Theatre Girls Club

This collection includes account books, minute books, room allocation registers, and correspondence relating to The Theatre Girls Club.

The Theatre Girls Club was founded by Mrs Edward Compton (Virginia Bateman) in 1914 to provide reasonably priced and sheltered temporary accommodation for young actresses, especially during rehearsals (which were not always paid at that period) or when they were looking for work. The club originally opened in Little Portland Street, but in 1916 it moved to the site of the Soho Club and Home for Working Girls at 59 Greek Street, Soho. The club flourished through to the 1950s, but fell into disuse in the late 1950s and 1960s.

This archive collection is available for consultation in the V&A Blythe House Archive and Library Study Room by appointment only. Full details of access arrangements may be found here: http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/a/archives/.

Access to some of the material may be restricted. These are noted in the catalogue where relevant.

Information on copying and commercial reproduction may be found here: http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/a/archives/.

This collection was appraised in line with the collection management policy.

No further accruals are expected.

See also the core collections of the V&A Department of Theatre and Performance. Material relating to Mrs Edward Compton, as well as the Theatre Girls Club in general may be found in several collections, including the biographical, productions, company and photographs files.

Please ask for details.