The latest monthly meeting of Stourbridge U3A took place on March 5, when a talk by Caroline Davies took us through the extraordinary history of the Birmingham Hippodrome. Back in 1899 a dominating feature of the Birmingham Hippodrome was a large tower, based on the one that had just be built at Blackpool.

This time it was successful and remained open, and by 1913 it had reverted to its original name. After being sold for £40,000 in 1924 it was refurbished with a new auditorium entrance and foyer space and reopened in 1925. Since then it has gone through many renovations, including major enlargements. The list of famous celebrities who have performed at the Hippodrome include Gracie Fields, Henry Hall, George Formby, Vic Oliver, Laurel and Hardy, Frank Sinatra, and the Beatles.

Pantomimes first appeared in 1957 and in the 1960s My Fair Lady enjoyed a six months’ run. It was in 1979 that Birmingham City Council purchased the Hippodrome for £50,000. Major alterations and enlargements followed in the 1980s.

Then in the 1990s the Birmingham Royal Ballet was formed with the Hippodrome as its base.

The theatre attracts audiences totalling over half a million people each year, of whom about 70% come from outside the West Midlands, and is making a yearly contribution of £40 million to our local economy.