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Catalogue

Durham Dramatic Society

Reference: D/DDS Catalogue Title: Durham Dramatic Society Area: Catalogue Category: Charity and Society Records Description: The Development of the City Theatre

Covering Dates: 1937-1990

Access: open

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Catalogue Description

Durham Dramatic Society

The first recorded meeting of the Amateur Dramatic Society (the Amateur was dropped later to take advantage of more favourable terms when performing plays by G.B. Shaw), was held on 15 November 1928. Membership was to be open to members of the Health Department of Shire Hall, Old Elvet and also to any gentlemen outside the department. There were thirty members of whom seventeen took acting parts. The annual subscription was 2s.6d., later raised to 5s. with travelling expenses paid from the funds. Rehearsals were held in the Nalgo Club Hut, or a room at the Garden House or in members' homes. For fifty years the booking of seats was organised through Donkins, the tobacconist in the Market Place.

In the early years there were close links with the Shire Hall music society, who provided interval music and also shared in joint productions 1934-1936. Members also took part in the Shakespearean productions of Eric Barber on behalf of the Durham House Settlement.

The Society joined the British Drama League in 1929 and competed regularly in its festivals with considerable success, reaching the National Finals in the 1950s coming second in 1955 with the production 'Ye Gods'. It was during this period that the society had over four hundred members of whom fifty took acting parts. The competitive tradition is successfully maintained by award-winning productions like 'Zoo Story' at Sedgefield Festival in 1991.

In the 1930s a variety of activities developed including the tradition of annual dinners, news bulletins, play reading circle, library (discontinued in 1931), wireless group to listen on Monday evenings to weekly talks on drama and a concert party in October 1939. The war had a decisive effect on the Society.

Initially membership was affected by call up and civil defence requirements, so the monthly social meeting was started in order to retain members. However, the Society's producer, Mrs. Margaret Marshall, was made head of the Durham Area of Voluntary Entertainment Service. This was the start of a very hectic period when plays and concerts were performed on a variety of stages, sometimes under fire and once before an unresponsive audience who turned out to be newly arrived Polish airmen who knew no English. The war years also saw the establishment of a Junior Section in 1944.

Meetings were to be held once a month, prior to the monthly meeting, and to be spent teaching the art of stagecraft. Then, when the standard was good enough they would perform short curtain-raisers before the Society's main plays. This tradition was extended in 1953 when, at the request of the County Drama Organiser, Miss D.P.W. Carr, the Society gave performances of Theatre for Children.

After the war, in 1946, the Society became a limited company. Difficulties with rehearsal and storage led to the purchase of the old British Restaurant in Back Silver Street. [This was built around 1800 and had been used as a printing works with printing machines in the basement and the first floor specially strengthened by two extra pillars in the basement so that rolls of paper could be stored]. This was used as club and rehearsal rooms but difficulties remained with productions. Initially productions were held in St. Margaret's Hall, Crossgate, then in the hall of Whinney Hill School which necessitated sets being taken down each night. From 1968 use of the Assembly Rooms restricted productions to dates outside university terms. The dream of their own theatre met with various setbacks until the proposal to alter the club rooms was accepted. The development of the theatre [see: D/DDS/1/3/106] culminated in the opening of the City Theatre by Mrs Margaret Marshall in November 1986. The first production was 'Seasons Greetings' by Alan Ayckbourn which heralded an active and successful period in the history of the society.

Catalogue Contents

The Development of the City Theatre (Ref: D/DDS 1/4/1-35)

Article in the Durham County Advertiser on the possibility of a little theatre in Durham, 7 May 1937
(1 newspaper cutting, 43 cm x 33 cm)


Copy signed receipt for documents relating to freehold premises in Fowler's Yard, Back Silver Street, Durham delivered to R. Marshall, Secretary of Durham Dramatic Society, by Messrs H. Ferens and Son, solicitors, Durham, 26 October 1950
(1 paper)


Correspondence between R. Marshall, Secretary of Durham Dramatic Society Ltd., and the Inland Revenue Valuation Officer (Durham area), Government Buildings, Pelaw Bank, Pelton Lane, Chester-le-Street, concerning the valuation for rates of the Society's premises at Fowler's Yard, Back Silver Street, 8 November 1950 - 10 April 1951
(15 papers)


