Geoff Davidson, an eminent former treasurer and long-standing member of the STR, recently discovered a very curious book – he describes it here and invites anyone interested to get in touch (details at the end).

‘DICKENS’S DICTIONARY OF LONDON 1879′ was published by CHARLES DICKENS Jr.

The eldest of CHARLES DICKENS’ six children, born in 1837, Charles Culliford Boz Dickens, was interested in Journalism, but his more famous father insisted on him becoming a businessman; a profession in which he failed. In 1868, after the failure of his printing business and subsequent bankruptcy, he was hired by his father, and on the latter’s death in 1870, he took charge of the magazine ‘All the Year Round’. One of his most successful publications, together with his colleague, Evans, was DICKENS’S DICTIONARY OF LONDON 1879.

As the title-page indicates, this is an unusual guide, and one of its curiosities is a table of the the ordinary prices of admission to different London theatres in 1879. Some theatres have separate entrances and different charges into some areas in the theatre, when such areas exist, they are made clear on the diagrams. (To download a PDF of this image, click here)

In the case of those theatres printed in capitals, the lessees were good enough to supply authentic information. The remainder of the table has been compiled with as much accuracy as possible in 1879. The opera houses are omitted, except for Her Majesty’s Opera House Haymarket, as the prices and arrangements for seating the audience vary according to the season. Music Halls, Albert Hall, Alexandra Palace and Crystal Palace have separate entries. The individual theatres mentioned on the chart also have entries in the main text and it must be remembered these refer to the 1870s, the latter years of Queen Victoria’s reign.

Covent Garden Theatre is mentioned as one of the largest theatres in Europe ranking next to San Carlo in Naples and the Scala at Milan. The stage of Covent Garden is described as being on a very large scale, and fitted up with every convenience. It is intended primarily for Italian opera, but was commonly used in the autumn for promenade concerts, and in the winter for pantomime. Drury Lane is the oldest, and is also described as the largest and handsomest of the theatres ‘proper’ of London. Dickens claims, ‘It is the only house about which any historical flavour now lingers’. ‘Its stage’ he quotes, ‘has been trodden by Elliston, Dowton, Bannister, Wallack, Mrs Glover, Kemble and the Keans, Grimaldi, Banham Young, Mrs Nisbett, Storace, Oxberry, Irish Johnstone, Farren, Madame Vestris, Ellen Tree, Macready and many others!’

Going through the list of theatres you will recognise many names. Some you will have spotted like the Alhambra, once a very famous theatre, now site of a large cinema in Leicester Square. Some will know of sites in the West and East End and also South of the River. Some like The Folly in a street just off the Strand have disappeared. The Gaiety, further along The Strand, moved once in the Aldwych redevelopment but was then bombed in the war. Others that went in the Aldwych redevelopment were The Globe and Olympic Theatres and the Opera Comique.

Finding this volume subtitled ‘An unconventional handbook’ has posed many questions. The theatrical information is probably the most interesting for STR members. But there are maps of roads, railways, details of prominent buildings including churches, museums, hospitals, clubs and restaurants everything you might need to get around and live in London that could be of interest. There are a few pages of advertising on the last of the 352 pages for Henry Heaths Top Hats, Keen’s Mustard, Steinway Pianofortes, and W. H. Smith & Son’s Subscription Library.

For further information write to contact@str.org.uk.

Geoff Davidson