Taverns had always traditionaly made their profit from sales at the bar, but soon it was apparent, that apart from encouraging punters to continue drinking until a late hour, the 'entertainment' had started to actually draw trade making it's performers, typically from poor working class backgrounds, lucrative, exploitable attractions!

Some shrewder proprietors of those early venues, were sharp enough to realise that 'a pretty penny' could be turned from the variety of acts and performances that were steadily becoming increasingly popular...

In the 1840's W.H Evans established a successful song & supper room in the former dining room at the Grand Hotel 43 King street, Covent Garden, which evolved in to 'Evans Music & supper Rooms', one of the first of its kind, it went on to be the inspiration for many an entrepreneur. By 1844, this particular establishment was being run by one of Evans performers, 'Paddy' Green. Paddy gave the place a make over but maintained the general ethos of the place.

Comic Sam Cowell was just one of the many entertainers who kept the public smiling through dinner. Other venues of a similar ilk were soon to follow, imitation, allegedly, being the sincerest form of flattery, the reality of which bought competition as acts began being recognised as artistes. The venue shut in 1880, by which time more practical venues had been built for showcasing the 'stars' which had been born out of (and had outgrown) the 'song & supper' era.

Sam Cowell comic entertainer.

The first true Music Hall venue can perhaps be attributed to Mr Charles Morton, dubbed 'the father of the halls' after he built the first purpose built Music Hall, it took a year to build and took shape on the site he'd bought with his brother-in-law frederick Stanley, of a former skittle alley adjacent to the well known 'Canterbury tavern', 143 Westministerbridge Road Lambeth.

'The Canterbury Hall' with a capacity of 700, opened its doors to an awaiting public on the 17Th May 1852, only to be rebuilt and expanded upon a mere two years later in 1856, testimony to the rapid growth of such entertainment!

 Charles Morton 15Th Aug 1819- Oct 1904

The 1856 extension was interestingly built around the old building and history has it, the old building which still stood inside the new shell, was taken down in just one weekend so as not to infringe on public access (or patrons spending!).

'The NEW Canterbury Hall' opened its doors in December 1856 and could now seat an amazing 1,500, more than double it's previous capacity.

Aside from a new magnificent grand frontage & large windows, it now also featured a glazed roof which could be withdrawn to ventilate the cigar and pipe smoke that would amass inside. The new interior must have been a sight to behold, huge chandeliers, a regal sweeping staircase leading to the upstairs balcony housing the bar, an ostentatious and luxurious affair. In the main hall was a simple stage, piano and harmonium, which would provide a musical back drop between acts, during which the 'chairman', with his distinguished patter, would encourage the procuring of more refreshments at the bar!

Of course, unlike the taverns who played host to performers in the early 1800's, for which increase in alcohol sales was the main income, such grandiose new venues could not rely on beer money alone to cover their over heads and pay the fees (how ever meagre) now being demanded by its artistes, so admission began being charged. A night at The New Canterbury would cost sixpence downstairs and ninepence upstairs, for this one could expect to be seated at a small table with ones companions and have food and drink bought by waiters whilst enjoying the finest entertainment music hall had to offer!

In 1859 another amendment came to the building, as waterloo railway station expanded,  it's viaducts were to separate the theatre entrance from the auditorium, meaning access was now gained via a long arched tunnel that ran beneath the railway, for patrons pleasure, an aquarium was ingeniously added which must have made this an extremely interesting walk, and provided an added attraction that rival theatres would have found hard to compete with!...famously, in 1861, Blondin, the noted tightrope walker, walked the tightrope between the two balconies of the hall.

This ever changing building, which seemed to evolve with its neighbouring surroundings in order to survive over the years, unfortunately was lost to us when it became a casualty of war in 1942's bombing of London and was not rebuilt again.

  1893 Canterbury programme, featuring amongst others, the popular 'Lottie Collins'.