Fire insurance policy No 18293644 issued by Sun Insurance in respect of the "Old British Restaurant", Fowler's Yard, Durham and fixtures, fittings, furniture, stage properties and effects, with increased cover from 10 November 1975, 23 June 1950
(2 papers)


Public Liability Insurance Policy No P1136528 (later No. 557 to 16433) issued by the Sun Insurance Office in respect of the Drama Club of Durham Dramatic Society, with increased cover from 24 June 1973, 9 September 1950
(3 papers)


Insurance policy No 500 14800 issued on behalf of the Theatres Mutual Insurance Company Ltd., in respect of all productions of the Durham Dramatic Society at St. Margaret's Hall, Crossgate, Durham, endorsed to cover performances at the Assembly Rooms, North Bailey, Durham, on 22 December 1973, 8 December 1965
(3 papers)


Fire insurance policy No 957F 607798 issued by Sun Alliance and London Insurance in respect of "The Old British Restaurant" and fixtures, fittings, furniture, stage properties and effects, with increased cover from 30 May 1984, 23 July 1979
(12 papers)


Durham County Fire Brigade Leaflet No 44 concerning places of public entertainment, occasional use for stage plays n.d.
(1 paper)


Fire Prevention Inspection Report including annotated plans of the proposed City Theatre, Fowler's Yard, Durham, by Assistant Divisional Officer Cartlidge of Durham County Fire Brigade, 28 December 1983
(6 papers)


Letter to T. Gardiner, 6 Alexandra Close, Framwellgate Moor, Durham from T. W. Malpass, Chief Officer, Fire Brigade Headquarters, Framwellgate Moor, Durham, enclosing a copy of an illustrated report, no 8a, concerning increasing the fire resistance of existing timber doors, 3 January 1984
(5 papers)


Letter and annotated diagrams of the City Theatre, Fowler's Yard, to T. Gardiner, 6 Alexandra Close, Framwellgate Moor, Durham from T. W. Malpass, Chief Fire Officer, Fire Brigade Headquarters, Framwellgate Moor, Durham, confirming verbal advice given about fire prevention, 6 March 1985
(3 papers)


Receipt for six fire extinguishers supplied by Peterlee Fire Extinguisher Co. 28 Lister Road, North West Industrial Estate, Peterlee, 27 October 1986
(1 paper)


Fire Safety Certificate issued to the City Theatre, Fowler's Yard, Back Silver Street, in respect of all soft furnishings by Glomart Ltd., 21 Sterling Close, Pattinson Industrial Estate, Washington, Tyne and Wear, 30 October 1987
(1 paper)


Two letters to R. Marshall, Secretary of the Durham Dramatic Society, from J.K. Hope, West Park, Lanchester, concerning the possibility of obtaining exemption from rates under the Scientific Societies Act, 1843, 9 - 20 September 1959
(3 papers)


Correspondence between T. Gardiner, 6 Alexandra Close, Durham and K.J. O'Neil, Head Postmaster, 33 Claypath, Durham, concerning an application for a freepost licence, 30 June 1983 - 14 June 1984
(3 papers)


Correspondence between J.R. Atkinson, County Planning Officer, J.T. Brockbank, Clerk of the County Council, J. Proctor, Chief Executive and Clerk, J.R. Tully, County Engineer, and R. Marshall, Secretary of Durham Dramatic Society, 1 North Crescent, North End, Durham, concerning a co-ordinated maintenance scheme for Back Silver Street, Durham City, 5 May 1972 - 4 November 1975
(23 papers)


Letter to members from the chairman, Tom Gardiner, advising them of financial problems and enclosing a feasibility study and plan for a new theatre to be constructed from their club rooms, September 1983
(2 papers and 1 plan, 30 cm x 21 cm, duplicated)


Correspondence between Anthony R.N. Scott, City Planning Office, Byland Lodge, Hawthorn Terrace, Durham and T. Gardiner, concerning the change of use from clubroom to theatre of the Durham Dramatic Society's premises, 13 January - 21 February 1983
(9 papers)


