My Account 0 Donate What's On Box Office and Venue Get Involved Join and Support Us News Safety First Opening Times Home › Our Story Our Story The Story Begins 1837 Queen Victoria becomes Queen 1863 Opening of the new Blackpool Pier 1872 Parcels of land for sale on Church Street indicate that the site is ripe for development 1876 Alexander Bell invented the telephone and Primary Education was made compulsory 1879 The Illuminations were first shown in 1879 when they were described as 'Artificial sunshine'. The first display, similar to the modern-day displays, was held in May 1912 to mark the first British Royal family visit to Blackpool, which was the first town in the world to have electric street lighting 1885 Electric Tramway - The line dates back to 1885 and is one of the oldest electric tramways in the world. It carried 5.2 million passengers in 2017/18 1887 The local impresario known as the 'People's Showman' Thomas Sergenson, purchased a row of old cottages and shops on the corner site 1888 After the opening of the Opera House, the 'Grand Project' was shelved and Sergenson built a make-shift circus to wow audiences The Birth of an Icon 1891 Foundation stone for Blackpool’s new Tower is laid 1893 The Theatre was built in nine months at a cost of £20,000. It has been said that any problem can be solved with Matcham’s confidence and a riot of fibrous plasterwork. Architect Frank Matcham commissioned to design Blackpool’s Grand Theatre 1894 The theatre opened with a production of Hamlet, Wilson Barrett in the starring role. The Theatre was hailed as Matcham’s Masterpiece Built 1894 Architect, Frank Matcham 1897 Guglielmo Marconi awarded Radio Communication Patent 1901 Sergenson buys out his investors and becomes sole owner of Blackpool's Grand 1901 Victoria dies and is succeeded by Edward VII 1902 Winston Churchill held a lecture at Blackpool’s Grand Theatre before becoming Prime Minister (1940-45) So This Is Show Business 1905 Sarah Bernhardt performed in Pellea set Melisande for just one afternoon known as a Flying Matinee 1909 Blackpool’s Grand is sold to The Tower Co. (23 Dec) for £47,500 1910 The Grand Theatre foyer housed a fernery grotto 1910 Edward VII dies and is succeeded by George V 1912 'Titanic' sinks with the loss of 1,503 lives 1914 - 1918 World War I 1923 Jack Buchanan visited The Grand 10 times spanning five decades. He was a song and dance man who also appeared in light comedy 1926 Thomas Sergenson Died (Apr) in Kenilworth, Warwickshire 1927 British Broadcasting Corporation is created 1932 Animated tableaux were erected running along Blackpool's promenade from the cliffs at North Shore to Bispham, and the Illuminations were extended to its current length running from Starr Gate to Red Bank Road at Bispham 1939 This was Sir John Gielgud’s first visit to The Grand in The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde directing a cast of star players. He returned in 1941 with Dear Brutus 1939 - 1945 World War II 1942 Noel Coward toured three shows in his ‘Play Parade’ Present Laughter and This Happy Breed were World War Premiers and Blithe Spirit was a current West End success 1948 Introduction of the NHS 1953 Arthur Askey in The Love Match reflects the popularity of northern comedy which played to packed houses every summer for two decades 1953 Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II 1958 The first Motorway, the M6 Preston bypass, opens 1959 Hollywood film star Jane Mansfield switched on the world famous Blackpool illuminations for the Trades Union congress 1963 Jimmy Clitheroe in We’re Frying Tonight 1963 Margaret Lockwood with a star-studded cast presented an Ideal Husband by Oscar Wilde. This was a rare gem amid a decade of declining audiences and winter closures 1969 Concorde, makes it maiden flight 1971 Decimalised currency replaces 'pounds, shillings and pence' (15 Feb) The Epic Struggle 1972 Grade II listed building status achieved by Jeffrey Finestone. Closure by current owners EMI Company Notice of proposed demolition 1972 Public enquiry held at the Town Hall to decide theatre’s fate. Peter Boydell QC. fought the case on behalf of the Friends of The Grand and the Theatre was saved 1974 Public outcry as Blackpool’s Grand remained closed 1976 The Theatres Trust a National Advisory Public Body for Theatres in the UK. Founded in 1976 