City Varieties, Leeds & York Theatre Royal: Yorkshire’s Haunted Theatres

The City Varieties Music Hall in Leeds began life as a ‘singing room’ above the White Swan public house. It officially opened as Thornton’s Music Hall in 1865. It was designed by architect George Henry Smith for the developer Charles Thornton, who was also responsible for the construction of Thornton’s Arcade, also in Leeds. City Varieties has hosted some of the world’s best-known performers including Charlie Chaplin, Harry Houdini, Lillie Langtry, Buster Keaton and the Beatles. The music hall is the longest-running theatre in Yorkshire and is one of only a handful of old Victorian music halls remaining in the UK.

Despite undergoing several changes of ownership, and a few name changes, the theatre has preserved much of its nineteenth-century charm, retaining the essential Victorian architecture that made it unique. One of its most distinctive features is the iconic red velvet chairs, which have become synonymous with the venue.

The City Varieties rose to national fame due to its association with the BBC’s The Good Old Days, a weekday evening program that ran from 1953 to 1983, and recreated the atmosphere of traditional old-style music hall performances for modern audiences.

Outside City Varieties theatre in Leeds

One of the most famous ghosts at City Varieties is the White Lady, which is said to be the spirit of a female singer who once performed there. Her appearance is considered good luck, particularly for performers beginning a new run of shows. However, her presence is not always comforting. One account comes from a man who fell asleep in the Dress Circle and was awoken by an intense coldness. On looking up, he saw a woman wearing a crinoline gown standing in front of him. The ghostly figure vanished before his eyes, leaving him so shaken that he fled the building, never to return.

City Varieties Music Hall is renowned for strange occurrences, contributing to its status as an extremely haunted location. For instance, late at night when the theatre is empty a piano plays by itself, filling the space with music. There are also reports of disembodied legs walking up the staircase and of being touched by invisible hands. Some people have seen the ghostly figure of a man dressed in First World War attire, silently patrolling, as if still on duty.

Other supernatural events include pictures on the walls becoming distorted or warped, doors slamming shut by themselves, and sudden cold spots appearing in certain areas of the theatre – corridors, backstage areas, near the balcony and the Dress Circle. In addition, disembodied voices have been heard in empty corridors and some people have felt the sensation of someone walking closely behind them despite being alone.

York Theatre Royal

York Theatre Royal

The Theatre Royal in York was built in 1744 on the site of St Leonard’s Hospital. It expanded in 1765 to seat 550 and became a major venue under management of Tate Wilkinson. Wilkinson secured a royal patent in 1769, allowing the theatre to stage prestigious productions and attract world-renowned performers such as Mrs Siddons (a famous tragedienne) and her actor brother John Philip Kemble.

The theatre has been altered several times. In 1880, the main façade was redesigned in a Victorian Gothic style and in 1902 the auditorium and stage were expanded, increasing the seating capacity to 1,300. Further extension took place in 1967 when a glass pavilion was added. In 2016, the stage and orchestra pit were renovated to make the space more versatile.

York Theatre Royal also has a ghostly reputation, mainly linked to the figure of the Grey Lady. Her appearance is described in various ways: some report seeing her in a grey habit, while others describe her as a mist-like figure. She is believed to be the ghost of a nun, possibly named Florence, who lived and worked at the site when it was St Leonard’s Hospital. Florence was known for her selfless devotion to caring for the sick. After her death, her spirit is thought to have remained. She is often seen wandering areas that were once part of the old hospital. Her presence is regarded as peaceful and protective. Similar to the White Lady at City Varieties, the Grey Lady sometimes appears to those beginning a run of performances. Her presence is considered a good omen and is believed to bring good luck and success to the performers who see her.

“Sudden appearance”

Another ghost said to haunt the theatre is that of a fop who was killed in a duel on Blake Street (a minute’s walk from the theatre), yet was seen on stage by actors at the moment of his death.

A more recent and chilling experience involves an audience member who reported an unexplained drop in temperature while everything around her seemed to become misty and quiet. The most unsettling part of her experience was the sudden appearance of a ghost, though the specific identity of the spirit is unclear. The encounter was so frightening that the woman ran out of the building in horror and refused to go back in.

In 2014, a witness had a chilling encounter in the ladies’ room. She felt a sudden coldness, an eerie stillness, and the sensation of being watched. When she turned around, she saw a misty female figure – possibly the Grey Lady.

Article taken from ‘Paranormal Yorkshire’ by Meryl James published by Amberley Publishing
top image: Courtesy of Storye book, licensed under CC BY 3.0