Pilgrim Players

The Pligrim Players were the amateur foundation for the future Birmingham Repertory Theatre Company. Barry Jackson and his friends, John Drinkwater, H S Milligan and C.R Dawes had been performing their own productions at the Jackson family home of the Grange in Moseley, from around 1902 to audiences of their family and friends. Their first public appearance took place on 2 October 1907 at the Mission Hall in Inge Street.

The following year performances moved to the Edgbaston Assembly Rooms. The company was increasingly gaining in reputation and popularity in the city. Barry Jackson was confident in the potential that the dedicated company possessed.

He employed Drinkwater as the company Secretary from 1909, and from 1911, all of the Players were paid. At the start of 1912, Barry Jackson began to identify and develop plans to build a permanent theatre for the expanding company. He had clear ideas about the design which he discussed with the architect S.N Cooke. In 1913, following intensive work on the construction, the Station Street theatre was complete.