The Wilton’s Music Hall archives are housed at the V&A Museum. They hold a wealth of material relating to Wilton’s from the 1860s to the present day, including building plans, photographs, material relating to productions, programmes and posters.
The catalogue is available online here. Please note that the Wilton’s Music Hall Archive will be temporarily closed to visitors while the V&A is working on their exciting plans to transform how you can access, explore and experience their world-class collections of art, design and performance through their V&A East project.
To prepare for this major move, they will be temporarily closing the Theatre and Performance Reading Room at Blythe House before re-opening in their new home in Stratford, East London in 2025.
Explore our digital archive on Google Arts & Culture
For more information about V&A East please click here.
Wilton's Luck
Wilton’s is certainly a lucky survivor, 150 years and still
standing. Despite attempts by the Luftwaffe and the GLC slum clearances John
Wilton’s music hall building has defiantly remained untouched. Unfortunately
what does not remain are many records of the man himself, John Wilton sold the
music hall in 1868 and none of his papers survive in our archive.
One poignant item recently uncovered is a letter from Les Wilton a relative of John, who was contacted by one of our chief campaigning saviours, Peter Honri, in 1978. The letter explains that ‘a lot of photos or letters were destroyed or lost, it seems very sad.’ What Les is able to provide is a four leafed clover for luck!
Amazingly it is still attached, although now a no-leafed clover. Perhaps there is still some luck left in the small brown stalk, or the stains left by the leafs. It has seen the building from dereliction to beautiful vibrant venue, and just like the building long may it last!
One poignant item recently uncovered is a letter from Les Wilton a relative of John, who was contacted by one of our chief campaigning saviours, Peter Honri, in 1978. The letter explains that ‘a lot of photos or letters were destroyed or lost, it seems very sad.’ What Les is able to provide is a four leafed clover for luck!
Amazingly it is still attached, although now a no-leafed clover. Perhaps there is still some luck left in the small brown stalk, or the stains left by the leafs. It has seen the building from dereliction to beautiful vibrant venue, and just like the building long may it last!