OLD PLYMOUTH . UK
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WHO WAS WHO IN OLD PLYMOUTH

THOMAS HENRY GREENWOOD HOYLE (1860-1932)

Thomas Henry Greenwood Hoyle was born in Hunslet, Yorkshire, in 1860, to Mr Alfred Hoyle and his wife, Mary.  In the census taken on April 7th 1861 they were living at Pinfold Lane, Hunslet, Leeds, where Mr Hoyle was an "overseer woollen".  Thomas was their first child.  They had a domestic servant even in those early days.

By the census of 1871 the family had moved and had also grown.  They were then living at "Laburnum Cottage", Town  Street, Armley, Leeds, and Thomas now had two sisters and one brother: Annie E Hoyle, born 1864; Florence Hoyle, born 1867; and Francis W Hoyle, born 1870.  They were all attending school.  Mr Alfred Hoyle had now become a "Scrubbler and Spinner".

Another move had taken place by the census on April 3rd 1881.  The family were now at "Beaulah House", Tong Road, Armley, Leeds, and Thomas had two more brothers and one more sister: Lilian, born 1872; Alfred C Hoyle, born 1879; and James A Hoyle, born 1881.  The two boys had been born at Wortley.  By this time 21-years-old Thomas was a "Scribble Spinner (Woollen)".  Mrs Mary Hoyle now had the help of Miss Martha Monkman, a 19-years-old Nurse and Housemaid, ass well as a female domestic servant.

At this point Thomas Henry Greenwood Hoyle decided he wanted to become an engineer and enrolled at the Leeds College of Engineering.  It has been claimed that his father lost his mills in a fire but in actual fact Mr Alfred Hoyle declared himself bankrupt on Saturday November 4th 1888 at Leeds County Court.  As a result he lost his properties  at Elmfield Mill and Victoria Mill, Bramley, in the West Riding of Yorkshire.  Mr Alfred Hoyle transferred his interests into the brewing industry instead, becoming the landlord of the King's Head, Saturday Market, Beverley, East Riding of Yorkshire.

Mr Thomas Henry Greenwood Hoyle married Mss Clara Renton in 1881 at Leeds, Yorkshire.  He became a "Commission Agent" and at the census on April 5th 1891 the family were living at "Norwood Clara Villas", Wellington Terrace, Beverley, East Riding of Yorkshire.  The family consisted of: Alfred Percy Hoyle, born 1881 at Bramley, Yorkshire; Clifford Henry Hoyle, born 1883 at Bramley, Yorkshire; Frank Edgar Hoyle, born 1889 at Halifax, Yorkshire; Ernest Bertram Hoyle, born 1900 at Leeds, Yorkshire.

It is said that Mr Hoyle retired at the age of 30 in 1890 but that is not borne out by the entry in the 1891 census.  It was also claimed in his Obituary that he had joined a brewery and become chief licensing officer before his retirement: was that before 1890 or after 1891?  However, in 1902 he left Yorkshire and moved to Plymouth, where Messrs T Hoyle and Sons took over the Golden Lion Public House at number 16 Old Town Street.  In 1914 he was living at Cadleigh House, Ivybridge, but soon moved to Townsend House, Plymouth.

An advertising postcard for Messrs Thomas Hoyle and Sons' Golden Lion Grill.
From a postcard posted in 1905.

As a youth he had apparently taken part in amateur theatricals and just before the outbreak of the Great War he purchased the New Palace Theatre of Varieties in Plymouth.  However, he sold it in 1920.

After a long illness Mrs Clara Hoyle died at Townsend House on Thursday July 12th 1923, aged 66 years.  The funeral was held on Monday July 16th 1923 at Efford Cemetery.  The Reverend Arthur Rigden officiated.  Messrs Alfred Percy Hoyle and Ernest Bertram Hoyle attend with their father.

Mr Hoyler re-purchased the New Palace Theatre in 1924, probably after his marriage to a Miss Mary Ulyatt at the Anglican Church of Emmanuel, Compton Gifford on January 22nd 1924.  The electoral roll shows that she was already living at "Protea", Seaway Lane, Torquay, where her and Thomas later lived.  They apparently used to travel from there to Plymouth in a large chocolate-coloured Rolls Royce.

Thomas Hoyle (otherwise Mr Thomas Henry Greenwood Hoyle) died at his home, "Protea", Seaway Lane, Torquay, on the night of Friday March 11th 1932, after a short illness.  He left a widow, Mary, and two sons by his first wife.  Two other sons had died serving in the Great War, which possibly influenced Mary Hoyle's decision to open the Palace on Sundays during the Second World War to provide entertainment for the troops stationed in the City.

He was described as a typical northerner: straight and blunt and with the utmost integrity.  He was never deaf to calls for help and gave generously to local worthy causes.  He opposed the idea of opening the Theatre on a Sunday and deplored the effect that the American film industry was having on the variety theatre.

His funeral took place on Tuesday March 15th 1932.  The body was taken from Torquay to Plymouth in a motor hearse.  The mourners left from the New Palace Theatre for the service at Saint Andrew's Church.  Family mourners included Mr & Mrs Bertie Hoyle; Mrs Harry Hoyle; Miss Marie Hoyle; and Mrs Lincoln Little.  Also present were the manager, Mr Jack Fitchett, and staff from the New Palace Theatre of Varieties; Mr C H Rundle and staff from the Cinedrome; and staff from the Belgrave Cinema, Plymouth, and the Empire Cinema at Torquay.  His body was interned at Efford Cemetery.

During the darkest days of the Plymouth Blitz in 1941 his widow helped to keep spirits up in Plymouth by providing top-class entertainment despite the destruction all around the Theatre.  Read more .....

Mrs Mary Hoyle died at their home in Torquay on Saturday January 20th 1945.  It is said that 'at 4.10pm her eyes just rolled up and she passed away'.  It was happened to be the last night of the Christmas pantomime, "Humpty Dumpty", and at the end of the performance the news of her death was announced to the audience, who stood in silent tribute.  On the evening of January 24th 1945 her body was laid in the New Palace Theatre covered with wreaths.  The funeral was held at the Anglican Church of Saint Catharine of Alexandria, Lockyer Street, and she was later buried with her late husband at Efford Cemetery.  The vicar of Saint Andrew's Church, Canon N H Clarke, officiated. He paid tribute to her work during the Blitz, when she put on some 150 Sunday concerts for the troops under the auspices of the Lord Mayor's Services' Welfare Fund..