Collins Music Hall

S/TP/1

c.1879-1958

Collins Music Hall, Islington Green, was opened in 1863 by performer and theatre manager Sam Collins (1825-1865). The hall opened on 4 November 1863, on the site of a former pub and music hall, the Lansdowne Arms. Following Sam’s death, the music hall was managed by his widow, Annie Collins (nee Dobson), and family friend, Harry Sydney. From 1870, Annie managed the music hall alongside her second husband, Henry Watts, and the role was later inherited by his nephew, Herbert Sprake. In 1897, Sprake retired and sold Collins Music Hall to the consortium Richards, Burney, Grimes and Dearing. The hall was rebuilt and extended in 1897, increasing its capacity. The architect was Ernest A.E. Woodrow. In the early 20th century, the hall was renamed the Islington Hippodrome, reverting back to Collins Music Hall in 1919. Manager of the London Palladium, Charles Gulliver, took over management of Collins in 1920, leaving after five years. In 1939, comedian and producer Lew Lake became manager, and died just weeks afterwards. Lake’s widow and son went on to manage the theatre. Following the Second World War, the music hall went into a period of decline. In September 1958, the interior of the building was badly damaged by a fire, and it did not reopen. The facade survived the fire and remains incorporated into the present-day shopfront on the site.

Programmes and playbills for productions at Collins Music Hall. Also includes an undated tickets booklet. Items are organised by decade.

1 box

Previous classification number N241 COL.

THEATRE, MUSIC HALL

series