Opera Scotland

Prince of Wales Theatre Glasgow

The Prince of Wales Theatre, Cowcaddens, opened in 1869 with a capacity of 3000 people. The designer was the architect William Spence. It stood on the corner of Cowcaddens Street and Stewart Street. In 1881 it was rebuilt as the Grand Theatre with a capacity of 2030. It was destroyed by fire in 1918 and was replaced by the New Grand Picture House. An illustration of the Grand Theatre, and some more details, can be found on the arthurlloyd.co.uk website.

Now that the building and those nearby have been demolished, and the roads landscaped it is not easy to pinpoint exactly where the building was, but we've placed the pin on the map at Cowcaddens Station.

According to Glasgow Theatres and Music Halls; a Guide, by Marianne R. Hay, Publication No 15 in the Glasgow Room of the Mitchell Library (1980), it may have had a capacity as great as 4000, though this would imply significant sections of the auditorium being designed as standing room, not uncommon for music halls of the day.