Empire of Sunderland

Down in County Durham today and staying in Sunderland tonight before going back up north with Martin’s dad, while his bathroom gets refurbished.

Here’s the famous or infamous Sunderland Empire which was opened in 1907 and has much history inc. a number of ghosts.

The actor Sid James, best known for his roles in Carry  on films and Bless this House  suffered a fatal heart attack during a performance of The Mating Seasin on 26 April 1976 and died on the way to hospital. 

Later it was rumoured that his ghost was in the dressing room he occupied on the night of his death; after one experience during a gig there, the comedian Les Dawson refused to play the venue again. Whilst the ghost of James is said to haunt backstage, the spirits of Vesta Tilly and Molly Moselle are said to haunt the front-of-house areas. Molly Moselle was a stage manager for Ivor Novello’s The Dancing Years in 1949. Leaving the theatre to post a letter, she disappeared down a nearby alley and was never seen again.

The Empire was known as a 'comic graveyard' – rather unfortunately given the above points – because of the partisan reception of the audiences of the time.

Now back at the hotel relaxing with a cuppa. We’re too old to be partying on a Saturday night in Sunderland, lol.