Burberry(s) of London at 121 Regent Street in November 2014

In November 2014, I visited Burberry at 121 Regent Street.  I have to admit that my primary reason for the visit was to see the building and also with a hope of catching a glimpse of the Theatre  Organ that had been installed there.

I have to admit that The Store and the building were both surprises to me and actually inspired me to write the Department Store Series that appears at this website.

But what about the history of the building at 121 Regent Street?  The building was built in 1820 and has a long history prior to becoming the Flagship Store of Burberry of London.

-oOo-

The building at 121 Regent Street was first opened in 1888 as an art gallery, the New Gallery.   However, it was converted  into a restaurant in 1913, but later in the year, it was refurbished and reopened as a cinema, the New Gallery Cinema.  One of the unique features of the auditorium was a Greek Frieze of 256 feet in length along its walls and which was the work of Ms Gertrude Halsey.

The New Gallery Central Hall, 1888

The New Gallery Cinema was the Flagship Cinema and housed the Head Office of Provintial Cinematograph Theatres (PCT).  PCT was Britain’s first serious cinema circuit and was founded in 1909, but was taken over by Gaumont British Theatres in 1931, which eventually became part of The Rank Organisation.

The New Gallery Cinema Entrance

For more photographs of the New Gallery Cinema, please Click Here

-oOo-

I went to the New Gallery Cinema only on one occasion and this was during the early 1950s.  My parents took me to see the film, Hans Christian Anderson, with Danny Kaye.  Although I remember the film, sadly, I do not recall The Cinema, much to my regret.

-oOo-

I have written earlier about the New Gallery Cinema and the Wurlitzer Theatre Organ that was installed and which is still present in the building.

Please Click  Here to read what has been written.

-oOo-

The Theatre Organ installed at the New Gallery Cinema was the fourth instrument to be exported to the U.K. from The Rudolph Wurlitzer Factory in the U.S.  However, it was to be the first to be installed in the West End of London and the third Theatre Organ to be  installed in the U.K.

The Console of The New Gallery Wurlitzer Organ

The Organ is a Model F with 2-manuals and 8 ranks and was installed with its pipes concealed in two chambers on the right-hand side of the screen and was opened to the public by Jack Courtnay in June 1925.

Reginald Foort

This Theatre Organ holds the distinction of being the first to be featured in a radio broadcast and the first to be recorded in the U.K.  The radio broadcasts featured Reginald Foort (1893-1980) at the Theare Organ of the New Gallery Cinema, who was the resident organist at the cinema until 1927.  The broadcasts were originally of a quarter of an hour in duration, however, once their popularity grew, the broadcast was increased to a full hour.

Mr. Foort made twenty-five gramophone recordings for HMV, His Master’s Voice playing the New Gallery Wurlitzer Organ and his rendering of In a Monastery Garden sold over one million copies, which was a record at the time.

Click Here to hear Reginald Foort play In a Monastery Garden recorded in March 1927

-oOo-

As mentioned elsewhere in the piece, Importing the Wurlitzer Theatre Organ to the New Gallery Central Hall, Jack Hylton & His Orchestra recorded several pieces of music at the Cinema and featured Claude Ivy at the Theatre Organ.

The Sérénade from Les Millions D’Arlequin, composed by Riccardo Drigo (1846-1930) and performed by Jack Hylton (1892-1965) & His Orchestra with Claude Ivy at the Theatre Organ of the New Gallery Cinema

The gramophone record details include: Number, HMV B 5391;
Recorded on the 11th November, 1927, 

Just Once Again, composed by Walter Donaldson (1893-1947) & Paul Ash (1891-1958) and performed by the Jack Hylton & His Orchestra featuring the singing trio of
Jack Hylton, Chappie D’Amato & Hugo Rignold
and Claude Ivy at the Theatre Organ of the New Gallery Cinema

The gramophone record details include: Number, HMV B 5390;
Recorded on the 11th November, 1927.

The information and recordings appear here with the permission of Mr. John Wright.

-oOo-

The following pieces played on the Theatre Organ of the former New Gallery Cinema were kindly sent to me by Mr. Chris Medland:

Sweet Susanne, composed by Edgar Leslie Gilbert and performed by Lewis James 

The gramophone record details include: Number, HMV B 2748; Manufactured by The Gramophone Company Limited, Calcutta; Published by The Lawrence Wright (1888-1964) Music Company, London;
Recorded in 1928.

I’m Going Back to Old Nebraska, composed by Noble Sissle (1889-1975) and performed by Lewis James

The gramophone record details include: Number, HMV B 2748; Manufactured by The Gramophone Company Limited, Calcutta; Published by The Lawrance Wright Music Company, London;
Recorded in 1928.

I would like to thank Mr. Medland for providing these recordings and for allowing them to appear here.

-oOo-

The Cinema ceased screening films in 1953.  At this time, The Cinema was owned by The Rank Organisation, but due to the fall of ticket sales, closed it and the building was leased to the Seventh Day Adventists who used it as a church until 1990.  During this time, films were screened here only on rare occasions and generally had a religious theme.

The building remained in dis-use between 1990 and 2006, when Habitat took it over for retail use, but gave up the lease in 2011.

Burberry of London took over the lease of 121 Regent Street and in September 2012 re-opened the renovated building as its new Flagship Store.

-oOo-