Coat of Arms
at Burslem
 

Location:  Wedgwood Street, Burslem - On the façade of the former Queen Theatre/ former Town Hall, over right wing entrance

Installed: 1910-11  the foundation stone was laid on 14 March 1910; building completed 1911    

Commissioned by: Burslem Urban District Council

Architect: S B Russell & Edwin Cooper

Builder: Harold Arnold & Son

 

Queens Theatre, Burslem 

Bing Maps

 

Queens Theatre - former Burslem Town Hall

photos: Jan 2006

 

Description: An oval cartouche with a pair of crossed swords tied with a ribbon and a set of scales. At the top a lions head.   Background: Originally commissioned as a town hall, the foundation stone was laid by Alderman Malkin. It was not completed until 1911, when it became a venue for theatres, concerts and other entertainment, then known as the Queen's Hall. In 1966 it became the permanent theatre for the North Staffordshire Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society, and was also well known as a centre for local dance during the 1960s.  The history of the building (with the abolition of the Council shortly after work had started on the Town Hall) helps to explain the extravagant section of the façade, with the columns and three doors of the left wing being very different to the right wing, which is extremely plain and has its own entrance, though clearly built at the same time. The emblems seem to point to the right side of the building's use as a theatre, while the coat of arms with crossed swords and scales seems to indicate a civic use for the left wing.

   

The right wing, which is extremely plain and has its own entrance,

 

The coat of arms with crossed swords and scales seems to indicate a civic use for the right wing.
An oval cartouche with a pair of crossed swords
tied with a ribbon and a set of scales.
At the top a lions head.

At the time of taking the photos there was extreme amounts of bird guano
and the antipigeon wire and chicken wire over the coat of arms
is damaged and spoils the view of the arms

Photos: Jan 2006

 

Materials:

 

Part of work	Material	Dimensions
Coat of arms	Stone, pale grey	90cm high x 60cm wide x (up to) 30cm deep