Burke Manuscript

Burke Manuscript: Page 045

Transcript

The Theatre Royal was originally a Music Concert affair of which I think Mr Harston was the promoter. That continued for a time. Then that universal genius John L. (Johnny) Hall, was running an Opera Company on a small scale, and with backers, for Johnny had believers, changed it into a Theatre. Old Mr Furby of Mirth, Magic & Music had a Beer Shop on the North side, which gradually fell into line, and a passage was opened into the Theatre. Then Mr Beatty came upon the scene. He had been a policeman. Making himself agreeable to Mr Furby’s only daughter, he not only married her, but became by some hocus pocus [word here erased] the landlord of the Beer House to amplify from the Q.C.E. into Palace Hotel with the Theatre Royal as an appanage. And now it has all vanished.

Before that the Opera Company, Carandine, Sherwin, Dick, Kohler, &c played at the Town Hall.

About this time, 1863, Dick Kohler, who was a grand instrumentalist, with his brother Jack took Taylor’s land the Maze on the Lincoln Road, by the now State School, and converted it in to Kohler’s gardens. Dick made it a gay shop for a few months, but the population then could not keep it going.

Dick Kohler.