Copyright © 2024 by Wendy Waszut-Barrett
Mike Hume and I drove to the Langdon Down Centre in Teddington, London, on August 9, 2024. We had scheduled an appointment with Facilities Manager, Jo Hardie, to visit the 1879 Normansfield Theatre. We were fortunate that Adam Harrison, Mark Fox, and Jane Harrison could join us for the day!
This is a rare, Victorian Grade II* listed theatre with a remarkable scenery collection that consists of 80 flats, 18 borders, and 5 backdrops. I have recently discovered that some of the pieces pre-date the actual theatre! Painted replicas have replaced all the extant scenery, but many pieces remain accessible to the public.
This facility, once known as Normansfield, was established by Dr. John Langdon Haydon Down and his wife Mary Crellin Down in 1868. The building was constructed to care for people with learning disabilities, a condition now known as Down’s Syndrome.
Today’s post will focus on the Normansfield Theatre –both past and present. The scenic artists who delivered stage settings to Normansfield Theatre will be the topic of my next few posts.
Dr. John Langdon Haydon Down (1828-1896) and his wife, Mary Crellin Down, opened Normansfield in 1868. As the Langdon Down Centre website explains “Normansfield was a family home and a place where people with learning disabilities could be cared for and educated at a time when most of them would have been condemned to life in an asylum.”
Normansfield was a dramatic departure from 19th century asylums that housed individuals suffering from a variety of mental conditions. Dr. Down believed that those with congenital conditions should not be housed with those who had lost their sense of reason. This was an extremely progressive stance to take at the time!
Dr. and Mrs. Down were dedicated to improving and elevating the lives of those at Normansfield, with activities included theatricals, dancing, croquet, basketry, needlework, loom rug and many more activities.
An entertainment hall was added to Normansfield as part of the care and education of Normansfield residents.
On June 28, 1879, The Surrey Advertiser and County Times published a lengthy article on the formal opening of the new pavilion, wing, and halls (p. 3). In an inaugural address, Dr. Down explained the history and goals at Normansfield.
I am including the following excerpt from his speech, as it really sums up the progress made by Dr. Down prior to opening the amusement hall, now known as Normansfield Theatre:
“A previously uninhabited and partially completed home was secured, on what was then a potato field. The house was finished, and the field was converted into a garden. Normansfield seemed a suitable name for the field, and it was then, for I was urged on and encouraged in my plan by my ever-to-be remembered friend, the later Mr. Norman Wilkinson, well known as the first patron of David Cox of Brockey, and the devoted friend of man an earnest man. In 1869 it was felt that more room would be needed, and with the professional advice of Mr. Rowland Plumbe [the architect], the son of the lady who first called public attention to the subject, the present building was foreshadowed. It was determined to add by degrees, but also that nothing should be done which would interfere with the realization of the complete idea. Accordingly, in 1869, the south wing was partially built. This gradually filled, and in 1872 it was determined to finish the south wing and subsequently build a block called the north block to correspond with the original structure, or what is now called the south block. Gradually pupils were attracted from all parts of the world – from India, the West Indies, Siam, Persia, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, France and every part of the British Isles. Additional land was sought for and procured to meet the requirements of what was felt to be an increasing institution. Two years ago, it was decided to commence the hall in which we are now assembled, and the Kindersaal [children’s hall] below, and to communicate with the main building by means of a glass covered way. Before, however, the hall was half finished – the existing accommodation being gradually absorbed – it was determined to build the north wing, which now unites the hall and Kindersaal [children’s hall] to the north block, in lieu of the temporary glass-covered way. Before this was done, it was felt for architectural effect, but still more for complete organization of the establishment, the central pavilion should no longer be delayed. Simultaneously with these additions, four villas were purchased in order to provide in one sanatorium for the isolation of those who might be suspected of having infectious diseases, and in the others provision for patients whose special wants might be better met by life in a small family, while having the advantages of the discipline, training, and amusements of the establishment. The field of four acres by accretions has expanded into 40 acres. The last eleven year, however, has not been merely a period of growth, it has also been one of development – a staff nearly 100 in number, whose devotion to their duty has never been surpassed, has grown up in this nucleus, and I should but ill perform my part did not their publicly recognize an enthusiastic love for their work, which has helped to make the name Normansfield known beyond the immediate neighborhood of its location, and enabled me to carry out one of the great aims of my life, viz., to provide the highest possible culture, the best physical, moral, and intellectual training, and to open out fresh realms of happiness for a class who have the strongest claims on our sympathy and for who, till lately so little has been done.”
