An Old Playhouse

AN OLD PLAYHOUSE.

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(By 'Old Chum.')

This bit of old Castlereagh-street is reminiscent of many incidents and many people. Half a century ago the site was occupied by two rows of tenements known as Garrick's Buildings. In the mid-sixties the Victoria Hotel was known as the New Caledonia, and kept by Johs F. Wannemacher. In the year 1866 the building on the opposite corner was opened as the Scandinavian Hotel by William T. Johnson. In the following year the New Caledonia closed, but was re-opened in 1870 by John A. Kean, as the Columbia Hotel, while the Scandinavian was converted into a place of public entertainment under the name of St. James's Hall. In 1872 William Kavanagh kept the hotel, and St. James's was converted into the Scandinavian Music Hall with Mr. William Johnstone as proprietor. Michael John Power kept the Columbia, in the latter part of 1874, and John Sullivan had the "Scan," as an athletic hall. Johnny was a light-weight pug who was turned out of the Prince of Wales Hotel when the Prince of Wales Theatre was burned down in January, 1872. In 1876 Mr. James McDonald had the Columbia, and the "Scan" was a deserted and somewhat derelict building. In 1879 James Coll had the hotel, and the hall was occupied as a billiard saloon by George Gamferty. It remained so until the year 1882— the year of the picture — when the pub was kept by Michael Breal under a wine license, and the "Scan" was known as the Victoria Hall, D'Arcy Reed, manager. Subsequently Mr. Reed obtained a license for the hotel. Mr. Reed was well known in connection with 'Pepper's Ghost,' but the writer regrets to say that he was not successful in later years. At 103 Mr. C. Jenner had established himself as a coachbuilder in 1875. On the corner opposite the hotel was 'Punch' office — you can read the legend on the window — with Mr. William Berdoe as editor and proprietor. The shop on other side of the hall entrance was occupied by Mr. R. W. Skinner, the old-time second-hand bookseller, who, though dead, his name still liveth in the same street and in the same business. Poor Skinner used to have a lamp over his door with 'Food for Worms' inscribed thereon. He has been 'food for worms' now for many years. The big buildings were occupied by Mrs. Marshall as a boarding establishment. The Hotel Arcadia and the Imperial Arcade now occupy the site. In the latter end of '84 D'Arcy Reed still kept the hotel, but the hall had become the Academy of Music. About a year after James Sharp succeeded D'Arcy Reed, and Mr. F. Scholer became proprietor of the Academy of Music, with Mr. J. H. Rainford and Mr. F. E. Hiscocks as lessees. Mr. Rainford, tired of his lesseeship, left Mr. Hiscocks alone in his glory. Mrs. Margaret Stephens succeeded Mr. Sharp, Mr. W. J. Wilson, the scenic artist, succeeded Mr. Hiscocks at the latter end of '88, or the beginning or '89. In 1891 the old pile of buildings shown as the Victoria Hall disappeared and the Garrick Theatre, built by Mr. Scholer, with Messrs. Wilson and Hiscocks as lessees, took its place. In the following year. Mr. Scholer appears to be running the Garrick Hotel, while Mr. E. Pooley is set down as manager of the theatre. Some fourteen years ago, Mr. Harry Rickards became lessee re-naming the house, The Tivoli; and by that name, interrupted by a big fire and rebuilding it, has been known ever since.

The play bills exhibited outside the Victoria indicate that the Shaughraun is the piece for the night, with Miss Marian Willis in a leading character. Many years have elapsed since then, and now Miss Willis re-appears at the Palace.

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In the eighties, when the Brothers Redmond came to Sydney on an Irish mission, they were unable to obtain a place in which to hold a meeting, proprietors being afraid of riot and 'ruxions,' and a wrecking of property. It was only by the exertions of Mr. Bernard Gaffney, the patriotic baker of Market-street, that the old Scandinavian Hall was obtained, and then only under heavy bonds against any damage that might be done to the ramshackle building and its furniture by rioters. But there was no riot, the 'burning eloquence' of Mr. John Redmond was enthusiastically cheered by his good-tempered countrymen, the only cause for discontent being, as Mr. Redmond said, the 'skulking behind the scenes of Mr. Dan O'Connor, the Javnal one, who was at that time running with the hare and hunting with the hounds politically.