Theatres (other than Hippodrome/Coventry Theatre)

I think the book just needs a little interpretation. The author mangled the sentences a bit and missed off a key fact that it was the rear of the Corn Exchange on Vicar Lane. It also didn't mention that the Empire Theatre had been anywhere else. I have an advantage - the maps help a lot - I had to use four. Five if you count knowing where the Corn Exchange went to. I've got the map for 1850 which shows the houses and stables. I used two of the maps at Old Maps (1888 and 1914) and the Fire Insurance map (1897). On those maps some buildings are labelled, so I can see the names change and move about. Coventry is very, very confusing. Things change rapidly between maps. Can we trust the books? No, not entirely. Early books on old Coventry could tell you what the city looked like then and some modern books ignore those descriptions and get stuff wrong eg the location of Bridgeman's is mis-located in some modern books but pinpointed in at least one old book. Quite a few books mix up where the Spon Leper Hospital was but the map makers of 1850 knew where the ruins were. Where old books go wrong is trying to make sense of the Coventry before their time. Modern books have the benefit of recent archaeology and modern understanding. So for the best information on St Mary's Cathedral, the most modern books will know more about what various experts have concluded about the ruins but not necessarily the best pictures of what each dig discovered.

If anyone is interested, for ref, I find there is a book about the Theatre Royal and Empire available at a number of souces for about £9 inc postage, namely 'Coventry's Forgotten Theatre, The Theatre Royal and Empire' by Ted Bottle.

Sir Skears Rew, Mayor of Coventry, lived in Smithford Street near the Black Bull Inn - in his back garden he built the Theatre Royal, which opened on Easter Monday, 12th April 1818, with the play 'A way to pay off debts' and 'The Irishman in London', to a very large and well filled house of the nobility and gentry of the city and neighbourhood.

These appear in the Upper Precinct, adjacent to the former BHS store

He is not mentioned in most history books of Coventry, can find little about him in Coventry until 2017, yet more than well known in Stratford. Before 1818 Coventry had no theatre, they used St Mary's Hall. The ex-mayor Sir Skears Rew built the Theatre Royal, with his own building firm, in his own garden near the Black Bull in Smithford Street. If anyone should have a plaque, why not him?

Are there any images of the Theatre Royal in the yard behind Smithford Street?

Book cover, about two thirds down Is this what you're after Neil?

Helen - brill, cheers!

Thanks Helen, I can't believe I remember all that. I also remember the dance studio opposite the Alex.

Wasn't it demolished in 1903?

Not the dance studio surely. Up the side street over the way from Pool Meadow. I think the dance studio has been mentioned before. Unless I have the wrong cinema. (The Alexander) ? I stand to be corrected MR. I am trying to remember the side street.

Cox Street with a leg pull

Helen Do you mean those two medallions? Shows were performed in St Mary's Hall, then in the Coventry Mercury 1753 it appears that a new 'theatre' was opened in the late riding school which stood down the open yard adjoining St John's Bridge. At the opening Mrs Kemble appeared in a comedy "Measure for Measure". Many chronicles were performed for amusement. Sir Skears Rew, mayor of Coventry, opened a theatre in 1818, his garden at the rear of Smithford Street.

I thought the "conversation" was about The Theatre Royal?

The website I linked to for an image of the theatre has more venues on it. And medallions apparently. I didn't read the site, so any interpretations are the responsibility of the reader.