Theatre Royal (Broughton Street?)

Burnt Down

Maureen McRobb left a comment in the EdinPhoto Guest Book.

Maureen wrote:

Question 1

"As a child I lived in Dalkeith and used to be taken to Edinburgh to the Theatre Royal (in Broughton Street?) before it burnt down.  I'm looking for further information on it.

Does anyone know when it was burnt down?

Maureen McRobb, Glasgow, Scotland:  March 2, 2008

Question 2

"Alec Finlay used to be the resident Dame in the Pantomimes and sang a song about :

' The coos will a' get me, they a' know my address,
 Alec Finlay Scotland o' the A.F.S.'

Does anyone know all the words of that song?"

Maureen McRobb, Glasgow, Scotland:  March 2, 2008

Answer 1

Thank you to Archie Foley, Joppa, Edinburgh for sending the reply below:

Location

"The Theatre Royal was in Broughton Street.  It was on the south side of  St Mary's RC Cathedral.  The site is now occupied by the northern part of the John Lewis store in St James Centre. "

Broughton Street used to extend to the south beyond York Place, up to  Leith Street.  The housing at the top of Broughton Street, opposite the cathedral was then demolished to make way for a large roundabout that stands there now..

Fire

"The fire began one hour after the close of the second house performance on Saturday 30th March 1946.  The show appearing there at the time was the revue 'Hail Caledonia' starring comedian Tommy Morgan.

The theatre was badly damaged but the stage area was intact and was used occasionally for rehearsals during the Edinburgh Festival.

It was in fact the fifth theatre built on that site, having risen four times from the ashes of previous fires. This time, however, it was not rebuilt.

The Theatre Royal may not have re-opened but it's interesting to see that the new Omni Centre with cinemas and restaurants opened recently, very close to the site of the Theatre Royal.                          - Peter Stubbs

Archie Foley, Joppa, Edinburgh:  March 7, 2008

Answer 1

continued

Jack Craig wrote:

1964

"Thanks to Archie Foley for giving the date of the fire as March 1946. This set me back on my heels.  I thought I was about 14 at the time but I must have been 17!  Doesn’t time fly?

I clearly remember being there and seeing the flames, and going   into the Deep Sea for fish and chips just 100 yards down the Walk.  How things have changed."

Jack Craig, Silverknowes, Edinburgh:  August 23, 2008

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