Correspondence between K. Swales, City Architect, N. Smith, City Engineer and T. Gardiner, representing the Durham Dramatic Society, concerning approval of building plans to turn the clubrooms into the new city theatre, 14 December 1983 - 16 October 1985
(9 papers)


Receipt from Ann Nelson of Burt, Hart and Pratt for the deeds of Durham Dramatic Society premises in Back Silver Street, 5 January 1984
(1 paper)


Correspondence between G.W. Burt, solicitor, of Burt, Hart and Pratt, 11 Market Place, Durham, P.A. Broome, City Solicitor, City of Durham, Byland Lodge, Hawthorn Terrace, Durham, and T. Gardiner, chairman of the Durham Dramatic Society, 6 Alexandra Close, Framwellgate Moor, Durham, concerning a loan from the City of Durham Council to the Durham Dramatic Society towards the provision of an eighty-seat theatre, 5 March - 26 June 1984
(21 papers)


Plan of the Durham City Theatre, showing the general layout and indicating the areas covered by plans 2 - 5, 29 December 1983 Scale: 1:100
(1 paper)


Plan No.1 showing the existing storage and coalhouse together with details of the proposed replacement extension, 29 December 1983 Scale: 50 inches to 1 inch [1:50]
(1 plan, 119 cm x 83 cm, ink)


Incomplete plan No.2 showing proposed support system of brickwork support walls and treatment of timber beams prior to steel reinforcement, June 1983 Scale: 20 inches to 1 inch [1:20]
(1 plan, 89.5 cm x 83 cm, ink)


Plan No.2a showing revised proposed system of brickwork support walls and foundations, 24 November 1983 Scales: 10 inches to 1 inch [1:10] and 20 inches to 1 inch [1:20]
(1 plan, 119cm x 83cm, ink)


Plan No.3a showing amended fire escape stairs and entrance step layout together with details of new brickwork and foundations, 29 December 1983 Scale: 25 inches to 1 inch [1:25]
(1 plan, 119 cm x 85 cm, ink)


Letter to T. Gardiner, 6 Alexandra Close, Framwellgate Moor, Durham, from N. Smith, City Engineer, Byland Lodge, Hawthorn Terrace, Durham, enclosing a copy of an amended plan 3b [which had been approved on 30 August 1985 and substituted for the original plan], 30 April 1986 Scale: 25 inches to 1 inch [1:25]
(1 paper and 1 plan, 118 cm x 83 cm)


Plan 4a showing plan of proposed alterations of ground floor including internal division walls and pipework, 29 December 1983 Scale: 25 inches to 1 inch [1:25]
(1 plan, 118 cm x 83 cm, ink)


Copy of plan 5 showing elevation and section of existing and proposed long room, giving ceiling details, 29 December 1983 Scale: 25 inches to 1 inch [1:25]
(1 plan, 118 cm x 83 cm)


Letter to T. Gardiner, 6 Alexandra Close, Framwellgate Moor, Durham, from N. Smith, City Engineer, Byland Lodge, Hawthorn Terrace, Durham, enclosing a copy of an amended plan 5a of 'The proposed ground floor layout and coffee and bar areas finish' [which had been approved on 2 January 1985 and substituted for the original plan], 3 January 1985 Scale: 25" to 1" [1:25]
(1 paper and 1 plan, 124 cm x 83 cm)


Letter to T. Gardiner, 6 Alexandra Close, Framwellgate Moor, Durham, from N. Smith, City Engineer, Byland Lodge, Hawthorne Terrace, Durham, enclosing copy of an amended plan No.6 of "Drainage Details" (which had been approved on 2 May 1984 and substituted for the original plan), 2 May 1984 Scale: 25 inches to 1 inch [1:25]
(1 paper and 1 plan, 120 cm x 84 cm)


Copies of the structural layout and revised layout of Durham Little Theatre, 12 July 1984
(6 papers)


Electrical certificate of inspection of the City Theatre, 24 October 1986
(1 paper)


Letter from Michael Smith, Chairman, inviting members to become a patron of the City Theatre, February 1990
(1 paper)


Leaflet appealing for donations to a fund to convert the Society's Club Rooms in Back Silver Street, Durham, into an 80-seat theatre with bar and coffee lounge, n.d. [1983]
(1 paper, printed)