Weymouth Pavilion 70th anniversary of fire with exhibition

Travel back in time to April 13, 1954, when the Pavilion - then known as The Ritz - burnt down.

It wasn’t until 1958 that work could start on reconstruction, with the Pavilion Theatre as we now know it opening in 1960.

Amy Robinson and Kate Hebditch (Image: Cristiano Magaglio)

This free pop-up exhibition, held in the Ocean Room, is being held in partnership with the Weymouth Museum. It's open from 11am each day and is now on until Saturday, April 13. 

Amy Robinson, marketing manager for Weymouth Pavilion, said: "The 70th anniversary exhibition is a great opportunity for us to showcase the Pavilion’s history.

"A lot of people don’t realize the challenges that the Pavilion has been up against in its 64 years and beyond, it really has been a battle of survival."

She added: "The exhibition highlights the Pavilion’s earlier days from the 1900s right through to 2013, covering the theatre’s presence in the war and the devastating fire in 1954.

"It will be staffed by our friendly volunteers who are more than happy to answer any questions you may have."

The Ritz prior to the fire (Image: Weymouth Museum)

The Ritz as crowds gather to watch the blaze (Image: Weymouth Museum)The aftermath of the blaze (Image: Weymouth Museum)

The exhibition includes video footage of the fateful day of the fire. Old photographs and merchandise of the former Ritz building are also on display.

Kate Hebditch of the Weymouth Museum said: "The footage of the blaze is newly uncovered. A man from another part of the country found the footage last year and got in touch.

"Never seen before really, it is exciting."

On December 21, 1908, the Pavilion opened to the public, with the first two performances two nights later – a Christmas pantomime, Mother Goose. In 1939, the Pavilion was requisitioned by the military for war purposes, in 1942 the building was damaged by an air raid.

The council didn’t get the Pavilion back until 1947, where they then spent two years trying to claim compensation for the damage inflicted during the war. In 1949, the venue was leased to the Buxton Theatre Circuit which in 1949 spent £4,000 installing a new cinema projection room. The theatre finally reopened in May 1950 with a new name – The Ritz.

In September 1951 a new management company, Melcombe Productions, took over and put on live theatre but it soon became apparent that the post-war repairs to the building had been inadequate. In January 1954 work began on renewing the roof and redecorating the wooden exterior.

Read more: Remembering Weymouth's Ritz Theatre and how it was destroyed by fire

Disaster struck on April 13, 1954 when the wooden building caught fire and much of the building was destroyed. The cause of the fire was later found to be the misuse of a blow lamp used for removing many layers of paint from the exterior.

When the reconstruction was completed in 1960 it was decided that the new build would revert to its original early 1900s name ‘The Pavilion’.

The Weymouth Pavilion now (Image: Cristiano Magaglio)

The Pavilion and museum are keen to speak to anyone who might appear in the footage or photos from the fire or anyone who remembers the event. Email amy@weymouthpavilion.com or kateweymouthmuseum@outlook.com

The pavilion and museum want to find out more about this man, seen clutching scores of music to save them from the fire (Image: Weymouth Museum)