Manchester Theatre History

News of the World War Two 1943 1943 saw the first “Bevin Boys” being conscripted to work in the coal mines.  The pigeons White Vision, Winkie and Tyke become the first recipients of the Dickin Medal, which was to honour the work of animals in war. Labour Minister Ernest Bevin announced that women from 19 to 50 would be called for work in aircraft and munitions...

News of the Year 1942 After the Pearl Harbour disaster in Dec 1941, America entered the 2nd World War. They started to arrive in their droves and as the film ‘Yanks’ says ‘Overpaid, Oversexed, and over Here’.  The radio programme Desert Island Discs was first broadcast on the BBC Forces Programme.   It was presented by Roy Plomley . The programme is...

Manchester at War 1940 was the first time the bombs fell on Manchester.  Both the Palace and Opera House theatres were bombed but they still remained open.  Manchester Cathedral, the Royal Exchange and the Free Trade Hall were among the large buildings that were damaged.  That same year saw the start of food rationing and the  Home Guard was formed, it was otherwise...

World War Two 1939 was a memorable year in British History as in September that year World War Two started when things began to change as the dark days were just around the corner! With the advent of identity cards, petrol rationing and Parliament introducing national service for all men aged between 18 and 41. William Joyce began broadcasting Nazi...

Women on stage in 1938 Three great actresses appeared in plays at the Palace Theatre in 1938. The first one to appear was Margaret Rutherford who was in my opinion the one and only  ‘Miss Marple, she had an unusual childhood, because her father suffered a nervous breakdown and was committed to an asylum, sometime after his release, he killed...

A concert in aid of Cancer, back in 1937 At the beginning of 1937 a gala classical concert  was held in aid of Christie’s Cancer Hospital.  Quite amazingly  The Christie  opened in 1901. After opening The Christie quickly pioneered treatment for Cancer and established the firm reputation it still has today in 2019.Today it is a front runner in cancer...

The Palace of Variety The Palace theatre was originally known as ‘The Palace of Variety’ and it certainly lived up to its name in 1935 Max Miller ‘The Cheeky Chappy’ Max Miller who was well known as a stand up comic, also for the very flamboyant attire and his risque jokes!!  If you go to Brighton you can see a...

  In July 1934 the late, great one and only Sophie Tucker, known as ‘the Last of The Red Hot Mama’s‘ appeared in Manchester at the Palace theatre.  It must have been wonderful to see her live.  I was totally spoilt for choice of the many  songs that she was well know for, especially ‘My Yiddishe Mama‘  but this is the...