Music Hall Memory Box

About

 

Thank you for visiting the Music Hall Memory Box! This website was created as part of my Master’s degree in Public History at Royal Holloway, University of London. I’ve always been fascinated by Victorian music halls, partly because my ancestor, Joseph Tabrar, was a songwriter of the halls, and I grew up hearing about his career. As a historian, however, I’m drawn to the music halls because I think they offer unique insights into the wider social and political issues of 19th and 20th century Britain.

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Victorian Music halls are often depicted in public representations as rowdy, crime ridden spaces. Indeed, the Scottish Poet, John Davison declared in his 1891 poem:

 

‘I did as my desk fellows did;

With a pipe and a tankard of beer,

In a music hall, rancid and hot,

I lost my soul night after night.

It is better to lose one’s soul,

Than to never stake it at all’.

 

This website, however, will explore beyond the ‘bawdy’ stereotype to discover who exactly the audiences and stars of the halls were. We tend to regard the music halls as a quintessentially Victorian phenomenon, yet their popularity continued into the 20th century, albeit in an evolved form know as variety, and the legacy of the halls is still present in modern British culture. The Royal Variety Performance continues to be televised every year; Britain’s Got Talent, a show that is clearly reminiscent of the age of variety, attracts millions of viewers each series; and music festivals, including Glastonbury, are increasingly including variety acts in their line-up. The Music Hall Memory Box documents the evolution of music hall culture and shows how it is still relevant to many of us today.

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I hope you enjoy delving into the wonderful world of music halls. Any reflections or memories you might have regarding music hall culture would be greatly welcomed in the discussion forum.

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Thank you,

Becky Tabrar