Hackney Empire (extant) annotated drawing © Victoria & Albert Museum, London
Frank Matcham 1854-1920 List of Theatres
Listed here are the significant works of Frank Matcham. These are original works, with those that still stand, whole or in part, shown in bold. It has been taken from the Theatres Trust ‘Guide to British Theatres 1750-1950 A Gazetteer’. More Matcham theatres are listed in Theatres & Other Works as they were either a reconstruction of theatres by earlier architects, or adaptations of other pre-existing buildings.
1873 Paignton, Oldway House Theatre (as assistant to G.S.Bridgman)
1879 London (Southwark), Elephant and Castle Theatre (completing J.T. Robinson’s work)
1885 Glasgow, Hengler’s Grand Cirque
1885 Glasgow, Royalty 1885 Glasgow, Royalty
1886 London (Wandsworth), Albert Palace, Cafe Chantant
1887 Brighton, Grand/Eden/Ginnett’s Circus
1888 Bolton, Theatre Royal
1888 Stockport, Theatre Royal
1888 Brighton, Alhambra
1888 Newcastle upon Tyne, Alhambra
1888 Middlesborough, Royal
1888 London (Greenwich), Woolwich Grand, unexecuted
1889 Blackpool, Opera House
1889 St Helen’s, Theatre Royal
1889 Halifax, Grand
1890 Bury, Theatre Royal
1891 Ashton-under-Lyne, Theatre Royal
1891 Portsmouth, New Prince’s (after destruction of Royal Albert)
1891 Cheltenham, Everyman Theatre/Opera House
1891 Southport, Opera House
1892 Edinburgh, Empire (Palace)/Festival
1892 Llandudno, Victoria Palace, unexecuted
1893 Hull, Grand
1894 Blackpool, Grand
1894 Bolton, Grand
1894 Wakefleld, Royal Opera House
1895 Belfast, Grand Opera House
1895 Sheffield, Empire
1895 Salford, Regent
1896 London (Lambeth), Brixton Borough Theatre and Opera House
1896 Cardiff, Empire
1896 London (Newham), Stratford Borough, facade remains
1897 London (Hackney), Alexandra. Stoke Newington
1897 Hull, Empire Palace
1897 South Shields, Empire/Palace (with Milburn)
1897 Glasgow, Empire
1898 Birmingham, Alhambra
1898 Great Yarmouth, Theatre Royal
1898 Leeds, Empire Palace
1898 Leeds, County Arcade (adjoined Empire)
1898 Morecambe, Royalty
1898 Stoke-on-Trent (Hanley), Grand
1898 Nottingham, Empire Palace
1898 London (Hammersmith), Granville, Walham Green
1899 Huddersfield, Grand (project, never built)
1899 London (Lewisham), New Cross Empire
1899 London (Richmond), Richmond Theatre
1899 Newport, Empire Palace
1899 Salford, Broadway
1900 London (Westminster), London Hippodrome
Hackney Empire (extant) drawing © Victoria & Albert Museum, London
1901 London (Hackney), Hackney Empire (see above)
1901 Leicester, Palace
1903 Buxton, Opera House
1903 London (Hammersmith), Shepherd’s Bush Empire
1903 Harrogate, Royal Hall (with R.J. Beale)
1903 London (Islington), Marlborough
1904 Glasgow, King’s
1903 Newcastle upon Tyne, Empire
1904 Manchester, Ardwick Green Empire
1904 Manchester, Hippodrome
1904 London (Westminster), London Coliseum
1905 Glasgow, Coliseum
1905 Ipswich, Hippodrome
1905 Liverpool, Olympia
1906 Aberdeen, His Majesty’s
1907 London (Brent), Willesden Hippodrome
1907 Portsmouth, Southsea King’s
1909 London (Redbridge), llford Hippodrome
1910 London (Islington), Finsbury Park Empire
1911 Brighton, Alhambra Opera House
1911 London (Lewisham), Lewisham Hippodrome
1911 Glasgow, Olympia (with George Arthur), facade
1911 London (Westminster), Winter Garden
1911 London (Westminster), Victoria Palace
1912 Chatham, Empire
1912 London (Hounslow), Chiswick Empire
1912 London (Harlngey), Wood Green Empire, facade remains
1912 Bristol, Hippodrome
1912 London (Richmond), Karsino, Taggs Island
Frank Matcham Archt image © Victoria & Albert Museum, London