by an Act of Parliament to "promote the better protection of theatres for the benefit of the nation" 1977 £250,000 refurbishment by EMI prior to opening the Grand as a Bingo Hall. The Grand Theatre Trust Company was formed, as a charity, from the original ‘Friends of The Grand’ 1978 The whole town was involved in fundraising to reach the purchase price of £350,000. Owing to the lack of support for Bingo the theatre was acquired in 1980 for £250,000 1979 Blackpool’s Carter Street closed off for M&S build - re-christened Matcham Court 1979 Margaret Thatcher becomes Britain's first female prime minister Royal Gala 1981 The Grand re-opened with the Old Vic Company Tour of A Merchant of Venice starring Timothy West and Prunella Scales. There follows the ultimate honour of a Royal Gala in the presence of HRH The Prince of Wales. However, much work needed to be done to the aging building 1981 Sir Edward Richard George Heath KG MBE, Conservative Conference (19 Oct) delivering a speech from Blackpool Grand’s stage. Heath remained in Parliament until 2001, becoming Father of the House, the title given to the Commons’ longest-serving MP 1982 Falklands War 1983 First visit of the National Theatre with Hiawatha and the theatre was upgraded to a Grade II* status 1984 12-month 'Miners Strike' over pit closures begins 1986 Space shuttle 'Challenger' explodes (28 Jan) 1988 A 5-year programme of refurbishment involving stonework, copper dome, windows, re-seating and carpeting. The biggest addition to theatre’s portfolio was the building of a Studio Theatre 1989 Tim Berners-Lee invents the World Wide Web 1994 Arts Council England is formed a non-departmental public body of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport The Centenary 1994 A Centenary Appeal was launched to raise money to re-instate a Victorian style canopy in place of the 1950s design. This was in place for the visit of HM The Queen and HRH Prince Philip 1994 Wrought iron and glass canopy erected at rear of Blackpool’s Grand in Matcham Court 1997 Princess of Wales dies 2001 Terrorist attack on World Trade Center 2001 The Glorious Grand Appeal was planned in two phases. The First Stage was to restore The Grand to its pristine 19th Century condition with extensive work to the artwork, plasterwork and domed ceiling. Phase II now known as the Sam Lee Appeal commenced in 2004 with an emphasis on improving public facilities Reach for the stars 2002 January 18, A Gala Celebration with Carl Rosa Opera Co. with ‘The Mikado’ unveiled the restoration work 2004 A group of friends at college created a new social online community. Now, Facebook is one of the most influential social networks in the world, with 2.2 billion monthly users 2006 Blackpool’s Grand named as Equity’s National Theatre of Variety 2007 iPhone (first generation) was born, the device that would change the world (29 Jun) 2008 Election of Barack Obama 2009 The purchase of 43/45 Church Street gave the theatre a flow through the building at all levels as well as providing open plan office space meeting rooms improved box office facilities and improved wheelchair access and chair lift 2012 Blackpool Grand became an Arts Council England (ACE) National Portfolio Organisation. Blackpool’s Grand Theatre has set the standard for heritage theatres and has been featured in the ACE environment report, Sustaining Great Art 2016 The Friends of The Grand purchased the shops which were not included in the first 1980 purchase from EMI and returned the theatre back to Matcham’s original footprint 2016 Election of Donald Trump 2018 Blackpool’s Grand becomes Arts Council England Sustainability Champion for touring arts 2019 The Grand Theatre Blackpool celebrates it’s 125th Anniversary (23 Jul) Celebrating 125 years Follow our Timeline celebrating 125 years of the incredible Grand Theatre. Our mission is to secure the theatre for the next generation. If you can, please help us with our Recovery Fund post COVID-19. Donate Today Blackpool Grand Theatre 33 Church Street, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY1 1HT VAT No. GB 306710334 Blackpool Grand Theatre Trust Ltd Reg. in England and Wales No 1323495, Reg. Charity No. 506601 Blackpool Grand Theatre (Arts & Entertainments) Ltd Reg. in England and Wales No 02825229, Reg. 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