Information
This site began life as a theatre venue in April 1902 as a ‘Continental’ show at Cremorne Gardens, O’Connor’s Hotel, on Stanley Street, with a wide variety of live acts including singers and musical soloists. The name was kept when the Cremorne Theatre opened in 1911, and there was a licensing debate in 1921 as whether this was an open-air or enclosed theatre. Live variety performances continued, but during the 1930s the theatre was also screening movies. The last screening appears to have taken place in October 1938, although live shows continued through the 1940s. The theatre was destroyed by fire in February 1954, in a spectacular blaze reportedly watched by a crowd of 40,000 people.
Citations
Telegraph, 14 April 1902; Daily Standard, 18 January 1921; Courier-Mail, 19 February 1954.
Image Citations
Cremorne Theatre, Brisbane, ca. 1934. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Record number: 446716.
Map References
QSA. QSA Series ID 2043 City of Brisbane and Suburbs Maps – A1A Series. 4 chains to the inch. Brisbane and suburbs. Sheet 1. 4 chains to the inch. Brisbane, Survey Office.. 634532