9th July 1900
Jersey Opera House is opened
Jersey has had various opera houses and theatres over the years, many of which have been destroyed by fire. The Theatre Royal burned down in 1863 and was replaced in 1865 by the Royal Amphitheatre. That was renamed the Theatre Royal and Opera House, but burned down in 1899. It was replaced in 1900 with the Opera House, which was opened by Lillie Langtry on 9 July 1900, prior to it being finished. However, despite the fact that work still needed to be done, it staged its first play that same day: The Degenerates by Sydney Grundy, which starred Langtry herself.
Theatre and cinema
Designed by Sidney Cooper, the new theatre had a 40- by 60-foot stage and boxes for both the governor and bailiff, but as films became more popular it was converted for use as both a theatre and cinema, and badly damaged by fire in 1921. This led to a further closure for 12 months for renovations.
The Opera House went through a variety of owners until, in 1995, it was purchased by the States of Jersey for £1.3m, effectively guaranteeing its future for the enjoyment of everyone in the island.
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Other events that occured in July
Queen Elizabeth II gifts Elizabeth Castle and Mont Orgueil to Jersey
- Elizabeth Castle and Mont Orgueil were both once owned by the monarch until Queen Elizabeth II handed them over to the people of Jersey.
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Channel Island steamer hits the rocks and runs aground
- The SS Caesarea was leaving St Helier when she struck Pignonet Rock, off Moilmont Point, and was holed below the water line.
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Jersey gets its first ever local bank notes
- When Jersey needed to raise funds, it came up with a profitable wheeze: it would issue its first ever peacetime banknotes.
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The Prince of Wales visits Jersey to open Howard Hall
- The Prince of Wales came to Jersey by boat so he could open the recently finished Howard Hall at Victoria College.
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