Memorial Theatre by Paul Braddon

'Watercolour by Paul Braddon depicting the Shakespeare Memorial Hall, Stratford-upon-Avon. The Shakespeare Memorial Theatre opened in 1879, after local brewer, Charles Flower donated the land and launched a campaign to build a theatre in Shakespeare’s home town. The building was destroyed by fire in 1926. Paul Braddon (1864-1937) was the pseudonym of James Leslie Crees. Born in Birmingham, England, Braddon was a prolific watercolour artist, best known for his topographical paintings, which often featured buildings with a literary connection. The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust has almost a hundred of Braddon's watercolours in its collection, painted around 1890 and depicting scenes from Stratford-upon-Avon and other areas associated with William Shakespeare.'