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Grand Master Board  (1931)
Strand


Grand Master


The first was installed in Halifax, second at The Shakespeare Memorial Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon. A standard board was around 56 ways. 
The largest was 130 control channels controlling 175 dimmers at the Royal Opera House in London (1934). 
One of the last to be installed was the 90 way Grand Master for the Opera House Blackpool in 1938. It was 13ft.6ins wide and 7ft.10ins high (4.1m x 2.38m) and was sited on a platform in the prompt corner. Two operators were usually necessary. 
The Grand Master at the Bristol Hippodrome was installed in 1948 and in regular use until it was replaced by a Duet in 1980 (see journal article 'Farewell Old Friend' for full details)

Related Venues:


Documents

Photo: Grand Master at Liverpool Royal Court Theatre featuring Charlie Bristow
Photo: Grand Master at Liverpool Royal Court Theatre featuring Charlie Bristow 
Click on thumbnail to enlarge
[599kb  JPEG]
From Frederick Brown Collection
Photo: Grand Master Switchboard (Unknown Location)
Photo: Grand Master Switchboard (Unknown Location) 
Click on thumbnail to enlarge
[700kb  JPEG]
From Frederick Brown Collection

1945 Strand Catalogue - Control (August 1945)
From Strand Archive

1945 Strand Catalogue - Control (August 1945)
From Strand Archive

1945 Strand Electric Brochure (December 1945)
From Jim Laws Collection

Strand Electric quote for Grand Master vs Electronic at St Martins (February 1952)
[1.2Mb PDF]
From David Bertenshaw Collection

1953 Theatrical Lighting - Control (1953)
Some typical dimmer board installations - Grand Master
From Bob Anderson Collection

LSI: Classic Gear - Strand Grand Master (February 2013)
[External Website]
From Lighting & Sound International

Farewell to the Steam Age of Stage Lighting by Adrian Redmond (2020)
[364kb PDF]

Other Memories of Oxford by Adrian Redmond (2020)
[164kb PDF]

Exhibits in the Backstage Heritage Collection


Grand Master at Brighton Hippodrome  

Grand Master at Duke of Yorks Theatre  

Grand Master at Gaumont State Theatre  

Grand Master at Liverpool Royal Court  (1938)

Grand Master at Tivoli Theatre  
From Adam Harrison Collection

Grand Master from the Fortune Theatre  
From Gaiety Theatre Collection

Catalogue & Journal Entries for Grand Master Board in the Backstage Heritage Collection


Lighting Control II (1956)

Lighting Control III (1957)

A Tale of Three Switchboards (1972)

Back-stage at Buxton  (1979)

Basic Wood and Technological Trees (1980)

Farewell Old Friend (1981)

Famous Strand Jobs of the Past (1982)

Back to Control - Direct (Strand)


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