82 SCIENTIFIC SURVEY OF BLACKPOOL AND DISTRICT 



Dr. Cocker's Bank Hey residence, ' with the conservatories, aviaries, forcing- 

 houses and about 18,000 square yards of land.' The opening of the Gardens, 

 in 1878, by the Lord Mayor of London, marks the beginning of large scale 

 enterprise in Blackpool. They included a Pavilion, Skating-rink, Floral Hall, 

 Fernery and Gardens. Her Majesty's Opera House was opened on June 10th, 

 1889, by the D'Oyley Carte Opera Company, in ' The Yeoman of the Guard.' 

 It was rebuilt and opened in 191 1, and renovated in 1933, and has a seating 

 capacity of 1,820. In 1896, the Empress Ballroom was built on the site of 

 what had been successively a skating-rink and a circus. In 1897, the Pavilion, 

 with a seating capacity of 2,000, was reconstructed, together with the Indian 

 Lounge. In the last few years considerable improvements have been made at 

 the huge cost of £250,000. In the present year the Gardens were able to house 

 under one roof the 4,000 delegates to the International Rotary Conference. 

 They give employment to more than 600 persons during the season, and in 

 1935, paid more than £17,000 in entertainment tax. 



The Big Wheel was opened on August 22nd, 1 896, and in 1916 was purchased 

 by the Winter Gardens Company for £1 ,150, an additional £2,763 being spent 

 on repairs. This famous landmark was demolished in the winter of 1928-29. 

 The site is now occupied by Olympia, which was opened on June 7th, 1930. 



The Tower Company. 



The Blackpool Tower Company was registered on February 19th, 1891, to 

 acquire for £94,000 the full benefit of a contract entered into by the Standard 

 Contract and Debenture Corporation, Ltd., to purchase for £60,000 from the 

 Blackpool Central Promenade Estate Company, Ltd., the original aquarium 

 and other buildings on the site of the present Tower. 



In 1874, an aquarium, menagerie and aviary had been opened on what was 

 formerly the site of West Hey, the residence of Sir Benjamin Heywood. They 

 were sold in 1880, together with the Beach Hotel and surrounding property, 

 to the Blackpool Aquarium Company for £46,000, and sold again in 1882, for 

 £50,000, to the Central Promenade Estate Company, and yet once more in 

 1888, to the Standard Company for £60,000. The Standard Company failed 

 to carry out its contract to purchase, which was taken by the Tower Company, 

 under the late Sir John Bickerstaffe, on condition that the price offered to them 

 was reduced to £72,800. 



The foundation of the Tower was laid on September 25th, 1891, by Sir 

 Matthew White-Ridley, and the Tower, Circus and other buildings were 

 opened on Whit Monday, 1894. The ballroom, with a capacity of 6,000, was 

 opened in 1 899, and in the following year the Circus was remodelled to hold 

 about 3,000. The height of the Tower to the top of the flag staff is 519 feet 

 9 inches, to the crow's nest, 480 feet. More than £1 50,000 have recently been 

 spent on improvements, a huge expenditure justified by the fact that over 

 40,000 have passed through the turnstiles in one day. 



The Palace was originally known as the Alhambra, the foundation stone of 

 which was laid by Mr. George R. Sims, on December 4th, 1897. Opened 

 on May 22nd, 1899, it comprised a Variety Theatre, Circus, Ballroom, Lounges 

 and Refreshment Rooms, which were built on the site of the former Prince 



