HMS Pinafore performed at Alexandra Theatre in 1946

Ilfracombe’s Alexandra Theatre will soon be demolished, here is a bit more about its history during the second world war, and the entertainments laid on there.

The photo comes from our wonderful archives and shows HMS Pinafore being performed at the Alexandra Theatre in 1946

This production was the first one put on by the Ilfracombe and District Amatuer Operatic Society since the end of the second world war – in the spring of 1939 they had staged ‘Country Girl’ but after the outbreak of hostilities with Germany the situation changed for every civilian in the country, and Ilfracombe Operatic Society had to re-think their annual programme.

The imposition of blackout restrictions from the 1st September 1939 meant that travelling after dark anywhere in Britain was very difficult, and this severely limited group rehearsals for the society, especially for those living in Woolacombe and Combe Martin. The blackout meant every window being sealed with heavy curtains to prevent any landmarks being seen by enemy aircraft, and also car and bus headlights reduced to a thin strip which made journeys in the dark evenings hazardous. Speed limits were reduced to 20mph, but fatalities still occurred, as all streetlamps were switched off and people groped about in the pitch black. White stripes were painted on kerbs, bollards and car bumpers to help them stand out. One farmer in Essex painted white striped on his cattle to make them more visible! Shops closed early in the winter to allow workers to get home in daylight, and there was a general feeling that it was safer to stay at home in the evening and gather around the radio, read books and take up home hobbies rather than try to go out and socialise.

Another wartime decision which affected the Operatic Society was the loss of the Alexandra theatre as a venue. Initially this was because the ARP (Air Raid Precaution) committee decided to choose the theatre as Ilfracombe’s gas decontamination centre in October 1939. Every town had to organise a place where civilians could be taken to be treated and cleansed from an airborne gas attack. This theatre, with its large capacity and central location, was an obvious choice. Then, from September 1940, with the arrival of the Pioneer Corps in Ilfracombe, the Alexandra theatre became the Garrison theatre and was used for providing entertainment to the forces billeted here, much of it laid on by professional musicians and entertainers who had fled Nazi Germany.

The Operatic Society had the option of using the Victoria Pavilion after war broke out, but the stage there was too small for its annual musical spectaculars, and, coupled with the practical difficulties of rehearsal during the blackout, it was decided to call a temporary halt to productions until the war was over. Up to this point the society had been having a very successful run since its formation in 1929. In April 1929 their first ever production was the nostalgic musical ‘Merrie England’, and with a cast of over 100 players and good reviews, they put on a musical every spring. No expense was spared in the hiring of costumes and scenery form London, and the photo albums and programmes we have in the museum show what a high professional standard this amateur group

Interior of the Alexandra theatre

aimed for.

After the war was over and life returned to normality, it could have been difficult to resurrect the Operatic Society after a five year break. But undeterred, they re-formed and presented ‘HMS Pinafore’ back at the Alexandra theatre, and then went on to stage an annual production every season until the society was eventually wound up in 1989. One particular highlight for the society was in 1956, when it was chosen to take part in ‘Music in Limelight’, a live BBC radio programme broadcast from the Alexandra theatre, featuring the BBC West of England Light Orchestra and the chorus of the Operatic Society. Quite a coup!

As we wait for the demolition of the old Alexandra theatre, it is poignant to think of all the hard work and happy times that occurred there, and the many talented people, both local and from overseas, who trod her boards.