IT’S been almost six decades since the final curtain fell at the Burnley ‘Vic’.

The Victoria Theatre, which had played a major role in entertaining audiences for more than 70 years, saw its last performance in 1955.

And that day, there had been long queues outside the venue, in St James’ Street, to see the final act in its life.

Jesse Linscott and John Morphet had been in charge of the Vic for many years, and were present to see the last play Hobson’s Choice.

The Vic was the first purpose-built theatre of quality in Burnley, and had the theatrical name of the Victoria Assembly Rooms and Opera House when it was built on the site of Tunstill’s mill in 1886.

The opening show, referred to at the time as a ‘grand concert’, took place before a full house, and on stage were singer Mademoiselle Antoinette Trebelli and Mons Wladimir Pachmann, a celebrated Russian pianist.

The venue attracted top-class performers and every year there was a traditional pantomime.

Next door, the Empire appealed more to the masses, with female wrestlers, performances from Houdini, and even lions.

By 1932, while the rest of Burnley’s theatres had switched to showing movies, the Vic concentrated on vaudeville acts and revues.

In 1937, a variety show from there was broadcast over the northern region radio for the first time, in a programme that included the Colne Orpheus Glee Union and, in 1939, Thora Hird, who was then 25, made her first appearance at the theatre.

During the war years, the Sadler’s Wells Opera, Sybil Thorndike, her husband Lewis Casson, and ballerina Margot Fonteyn, were among those who trod the boards.

By 1947 the Vic was the only theatre left in town offering professional entertainment and, in the ensuing years, many television stars appeared there, including Norman Vaughan, Roy Castle, and Barry Took.

During the final two years of its life, the Lawrence Williamson Players put on a series of plays, including Babes in the Wood for Christmas 1954, in which they incorporated a troupe of 20 dancers from the Joyce Heap Dance School.