Howard & Wyndham Ltd
Encyclopedia
Howard & Wyndham Ltd was a theatre owning, production and management company, founded in 1895 by Baillie Michael Simons of Glasgow to formalise and extend an 1883 partnership between Irish born John B. Howard (1841 - 1895) and Edinburgh born Frederick WP Wyndham (1853 - 1930) which had first formed in order to run the Royal Lyceum Theatre
, Edinburgh
. Both Howard and Wyndham were well-known impresarios, actors and managers in Scotland and England. The company also owned the Theatre Royal, Edinburgh
, Theatre Royal, Glasgow
and leased the Royalty Theatre, Glasgow
, but Howard died of a stroke only weeks after the company was formed. In 1904 it built and opened the King's Theatre, Glasgow
, and soon became Britain's largest company of quality theatres. Howard & Wyndham pantomimes graced British stages for over 90 years, possibly a record unequalled.
Under Michael Simons, in 1912, the company had also taken over the Robert Arthur group of six theatres (four in England - the Theatre Royal, Newcastle
in Newcastle upon Tyne
, the Royal Court in Liverpool
, and the Royal Court in Nottingham
- and two in Scotland), in Dundee
and Aberdeen
.
Wyndham continued to run the company productions until 1928, when he retired (though retaining his seat on the board for 2 more years). Howard & Wyndham Ltd bought over the King's Theatre, Edinburgh
, appointing its A. Stewart Cruikshank as managing director of the group, and also making C. B. Cochran a director. Cruikshank instituted a resident company at the Lyceum, and opened a contracts office in London.
The company became based at the King's Theatre, Edinburgh, and its policy committed it to "the best work of modern writers, together with the classics of the past", including touring Shakespeare productions and opera alongside pantomime and musicals. Howard & Wyndham also held shares and directorships in Moss Empires
, London West End theatres and were the major shareholders in HM Tennent & Company.
On his father's death in 1949 in a road accident in Edinburgh, Stewart Cruikshank junior succeeded as managing director, and concentrated the offices and wardrobe in London while continuing the production facilities and stores in Edinburgh. Through its joint venture with Roy Thomson's Scottish Television
at the Theatre Royal, Glasgow
in the 1950s, the company became major shareholders in the new independent television franchise.
In the 1960s Howard & Wyndham Ltd sold its theatres in England and Scotland to the city councils, with one exception, their British flagship out of over 20 theatres, the Alhambra Theatre Glasgow
which Glasgow Corporation declined despite the public's preference for it. It closed in 1969 to meet company debts in film and television production.
Royal Lyceum Theatre
The Royal Lyceum Theatre is a 658 seat theatre in the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, named after the Theatre Royal Lyceum and English Opera House, the residence at the time of legendary Shakespearean actor Henry Irving. It was built in 1883 by architect C. J. Phipps at a cost of UK£17,000 on behalf...
, Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
. Both Howard and Wyndham were well-known impresarios, actors and managers in Scotland and England. The company also owned the Theatre Royal, Edinburgh
Theatre Royal, Edinburgh
Four theatre buildings in Edinburgh have borne the name Theatre Royal, Edinburgh, though the final three were all rebuildings of the second. The first was the Theatre Royal, Shakespeare Square, at the east end of Princes Street. This was opened 9 December 1769 by actor manager David Ross, and was...
, Theatre Royal, Glasgow
Theatre Royal, Glasgow
The Theatre Royal is the oldest theatre in Glasgow, located at 282 Hope Street in Cowcaddens. The theatre originally opened in 1867, changing its name to the Theatre Royal in 1869, and is the longest running theatre in Scotland...
and leased the Royalty Theatre, Glasgow
Royalty Theatre, Glasgow
The Royalty Theatre, Glasgow was a theatre in Glasgow at the corner of Sauchiehall Street and Renfield Street. It was built in 1879 as part of a development by the Central Halls Company chaired by David Rattray , and was one of the first theatre designs of Frank Matcham...