It is important to understand that theatrical entertainments, complete with scenery and stage machinery, occurred well before the construction of Normansfield’ years earlier’s amusement hall.
On Jan. 2, 1875, The Surrey Advertiser and County Times published an article entitled, “Entertainment at Normansfield” (p. 5) The article reported, “Indeed the gratifying results which have hitherto taken place at this asylum have been solely due to the kind treatment which the inmates have received at the hands of the principals. At the end of the old year or the beginning of the new there is usually provided a theatrical entertainment, first of all for the amusement of the [residents], and repeated for the benefit of the friends invited by Dr. and Mrs. Downs and the performers, who are servants at the establishment…between each act there was, as usual, vocal and instrumental music. The acting manager was Mrs. Langdon-Down; the stage director, Dr. Langdon-Down; the pianists, Mesdames Innes and Chapman; cornet, Mr. James; and prompter, Mr. Barry. The stage machinery was again under the control of Mr. Bradley, the scenery painted once more by Mr. Bull, and the costumes supplied, as in former years, by Mr. Fitch.”
The life and career of J. T. Bull will be the subject of my next post.
It was the success of these early theatrical entertainments that fueled Dr. Down’s desire to build a proper theatre for the children in 1877.
Over the years, Normansfield’s Theatre expanding their scenic offerings, eventually amassing a collection that eventually boasted over 100 pieces. A photographic display for the Heritage Lottery funded project, Normansfield – Protecting a Theatrical Past explains, “The scenery collection was made for the Normansfield Theatre and were well cared for in their day, however, they remained largely unseen and forgotten from the 1950’s onwards….The survival of this unique collection of Victorian scenery, came to the attention of theatre historian’s in the 1980’s. A team of specialist, including Dr. David Wilmore and Dr. Colin Sorenson form the Museum of London, began to list and photograph the scenery in 1984…13 years later, the Theatre Trust, with financial support from the Friends’ of Normansfield, was able to commission the Textile Conservation Centre, to survey the scenery and report on its condition. A Conservation Plan was put in place by John Earl while all the materials were carefully wrapped and stored properly and securely. The scenery was restored. Today, this collection is the largest Victorian collection of scenery in the UK. The Stage itself still contains the original working flaps and is only one of two theatres with this is place today. The scenery on the stage today is a painted replica of the original, due to the fragile nature of the scenery.”
Here are five of the eight framed pieces in storage at the Langdon Down Centre, once used at Normansfield Theatre.
The history about the documentation, preservation, and storage of the Normansfield Theatre Scenery Collection is absolutely fascinating! Here are three articles about the project, published by the Down’s Syndrome Association:
Dr. Langdon Down’s Normansfield Theatre, written by John Earl, provides an extensive history of not only the entertainment hall, but also the lives and good works of the Downs. Although out of print, a few used copies sporadically appear at online bookstores.
I first learned about the Normansfield Theatre in 2016, when Dr. Wilmore presented a paper about the historic scenery collection. It was for an international theatre conference in Stockholm (OISTAT Research Committee meeting event).
I was amazed that many pieces of the scenic pieces in the extant collection included studio stamps.
Normansfield Theatre was again the topic of two papers this summer, both presented at the Tyne Theatre & Opera House Conference. Dr. Wilmore shared the discovery of portrait panels from the original Gilbert & Sullivan production of “Ruddygore” [later Ruddigore, Savoy Theatre, 1887], currently on display at the Normansfield Theatre.
Despite significant deterioration, the scenic art is absolutely exquisite!
For the Tyne Theatre & Opera House conference, Karen Thompson also presented a paper that focused on Normansfield’s scenery collection.
Thompson was the project manager for the conservation of the Normansfield Theatre Scenery. A full documentation took place in 1997, with a conservation methodology plan recommended by 2001. Between 2003-2005 conservation and storage of the scenery took place. Thompson and Frances Lennard published “Normansfield Theatre Scenery: Materials and Construction Revealed Through Conservation,” detailing many of their discoveries.
A week after the conference, we visited Normansfield Theatre, hoping to see as much extant scenery as possible. The historic scenery collection was placed in an ingenious storage system below the hall.
Although designed to be easily accessible for viewing, the space is now also used for storage, so the rolling units remain quite compact. During my visit, we could only create a narrow walking path to examine painted details.
Other extant scenery not as accessible, stored in an upstage area at the theatre, connected to the stage by a pair of loading doors.
My next few posts will explore the lives and careers of scenic artists who painted scenery for Normansfield Theatre.
To be continued…
