Theatre Royal Gloucester Ordnance Survey map 1880s

The Theatre Royal at Gloucester, at which

Charles Dickens Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English novelist, journalist, short story writer and Social criticism, social critic. He created some of literature's best-known fictional characters, and is regarded by ...

once performed, was an important theatre in the history of the city. The theatre was built in 1791 by John Boles Watson in upper Westgate Street. Watson died in 1813, and the theatre was sold to the businessman John Blinkhorn in 1857. Charles Dickens once performed the trial scene from ''The Pickwick Papers'' to a capacity audience. At its centenary in 1891,

Sir Henry Irving Sir Henry Irving (6 February 1838 – 13 October 1905), christened John Henry Brodribb, sometimes known as J. H. Irving, was an English stage actor in the Victorian era, known as an actor-manager because he took complete responsibility ( ...

and

Ellen Terry Dame Alice Ellen Terry (27 February 184721 July 1928) was a leading English actress of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Born into a family of actors, Terry began performing as a child, acting in Shakespeare plays in London, and toured ...

both appeared with members of the ''Lyceum Company''. In 1902 the theatre was sold again to Charles Poole who changed it to a variety theatre and picture house. Myriorama shows were given. The theatre closed in the early 1920s and was replaced by Woolworths in 1922. The site is currently a discount store."Amazing Theatre Royal is now a pound store" by Kevin George in '' The Citizen'', 10 December 2011, p. 16. The ''Theatre Vaults'' public house was located nearby.

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