Bedford Street, Royal Theatre
Bedford Street, Royal Theatre
HER Number
13562
District
Sunderland
Site Name
Bedford Street, Royal Theatre
Place
Sunderland
Map Sheet
NZ35NE
Class
Recreational
Site Type: Broad
Music Speech and Dance Venue
Site Type: Specific
Theatre
General Period
POST MEDIEVAL
Specific Period
Victorian 1837 to 1901
Form of Evidence
Extant Building
Description
The Royal opened in 1855. Hamilton's Diorama was shown on the 15th June 1883. The Royal put on animated films for the first time in 1906 under the ownership of Richard Thornton and the first recorded boxing film shown in Sunderland of the World Championship fight between Britt and Nelson was shown at this cinema. Due to the recession in 1933 the cinema was turned into a boxing stadium and reopened in 1940 as a cinema again. After is closed the premises were bought by the council and renovated into commercial properties. Nothing remains of the interior features and the exterior has been altered beyond recognition.
Easting
439797
Northing
557262
Grid Reference
NZ439797557262
Sources
Anderson, A. (1995) A century of Sunderland Cinemas