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George Birch George Birch i(8356934 works by) (a.k.a. George Henry Birch)
Born: Established: 1862 Hull, Yorkshire,
c
England,
c
c
United Kingdom (UK),
c
Western Europe, Europe, ; Died: Ceased: 1917 Sydney, New South Wales,
Gender: Male
Arrived in Australia: ca. 1885-1886
Heritage: English
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BiographyHistory

George Birch came to Australia in the mid-1880s as a Customs Officer and later worked as a Brewery Inspector before turning to the hotel industry. As lessee of Rockhampton's Union Hotel and Theatre Royal from 1892 he played a major role in promoting live entertainment in the town. He also pioneered moving pictures in Rockhampton (with the British Bioscope Company in 1908) and toured film and vaudeville shows out west.

In 1909 Birch and Edward Carroll formed the partnership that would eventually become Queensland's most successful entertainment circuit - Birch and Carroll (later Birch, Carroll and Coyle). The following year he purchased the Goodson's Concert Grounds and redeveloped it as Earl's Court.

Most Referenced Works

Notes

  • Among the hotels Birch leased and/or managed were of the Grand Hotel, Emu Park (1887-92); Comley's Hotel, Emu Park (1892); the Union Hotel, Rockhampton (1892-); and the Criterion Hotel, Rockhampton (1903-).

  • After Birch's death his business activities continued to be run by his widow, Mary. Prior to this she had a played a major role in her husband's various business ventures, including co-managing their hotels. The inclusion of the Birch name in the formation of Birch, Carroll and Coyle Ltd in 1923 was therefore as much an acknowledgement of her involvement in the continued success of the Birch-Carroll firm as her husband's.

  • This entry has been sourced from research undertaken by Dr Clay Djubal into Australian-written popular music theatre (ca. 1850-1930). See also the Australian Variety Theatre Archive

Last amended 27 Feb 2015 11:49:21
See Also
Birch and Carroll
E. J. Carroll
British Bioscope Company
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