Peoples Palace

• Theatre ID
  3347
• Built / Converted
  1937
• Dates of use
  • 1937 - 1939: 1948-54; 1996 continuing
• Current state
  Extant
• Current use
  Theatre (multi-purpose hall, including academic occasions)
• Address
  Mile End Road, Tower Hamlets, London, E1 4NS, England

Details

Inspired by Sir Walter Besant’s novel ‘All Sorts and Conditions of Men’, the People’s Palace for the recreation, amusement and education of the people of the East End of London was built over a period of years from its opening in 1887 by Queen Victoria. The project, which included a technical school, swimming baths, winter gardens, gymnasium and lecture rooms was never financially secure and, by 1956, the entire complex had been sold to Queen Mary College, the educational wing of the venture, which by this time was a college of the University of London. There is now an extensive Mile End campus and all that remains of the original buildings is the neo-classical entrance block and its forecourt with a free-standing clock tower. The Queen’s Hall & Music (i.e. minor) Hall of the People’s Palace also survived within this building until it was destroyed by fire in 1931. This entry concerns only the Queen’s Hall building and its successor. The original Queen’s Hall, described by a modern commentator as ‘preposterous’ was a massive barrel-vaulted, extravagantly decorated room. The ‘New People’s Palace’, which finally opened in 1937, was built to the left of the main building. The exterior design, by Campbell Jones & Smithers, was in a modern, stripped classical style in Portland stone and red brick, in two storey with attics. There were two projecting entrance bays; the centre bay with five narrow windows in each storey and, at first floor level, five symbolic sculptural panels by Eric Gill. The main auditorium probably owed more to George Coles than to Campbell Jones & Smithers, but it was not one of his most exciting interiors, with its single balcony, rectangular proscenium and shallow domical ceiling (an irregular hexagon) with coffered margin; on either side a single box hung on flush walls with walnut dadoes. The small hall was flat-floored with cine-projection facilities. The entrance lobby was lined with brick and paved with Travertine. The building operated for some time independently, presenting theatrical, cinematic, musical and a great variety of other entertainments, but it was not, in the long run, financially successful and was acquired by the college in 1954. The entrance was moved to one side in 1956. A major reconstruction was undertaken by Tim Foster in 1996 to reorganise the public areas and provide new lecture rooms. The entrance foyer has been restored to its original use (but still with its side entrance), providing access to all levels. The Great Hall, a multi-purpose space, remains as found and largely as Coles left it. The old flat-floored Stern Hall is now a single-rake lecture room. The new work throughout has been detailed in a crisp modern manner which sits comfortably with the original work.

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• Other names
  Queen’s Hall & Music Hall (parts of the People’s Palace), Queen’s Hall & small hall, Great Hall & Stern Hall (part of Queen Mary & Westfield College)
• Events
  • 1937 - 1939 Use: 1948-54; 1996 continuing
  • 1887 - 1892 Design/Construction: Array as The People’s Palace (completed in stages)
    • E R Robson - Architect
  • Alteration: various alterations and additions made to the Palace complex between 1936 and 1948. The following apply only to the Queen’s Hall
  • 1937 Alteration: rebuilt after fire
    • Campbell Jones & Smithers with George Coles - Architect
  • 1956 Alteration: altered façade and moved entrances to side
    • Playne & Lacey - Architect
  • 1996 Alteration: reconstructed Great Hall; converted Stern Hall to a lecture room; re-ordered public spaces; other major internal alterations
    • Tim Foster Architects - Architect
  • 1937 Design/Construction:
    • Eric Gill - Consultant: Sculptural Reliefs On Façade
  • 1996 Design/Construction:
    • Hockley & Dawson - Consultant: Structural Engineers
    • Paul Gillieron - Consultant: Acoustics
  • 1884 Owner/Management: Trustees of the New Philosophic Institute (later with the Drapers’ Company)
  • 1887 Owner/Management: Governors of the People’s Palace
  • 1911 Owner/Management: Palace Committee of the People’s Palace
  • 1956 Owner/Management: Queen Mary College
• Capacities
  • Later: 1936: 1700
• Listings
  • Grade II
• Stage type
  • 1936: Proscenium
• Unreliable anecdotes
  The term ’music hall’ has sometimes led to the misconception that the Palace complex contained a variety hall. This was a concert hall, hall for music