Frederick W. P. Wyndham

1853 - 1930

Theatre impresario and actor. Wyndham trained in Edinburgh under William Murray at the Theatre Royal, which once stood in Leith Street. In 1883, he formed a partnership with J. B. Howard (1841-95) to run the Royal Lyceum Theatre, which became the theatre management company Howard & Wyndham Ltd. in 1895. The pair leased the Theatre Royal in Edinburgh and the Royalty Theatre and Theatre Royal Glasgow.

In 1906 Howard & Wyndham Ltd built the King's Theatre and now owned three theatres in Edinburgh. The Theatre Royal (which burnt down in 1946) became associated with the Scottish music hall tradition; the King's with pantomime and musicals and the Lyceum with drama and opera.

Wyndham retired in 1928 but kept his seat on the board until his death. His company continued to grow, taking a controlling interest in Moss Empires and, by 1945, running 18 theatres in cities including Dundee, Aberdeen, Newcastle, Liverpool, Nottingham and London. The company was also infamous for holding their Annual General Meeting on Christmas Eve, a date which ensured minimal interference from their shareholders.

Use the tabs on the right of this page to see other parts of this entry