The People’s Palace

My recent exploration of Mile End would not have been complete without a few photos of the (‘New’) People’s Palace building in Mile End Road, last seen as a young student on interview at Queen Mary College – of which it now forms a part – in the mid-Seventies. Dubbed the Albert Hall of the East End, it was conceived as a rival to existing large venues such as Crystal Palace, Alexandra Palace and Earl’s Court.

The idea for a People’s Palace was originally conceived by the insurance magnate and philanthropist Barber Beaumont, the man behind the New Philosophic Institute in Mile End, offering educational and recreational facilities for local working men.

Poster advertising classes on offer

In 1884, the Drapers’ Company became interested in Beaumont’s pioneering ideas and agreed to launch a centre for social, educational and recreational activities for East Londoners. The centre, to be known as a ‘Palace of Delights’ was to be housed in a distinctive new building and so construction began on the site of the now demolished Bancroft Hospital and almshouses. Beaumont described himself as: “being minded and desirous of founding of an Institution for the purpose of affording persons in the neighbourhood… the means of meeting together for mental and moral improvement and amusement in their intervals of business freed from the baneful excitement of intoxicating liquors”…. in other words, a distraction from the popular gin-palaces of the day!

The Queen's Hall of the original Palace

The People’s Palace opened in May 1887 on the site where QMC’s Queen’s Building stands today. It comprised a vast concert-hall (called the Queen’s Hall) for lectures and twice-weekly concerts, a swimming-bath and gym, a technical school and a library – run entirely by women and used by between 1,200 and 1,400 people every day. There was also a winter garden for refreshments and music. Religious music was provided on Sundays to audiences of over 3,000.

 At first the People's Palace was very popular, attracting 26,000 people on a single Bank Holiday in 1888, and altogether one and a half million people visited in its first year.  But, as with Alexandra Palace, the popularity of the entertainment on offer soon dwindled - it is thought because working people found it too ‘highbrow’ – although the educational arm of the venture continued to thrive.

The 'New' Palace today

In 1931 a fire centred on the Queen’s Hall took hold and the building was almost totally destroyed. It was rebuilt in 1937 in art deco style with reliefs by Eric Gill (depicting Drama, Music, Fellowship, Dance, Sport and Recreation) and a stunning interior designed by the famous cinema architect George Coles.

Eric Gill sculpture on Mile End Road

As the Forties dawned, however, the ‘New People’s Palace’ also failed to achieve commercial success and was eventually sold to Queen Mary (later to become part of the University of London) in 1954.

The Art Deco Great Hall

The Grade II-listed auditorium (or Great Hall) is now used for graduation ceremonies and other formal events. 

References:

Website: https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1393150

The London Encyclopedia ed. Ben Weinreb et al (2008)

London’s East End: Life and Traditions Jane Cox (1994)

East End Then and Now Winston G. Ramsey (1997)

Victorian London L Jackson (2004)