1830

A view from an engraving by Harwood dated as above, this shows the Royal Ampitheatre on Queens Square (not to be confused with the Theatre Royal on Williamson Square, nearby). Queens square is shown in the background whilst a view showing what you might see if you were seated in the carriage, would have you looking along  Great Charlotte Street

The site if this theatre is said to have been on, or close to that, of The Fall Well (an ancient spring and water source), but in 1826 John Cooke bought the site to accommodate his circus shows, plays and concerts. Cooke's new circus opened here that year and was followed in 1830 by an entirely new building. This was properly known as Cooke's Royal Ampitheatre of Arts and is shown here. This is the building where, in 1849, Jenny Lind gave a concert to assist the opening of a new hospital in toxteth, The Royal Southern.

The Royal Ampitheatre was later redesigned and partially rebuilt, opening as The Royal Court in 1881.

That building lasted until 1938 when it burned down, after which it was replaced by a new Royal Court Theatre on 17th October 1938, this survived the blitz which destroyed much adjacent property and stands to this day.

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