148-153 Gloucester street
seating ?
Jun 1861
renamed -

26 Dec 1863
redecorated as -

seating ?
Feb 1866 - 19 JUN 1876 (demolished)
New auditorium on same site
seating 1,100
(des. A. W. Simpson)
4 Nov 1876 - 1910 (demolished)
(now Chch Press Copy, News Room and production depts.

The first Theatre Royal on the site, named in 1866, was a crude wooden barn. The Musical Society put it up in 1861 for concerts. In 1863, John Hall made it the Royal Princess Theatre (In Alexandra's honour), with a new stage and front. It was sold in 1873, and pulled down in 1876. (Jackson)

helps support the activites of the CANTERBURY FILM SOCIETY