The Hoop Inn, still standing, was built in 1729. In its glory days it was Cambridge’s principal coaching-house with many stage coaches arriving at and starting from it daily – including William Wordsworth’s in 1787. Some time prior to this it was known as the ‘Bell.” By looking up you can still see the Georgian exterior and the keystones of the windows each depicting a mask.
It was for many years the headquarters of the Whig party in the town, and famous election scenes (fights and rallies) took place in its neighbourhood.
Having a commodious assembly room, the Hoop was used, even before it was adopted by the ADC, for all sorts of functions – notably political, theatrical and musical. When it was sold in 1847 it had an assembly room, a bowling-green, and stretched back into Park Street (where the ‘Hoop Tap’ was situated). The assembly room was used for concerts and reviews, by the Cambridge Union Society (1831 – 1850). It was then used as billiard rooms until taken over by the A.D.C. in 1855 and converted into the compact little theatre. But before then it played host to many interesting acts.
The Tyrolese Rainer Family
UNDER the especial patronage of His Majesty we have the honour to announce the Nobility, Gentry, and Inhabitants of Cambridge and its vicinity, their intention of giving turning Concert. At the ASSEMBLY ROOM Hoop Hotel, Sidney street, on MONDAY the 27th, 1829, at Eight o’clock precisely. They will sing TWELVE of their most popular NATIONAL AIRS, and appear the DRESSES presented them by his Majesty [George IV], (in token of his approbation of their several performances, lately before him and his Court at Windsor. Cambridge Chronicle and Journal – Friday 24 July 1829
True to their publicity at the Hoop – the Rainer Family had actually performed for the King (George IV) – and he did indeed give them clothes (a fact testified to by none other than Queen Victoria). What’s more, when “his Majesty very graciously put out his hand for the Lady of the Tyrol, as she is called, to kiss it, when, lo! instead of bending on one knee, she threw her arms around the King’s neck, and kissed his cheek. His Majesty was a little disconcerted, but speedily recovered his good humour”.
Nicolas-Charles Bochsa (1789- 1856) and Nicolas Mori (1796 – 1839)
By permission of the Right Worshipful the Vice- Chancellor and the Worshipful the Mayor. Mr. BOCSHA (L) and Mr. MORI (R) Respectfully inform the Nobility and Gentry ‘of the University, Town, and County of Cambridge, that they intend giving a GRAND EVENING at the Concert Room, Hoop Hotel, on Friday evening next, by Messrs. Mori and Bochsa, whose acquirements are too well known to need remark. The new harp effects of the latter have been spoken of as most surprising and have excited the highest admiration among amateurs “the temptation will be almost irresistible to all those who frequent Concerts”.
Cambridge Chronicle and Journal – Friday 02 November 1832
Mori was a violinist, music publisher and conductor. Once regarded as the finest violinist in Europe, Mori was somewhat overshadowed by the rise of Paganini. Born in London, the son of an Italian wigmaker, he was a child prodigy. He was one of the founders of the Philharmonic Society in 1813. Bochsa, born in France, was a harpist and composer. He wrote operas for the Opéra-Comique. In 1817 became entangled in counterfeiting, fraud, and forgery, and fled to London. He helped found the Royal Academy of Music in 1821. He became Music Director of the Kings Theatre in London but in 1839 became involved in another scandal when he ran off with the opera singer Anna Bishop, wife of the composer Henry Bishop.
Frederick Henry Yates (1797 – 1842)
1833 – At the HOOP HOTEL, CAMBRIDGE. Mr. Yates (Of the Adelphi Theatre, London) and Mrs. WAYLETT (Of the Theatres Royal Drury Lane and Covent Garden). The Performances will commence with Entertainment called YATES’ REMINISCENCES.
Frederick Henry Yates was an actor and theatre manager. He was the co-owner of the Adelphi Theatre in London from 1825 until his death in 1842. Harriet Waylett (1798–1851) was an English actress, singer and theatre manager.
F. C. Burnand (1836 – 1917)
Sir Francis Burnand, was a comic writer, performer, playwright and founder of the ADC. He is best known today as the librettist of Arthur Sullivan’s opera Cox and Box. The photograph of him above, taken in his Cambridge days, portrays him in a vast crinoline composed of tiers of looped and ruffled lace, applied here and there with sprigs of pink roses which match the trim of the headdress.
Sources:
Bullock, J. H. (1939) ‘Bridge Street Cambridge. Notes and Memories’. Camb. Public Library. Record 11 sqq., 47 sqq., 110 sqq.
Royal Commission (1959) ‘Royal Commission on Historical Monuments Survey of Cambridge’
Gray, Arthur B. (1921) ‘Cambridge Revisited’ Heffer & Sons Ltd, Cambridge
British Museum (1827) Notes on ‘The amorous Tyrolese; or, royal virtue in danger’ Hand-coloured etching
F. C. Burnand, F.C. (1880) ‘The ADC – being personal reminiscences of the University Amateur Dramatic Club, Cambridge’ London : Chapman and Hall.
Wikipedia articles on many of the above