Improvements in the Construction of Theatres.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Sept., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 17th June, 1890-Accepted, 30th Aug., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Theatres.
Mrs. ELLEN FRANOES JOSEPHINE CORNELIUS Pine House Exeter Road Teignmouth
South Devon no occupation do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
The improvements to general theatres being that the entire frontage is constructed
of 4 glazed colonnades one over the other. All 4 collonnades going right round the
front of building. Each of the 3 top colonnades having its own flight of steps enclosed
in stone walls right down to the street, each colonnade having 7 windows looking into
thoroughfare and 7 doors leading into auditorium, refreshment room and w.c. in each
colonnade, ticket, hoxes and cloak rooms being in porches. The gallery colonnade
and stone steps leading from top of buiding to the porch. At right of theatre the
2 circle colonnade & steps leading out into porch at left hand side of theatre. Dress
circle steps leading out of front porch. The pit colonnade being on ground floor
requires no steps, the colonnade having 7 windows and doors as specified above (in
top colonnades) and leading to porch on left side of theatre the same being a double
one but the exits quite independent of each other. The front of theatre is skirted by
a wide verandah meeting the three porches and being on either side of center porch,
this verandah is for the convenience of playgoers before the doors are opened; the
following rooms viz., the green room, rehearsal room, artists refreshment room, ballet
room, 2 star chambers, 3 ladies dressing rooms, 3 gents dressing rooms, and 1 childs
dressing room, must be placed round the back of stage, every room having its own
door in stage wall and a door at opposite side leading on to colonnade under balcony.
The said colonnade to have 3 w.c., and eight or ten doors in outside wall leading on
to the broad stone steps which skirt the entire back of theatre, and form a colonnade for
the ground floor rooms, the said rooms, to consist of orchastra band room, orchastra
refreshment room, both opening into orchastra the band room having a second door
at side (of window) leading under stone steps and thence into street, at rear of
building, the step colonnade being lighted from top by thick glass and 7 or 8 doors
with fan lights over being placed between the steps, rooms under steps continued,
next orchastra room a cellar, then attendants retiring and refreshment room, 1st pump
room for cisterns, cellar under stage, extra room, 2nd pump room paint room, and
carpenters shop, the two last to be entirely made of iron and stone, wine and beer
cellars under side colonnades near porches the extra rooms for the convenience of
company, concert room, school room, 2 fly rooms managers offices and caretakers
house, all to be at rear of building and approached by stone steps up to balcony, steps
outside up to cisterns for cleaning purposes, the stage to have an iron fretwork roof
surmounted by the N. C. douche cisterns, which have a double bottom the under one
being perforated the actual bottom having one or two plugs in it capable of being
opened at a moments notice inside stage by means of pullies. All lights to be
elictricity, separate batterries for stage auditorium and colonnades. All materials to
be fire proof, curtains, &c. now inflamable the improved theatre will contain neither
stairs or passages inside.
Dated this 23rd day of September 1889.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Theatres.
ELLEN FRANCES JOSEPHINE CORNELIUS Fine House Exeter Road Teignmouth
Devonshire no occupation. I do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the saine is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:-
The improvements to general theatres being that the entire frontage is constructed
of 4 glazed colonnades one over the other going right round the front of the building.
Each of the top colonnades having its own flight of stone steps enclosed in stone
walls right down to the street. Each colonnade having 7 windows looking into
thoroughfare and 7 doors with windows between it desired" leading into auditorium,
refreshment room cloak room and w.c. in each colonnade ticket boxes in porches.
The gallery colonnade and stone steps leading from top of building to porch. At
righthand side of theatre the 2nd circle and steps leading out into porch at left hand
side of theatre. The dress circle steps leading out of front porch. The pit colonnade
being on ground floor requires no steps the colonnade having 7 windows and doors as
specified above in top colonnades and leading to porch on left side of theatre. The
same being a double one but the exits quite independent of each other the front of
theatre is skirted by verandah meeting the three porches on either side of center
porch. This verandah is for the convenience of playgoers before the doors are open,
the following, rooms, namely, the green room, rehearsal room, artists refreshment room,
ballet room, two star chambers 3 ladies dressing rooms 1 childs dressing room,
3 gentlemens dressing rooms must be placed round the back of stage every room having
its own door in stage wall and a door at opposite side leading on to colonnade under
balcony the said colonnade to have "3w.c.'s" and 8 or 10 doors in outside wall
leading on to the broad, stone steps which skirt the entire back of theatre and form a
colonnade for the ground, floor rooms, the ground floor rooms to consist of orchestra
band room orchestra refreshment. room, both opening into orchestra the band room
having a second door at the side (of window) leading under stone step colonnade at
rear of building the step colonnade being lighted from top with thick glass and 7 or. 8
doors with. fan lights 3: over, between the steps, rooms under stops continued. next.
orchestra room a cellar, attendants room {:
retiring, 1st pump room for cisterns, cellar
under stage, extra room. 2nd pump room, paint room, and carpenters shop, the two
last to be entirely made of iron, wine and beer cellars under side colonnades near
porches, the extra rooms to be used at convenience of company, concert room, school.
room. 2 fly, rooms, managers offices, and caretakers house, all, at rear of building and
approached by stone steps up to balcony steps outside up to cisterns for cleaning
purposes, the stage to have an iron fretwork roof the same to be surmounted by
the Nellie Cornelius douche cisterns which have a double bottom the under one being
perforated the actual bottom having one or two plugs in it capable of. being opened at
a moments, notice inside the stage by pullies, the stage auditorium, and colonnades,
to be lighted quite independently of each other. All materials to be fire proof, curtains
and seats &c. how, inflamable..
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what- manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is.
1st. That my improvements in the construction of theatres (in general) consists of
my theatre having neither stairs or passages inside the main building, and that it
is perfectly safe in all parts, and the ingress and egress being quite separate one from
the other; all classes of audience, artists, orchestra men attendants and workmen,
being able to get out at a moments notice, and that a verandah skirts the entire frontage
for the convenience of playgoers before the doors of theatre are opened.
2ndly. That the features of novelty consist of my theatre being entirely constructed
with glazed colonnades which surround the building through which all inlets, and

page_text: outlets to the body of theatre are effected. Each colonnade has its own refreshment
room (w.c.) &c., and stone steps leading to porches which are provided with a cloak
room & ticket box.
3rdly. That all offices (managers) school room for (children) concert room and
caretakers house are all placed at the back of building and approached by broad stone
steps up to balcony, and that the entire back of theatre is skirted by wide stone steps
leading direct on to the street from stage through dressing rooms &c. the said steps
forming a colonnade for ground floor rooms, the balcony forms a colonnade for the
rooms leading off the stage, the orchestra band room (and refreshment room) which
has two doors one in orchestra the other at side leading out under stone step colonnade.
The stage has a fretwork iron, roof surmounted by the N. G. douche cisterns which
open from inside stage by pullies the said cisterns having a double bottom.
Dated this 16th day of June 1890.
MRS. ELLEN FRANCES JOSEPHINE CORNELIUS,
Pine House, Exeter Road, Teignmouth, Devonshire.
MRS. ELLEN FRANCES JOSEPHINE CORNELIUS,
Pine House, Exeter Road, Teignmouth, Devonshire.