Page 13 - CR31R.pdf

George Coppin emerged as the manager, previously employed by
managing director of Australian JCW. Gunn was an actor and stage
Theatrical Management Company manager dating back to the 1890s.
to take it up. Further renovations (John Wren, a notorious character
occurred at this time including at the time, was for some time a
new lighting, seats and drapes. silent partner with Meynell and
The Royal’s fortunes rose and Gunn. He was known to readers
fell in the turbulent 1890s and TV viewers as John West in
economy. During this time the Frank Hardy’s Power Without
Royal’s favourite son was Bland Glory). Initially they continued
Holt, named the “King of presenting melodrama, but in 1908
Melodrama”. In 1898, William presented the musical comedy
Adderson, another melodrama Miss Hook of Holland. This show
star, took over the theatre with was a great success and was
actor Charles Holloway for two followed by other musicals and
years after which Anderson serious drama. The business of
became the sole lessee. Anderson Meynell and Gunn was absorbed
installed Bland Holt whose by J C Williamson in 1911 who
offerings filled the stage for 68 became proprietor of the Royal
weeks after which Holt himself until its closure in 1933. The final
leased the Royal until 1907. show was a revival of the 1921
During Holt’s reign the auditorium Gladys Moncrief speciality The
was gutted and rebuilt as a 3 level Maid Of The Mountains on 17
theatre in 1904. The architect for November.
this refurbishment was William From its opening in 1872, the Above: Programme for the opening night at
Pitt. Royal presented every kind of Coppin’s New Theatre Royal, Melbourne.
The management then passed show including films (two notable Coppin himself appeared in the main attraction, To
to Clyde Meynell and Gunn. films screened at the Theatre Oblige Benson, and in the after piece, Milky White.
Meynell was a former stage Royal were Birth of a Nation from Image from Australian Stage Album.

G. S. Coppin Director of the Commercial Bank (losing a Amphitheatre Co. which built the
considerable fortune during the Continental Hotel and, later, a number of
Coppin was an Englishman, who, after depression of 1891-3) and a founder of guest houses in the Sorrento district. The
several journeys to Australia, settled in the Old Colonists’ Association; the Gordon Continental Hotel still stands overlooking
Melbourne during the 1840s. His Institute for Boys; the Victorian Humane the main street of the township, a
involvement in development projects and Society; the Dramatic and Musical dominant feature of the area.
social activities ultimately left a Association; as well as a whole galaxy of Among Coppin’s developments at
considerable mark on Melbourne life. activities around Hawthorn and Sorrento. Sorrento were a road to the Back Beach
George Coppin’s father came from a long Between 1866 and 1895 he held (there had been a dirt track prior to the
line of very respectable Norfolk stock, but various seats in the Legislative Council road which was apparently built along with
was himself disinherited for leaving his and Legislative Assembly while in August the tramway [which he had built]) and the
medical studies at the age of nineteen to 1871 he bought and subdivided the St building of a large rotunda there.
join up with some strolling actors and then James Estate in Hawthorn where he is Cliff paths, benches and rotundas
marrying one of them — twice his age!. remembered today by the street name were provided by Coppin as his part in
George Selth Coppin was born on April “Coppin Grove”. commemorating Queen Victoria’s Diamond
8th, 1819, at Steyning in Sussex, Falling ill whilst holidaying at Sorrento, Jubilee in 1887. These paths still exist
England. Following the theatrical Coppin returned to his Melbourne home, along Sorrento Back Beach. The principal
profession of his father, young Coppin “Pine Grove” in Richmond, where he died one was known for some time as St Paul’s
found it difficult to make professional on March 14th 19O6. Walk, though it is not known whether this
headway and began looking to the In common with many other of the was an official or unofficial naming. The
Colonies. He decided to emmigrate in more well to do Melbourne residents of only remaining rotunda is, quite fittingly,
1842. His choice of Australia was the the 1860s and 187Os, Coppin frequently that on Mt Coppin.
result of a coin toss with America being spent leisure time at Sorrento. His Coppin and his Ocean Amphitheatre
the other possibility. Settling first in involvement in life there became public in Co. were also responsible for building a
Sydney, the collapse of an early hotel 1870 where he used a chartered steamer large bathing enclosure on the Front
ownership venture there sent him to to take businessmen to the resort in order Beach. These baths, completed in 1875,
Hobart Town. There Coppin involved to “sell” them on its tourist potential. flew a red flag for gentlemen’s hours, and
himself with theatre management. Both as Included in the items to be seen was the a white for ladies! A single bath with towel
a performer and as manager, Coppin natural phenomenon of the Ocean cost the princely sum of sixpence! The
toured the Colonies and made several Amphitheatre, so named by him. Despite a Back Beach development and the baths
trips back to Britain. Eventually, around rather unfortunate incident when the were only some of the many other tourist
1851, after a very brief fling on the steamer ran aground off Point King, some developments Coppin backed.
goldfields, he settled in Melbourne. mile or so short of Sorrento, the trip was
His mark on that city was reasonably successful. Arising out of it Reproduced in part, from
considerable. He served variously as was the floating of the Ocean Tram To Sorrento.

CINEMARECORD Spring 2001 13