, but Howard died of a stroke only weeks after the company was formed. In 1904 it built and opened the King's Theatre, Glasgow
King's Theatre, Glasgow
The King's Theatre is located in Glasgow, Scotland. It was built for Howard & Wyndham Ltd under its chairman Baillie Michael Simons as a sister theatre of their Theatre Royal in the city and was designed by Frank Matcham, opening in 1904. The theatre is primarily a receiving house for touring...
, and soon became Britain's largest company of quality theatres. Howard & Wyndham pantomimes graced British stages for over 90 years, possibly a record unequalled.
Under Michael Simons, in 1912, the company had also taken over the Robert Arthur group of six theatres (four in England - the Theatre Royal, Newcastle
Theatre Royal, Newcastle
The Theatre Royal is a Grade I listed building situated on Grey Street in Newcastle upon Tyne. It was designed by local architects John and Benjamin Green as part of Richard Grainger's grand design for the centre of Newcastle, and was opened on 20 February 1837 with a performance of The Merchant...
in Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
, the Royal Court in Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, and the Royal Court in Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
- and two in Scotland), in Dundee
Dundee
Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...
and Aberdeen
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
.
Wyndham continued to run the company productions until 1928, when he retired (though retaining his seat on the board for 2 more years). Howard & Wyndham Ltd bought over the King's Theatre, Edinburgh
King's Theatre, Edinburgh
The King's Theatre was opened in 1906 and stands on a prominent site on Leven Street in Edinburgh. It is one of Scotland's historic and most important theatres...
, appointing its A. Stewart Cruikshank as managing director of the group, and also making C. B. Cochran a director. Cruikshank instituted a resident company at the Lyceum, and opened a contracts office in London.
The company became based at the King's Theatre, Edinburgh, and its policy committed it to "the best work of modern writers, together with the classics of the past", including touring Shakespeare productions and opera alongside pantomime and musicals. Howard & Wyndham also held shares and directorships in Moss Empires
Moss Empires
Moss Empires was a British company formed in Edinburgh from the merger of the theatre companies owned by Sir Edward Moss and Sir Oswald Stoll in 1898. This created the largest British chain of music halls...
, London West End theatres and were the major shareholders in HM Tennent & Company.
On his father's death in 1949 in a road accident in Edinburgh, Stewart Cruikshank junior succeeded as managing director, and concentrated the offices and wardrobe in London while continuing the production facilities and stores in Edinburgh. Through its joint venture with Roy Thomson's Scottish Television
Scottish Television
Scottish Television is Scotland's largest ITV franchisee, and has held the ITV franchise for Central Scotland since 31 August 1957. It is the second oldest ITV franchisee still active...
at the Theatre Royal, Glasgow
Theatre Royal, Glasgow
The Theatre Royal is the oldest theatre in Glasgow, located at 282 Hope Street in Cowcaddens. The theatre originally opened in 1867, changing its name to the Theatre Royal in 1869, and is the longest running theatre in Scotland...
in the 1950s, the company became major shareholders in the new independent television franchise.
In the 1960s Howard & Wyndham Ltd sold its theatres in England and Scotland to the city councils, with one exception, their British flagship out of over 20 theatres, the Alhambra Theatre Glasgow
Alhambra Theatre Glasgow
The Alhambra Theatre Glasgow opened on 19 December 1910 at the corner of Waterloo Street and Wellington Street, Glasgow under the direction of Sir Alfred Butt and was acknowledged as one of the best equipped theatres in Britain, planned to accommodate 2,800 people.The Theatre was designed by...
which Glasgow Corporation declined despite the public's preference for it. It closed in 1969 to meet company debts in film and television production.
External links
- Howard and Wyndham Limited 1888 - 1948
- http://www.laughingaudience.co.uk/howard_and_wyndham.html See academic, refereed paper on the formative years of Howard and Wyndham, 1851 to 1894, by Paul Iles