Walter Emden

The Garrick, shown in 2007, was built by Emden with C. J. Phipps in 1888. Walter Lawrence Emden (1847 – 1913) was one of the leading English theatre and music hall architects in the building boom of 1885 to 1915.

Biography Emden was the second son of William S. Emden, lessee of London's Olympic Theatre, and was born in the vicinity of the theatre in The Strand. Originally studying as a civil engineer, he joined architects Kelly and Lawes in 1870 in the burgeoning construction of theatres. He was immediately given the commission of designing the Globe Theatre. Emden also became a member of the Strand District Board of Works, a forerunner of local councils, and for seven years acted as chair. In 1890, he was elected to the London County Council.

In 1880, W. G. R. Sprague, a former pupil of Frank Matcham, joined Emden's practice as an apprentice for three years. From 1889, Emden entered a partnership with Charles J. Phipps building the Tivoli, Garrick Theatre and Duke of York's. His most important work, The Tivoli, in the Strand, became the archetype for music hall and variety theatre architecture. under somewhat unusual circumstances. He was the first mayor not to be a member of the Town Council, and was elected under a special provision of the Municipal Corporations Act enabling a duly qualified burgess to take the position.

An energetic mayor, he was a driving force in promoting the Dover Pageant of 1908, and it was around this time that he bought a controlling interest in A.L Thomas & Sons Ltd, an iron foundry based in Dover that specialised in the manufacture and supply of fencing, pipes and manhole covers. Emden put his nephew, Vivian Elkington, in charge of the firm, which was renamed The Dover Engineering Works Ltd on September 3, 1909, and eventually became famous for the manufacture of iron gas and airtight inspection covers, still manufactured and supplied across the globe by the same company today, although under a different name (Gatic).

Legacy The Guide to British Theatres describes Emden's early work as "the epitome of architectural illiteracy" Most of these large cinemas have now succumbed, as music-hall did to them, to television and been modified to other uses, or demolished. Emden died in London in 1913.

Theatres His list of theatre designs include: