands yet again in March 1965 when Mr Arthur Fox, a Manchester businessman and club-owner, paid £50,000 for the Theatre in order to present Star Bingo, wrestling and strip-tease. In the summer of 1975 it was sold to EMI.
In July 1978 work started on refurbishing, the theatre then being under the management of Mr John Redgrave. But by now the New Palace Theatre (Plymouth) Ltd was finding it hard to survive and suddenly on Tuesday May 27th 1980 it ceased trading and the contents were put up for sale.
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