# Bellerby Theatre - Surrey - Sept 2014



## brickworx (Sep 23, 2014)

Been watching this site for weeks and only managed to gain access once demo had well and truly started. As you can see, internally it was almost gutted but I wanted to capture \ report on it as the Bellerby Theatre, Guildford has a lot of history….. the most important bit being my mum once worked there!

I am giving up the exact name etc as it is now levelled, so don’t visit unless you want pics of the new supermarket foundations. 

History:
The building is a Victorian two story, brick school building with later additions, in the early 1900’s it took the form of Dickinson & Burne’s engineering workshop, the below pic shows the window-rattling tradition of anvil firing on special occasions with this occasion being celebrated on coronation day, June 22, 1911.


Old by BrickworkUrbex, on Flickr 

Five anvils are seen to represent the fifth King George. In the picture they are upturned to expose the casting slot in the base that serves as a touch hole, its charge of black powder rammed firm with a wooden plug and fused. The firing master stands back, ignition rod glowing after a plunge in the portable brazier behind him. 

The works were requisitioned by the military for the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers’ (REME) workshops during the Second World War and at some stage, the building was renamed the Electricity Theatre when it first opened as a centre for arts and drama. 

In 1978 after a refurbishment it was renamed the Bellerby Theatre, seating 150 people. In 1983 the lease of the Bellerby Theatre was taken up by Guildford School of Acting, until reaching its final demise of complete demolition for a new Waitrose.

Anyways, onto the pics - full slideshow available here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/sets/72157646182877278/show/



ListenUpKids! by BrickworkUrbex, on Flickr



Exterior by BrickworkUrbex, on Flickr



StageLeft by BrickworkUrbex, on Flick



ManInWindowLights by BrickworkUrbex, on Flickr



KeepFitParchment by BrickworkUrbex, on Flickr



BannisStars by BrickworkUrbex, on Flickr



ManAppreciatesHisFan(s) by BrickworkUrbex, on Flickr



LoftyCorner by BrickworkUrbex, on Flickr



Hanging by BrickworkUrbex, on Flickr


Thanks for looking

Brickworx


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## Onmyown (Sep 23, 2014)

Great place, nice shots..


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## flyboys90 (Sep 23, 2014)

At least you,ve captured it before it went.Thanks for sharing


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## DirtyJigsaw (Sep 23, 2014)

Awesome mate. Nice set of photos!


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## Mikeymutt (Sep 23, 2014)

Nice set mate..but you should not have gone as it said "it's a big danger"


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## brickworx (Sep 23, 2014)

Mikeymutt said:


> Nice set mate..but you should not have gone as it said "it's a big danger"



Yeah, there was loads of them...pics from a local school.


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## UrbanX (Sep 24, 2014)

Amazing set of images, you should be well proud of those mate! 
Thanks for sharing!


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## chazman (Sep 25, 2014)

nice pics. your 2nd photo reminds me of how many bags of junk the mrs wanted to bring when she tried to move in.


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## prettyvacant71 (Sep 26, 2014)

Beautiful light in ur shots.....makes it even more special wiv the family connection...and wots wrong wiv pics of supermarket foundations, im leavin now


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## cunningplan (Sep 26, 2014)

Shame buildings like this get knocked down for mundane supermarkets  nice set of photos and report really like the last one


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## LittleOz (Sep 27, 2014)

Nicely shot. Well done for getting in there before it got turned to dust.


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