18th December 1893

Prince of Wales Theatre – Hippodrome Theatre

Located in Mexborough, South Yorkshire. The Prince of Wales Theatre was opened on 18th December 1893 with the dramatic play “Grelley’s Money” by Brinsley Sheridan. It had a stone and brick facade in an Italian style. Inside the auditorium, seating was provided in orchestra stalls, dress circle and balcony levels. The stage was 20 feet deep.

The Prince of Wales Theatre showed its first films on 25th December 1896, and again on 12th April 1897. It began screening films regularly from 8th June 1908 as part of the variety programme.

From 19th October 1912 it was re-named Hippodrome Theatre and renovations took place. In around 1920, a new projection box was built. The Hippodrome Theatre was closed in 1931, and was not equipped with sound equipment.

It re-opened on 26th December 1932 as a repertory theatre with a performance of the comedy “Peg of My Heart”. In 1934 it was taken over by the Mexborough Amateur Dramatic Society, but was closed in 1935. It was taken over by new management and re-opened on 16th March 1936 as a variety theatre and was re-named New Hippodrome Theatre, but this was not successful and it was closed at the end of 1937.

In 1939, part of the building was demolished, but the basement was retained and was used as an air raid shelter during the duration of World War II. The remainder of the building was demolished in the 1950’s.

From Cinema Treasures : https://cinematreasures.org/theaters/41729