Skip to main content

Royal British Institution

Tag this record

Venue Type & Location

Exhibition Hall

Overview

  • Address: Cowper Street, City Road, London. For a current map, Click Here. For an historical map showing the venue (in addition to the one excerpted at right), Click Here.

  • Performance Space Description: A description of the Royal British Institution in The Sunday School Magazine (1849) suggested that the venue “possesse[d] an area of about 80 feet by 54 and [was] fitted up with the usual school apparatus” (56). The journal also printed an image of the performance space, which shows a raised dais fronted by a banister and several rows of bench-like seating (see image at right).

  • Typical Fare: According to the aforementioned article, the Institution was largely used for educational purposes during the early to mid-19th Century. Amongst other things, for instance, it was home to the Tabernacle Sunday School.

    • Performance History

  • The building which would become The Royal British Institution was initially part of a brewery. It was converted into an educational facility in 1813.

  • Little other information about the venue’s history has yet been found.

    Please see the 'Bibliographic Sources' link at right for a complete listing of materials (both primary and secondary) from which the above information was compiled.

    Beth Marquis

    • Troupes at Royal British Institution

    Film Affiliated people Film Type # of event(s)
    Ethiopian Serenaders (1846-48) Dumbolton, James A. Minstrel Definite Ethiopian Serenaders (1846-48)
    Ethiopian Serenaders (1846-48) Pell, Gilbert W. Minstrel Definite Ethiopian Serenaders (1846-48)
    Ethiopian Serenaders (1846-48) Stanwood, Moody Minstrel Definite Ethiopian Serenaders (1846-48)
    Ethiopian Serenaders (1846-48) White, W. Minstrel Definite Ethiopian Serenaders (1846-48)
    Ethiopian Serenaders (1846-48) Harrington, George Minstrel Definite Ethiopian Serenaders (1846-48)
    Ethiopian Serenaders (1846-48) Germon, Francis Minstrel Definite Ethiopian Serenaders (1846-48)

    Events at Royal British Institution

    Event Date Venue Location Film
    Minstrel Show - London, London (city-county) Ethiopian Serenaders (1846-48)

    Bibliographic Sources

    View a list of abbreviations.

    • Morning Chronicle (London) May 28, 1846: 1: 1.
      Info in Record:
      • venue description/décor/performance environment
    • The Sunday-school Magazine NS 2 (February 1849): 56-7.
    • (Under Entertainment - Museums, Public Buildings & Galleries - Britis Institution)