The stage area of the Empire Theatre after the fire

Category

Library Item

Item no

21219

Title

The stage area of the Empire Theatre after the fire devastation

Description

The stage of the Empire Palace Theatre, Edinburgh has been gutted by fire. Debris is scattered all over the stage. Several men can be seen standing investigating the damage.

Artist / maker

Unknown

Date

1911

Type

Reproduction

This image is from the collections of the Museum of Scottish Fire Heritage, formerly the Museum of Fire at Lauriston Place.

Little is known of the origins of Sigmund Neuburger, the Great Lafayette, who died, aged 40 on 9th May 1911 in a fire at the Empire Palace Theatre in Nicolson Street.

Born on 27th February 1871, the son of a silk manufacturer in Munich, he went as a young man to the West of America, where he became a gold digger in the early days of Cripple Creek.

Having run a dance hall there, he formed a theatre company and travelled to England, becoming known as a great illusionist. He was reputed to have been unsociable, but was devoted to his dog, Beauty, a gift from his friend Harry Houdini. Beauty wore a collar edged with diamonds and had her own room with adjoining bathroom in his London home.

Beauty had died a few days before the fire and Neuburger reached an agreement with Piershill Cemetery that, when the time came, he would be also buried there, in exchange for a burial lair for the dog.

Convinced that the death of his beloved animal would bring an end to his luck, the Great Lafayette took to the stage of the Empire Theatre for his performance on 9th May. During his famous illusion, "The Lion's Bride" a draught caused some material to catch fire and within seconds the stage was ablaze. Orders were given to lower the Safety Curtain and this became the first example of such a curtain saving lives in a theatre, as the audience escaped relatively unscathed. Behind the scenes, many of the performers and animals perished.

In a tragic error, the remains taken to Glasgow for cremation turned out to be those of Bandsman Richards, who had been engaged as a body double for Lafayette. Lafayette's body was later discovered in the debris under the stage. His body was eventually cremated in Glasgow and the ashes returned to Edinburgh for the funeral which took place in Piershill Cemetery. Crowds lined the streets to watch the procession go by. Lafayette's ashes were placed next to the body of his dog Beauty.

A white marble monument stands in Piershill Cemetery, in memory of the Great Lafayette.

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Events > Disturbances > Fires

People > Adults > Men

Places > Edinburgh areas > Southside

Places > Scotland > Edinburgh

Sport and leisure > Culture > Theatres