Emily Blagg
(30 March 1863 – 7th April 1935)
The Lady Builder Who Put Newark-on-Trent on the Map

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Emily was such an influential figure in the town (and to this day) and we can see her impact by just walking around town (Blagg & Johnson, Lime Grove, The Park, The palace Theatre) - 

For a Video on Emily and her impact - go HERE
 

 

From Humble Beginnings to Big Dreams

Emily Blagg, born Emily Stevens in 1863 in Cheshire, was the daughter of a builder foreman, William Stevens. She moved to Newark-on-Trent in 1883, She started working at Cooper’s clothing factory, but after 20 years of stitching and hemming, she decided it was time to build something bigger—literally

 

 

Brick by Brick: Building an Empire

In 1903, Emily made a significant investment in brickworks at Dinnington Colliery in Yorkshire and on Clay Lane in Newark. She wasn't just laying bricks; she was laying the foundation for her future empire. In 1906, she married William Thomas Blagg, a local butcher. But let's be honest, Emily was the one bringing home the bacon.

 

Although William Blagg’s address in 1907 was Emily’s home, 2 The Park, by 1911 the couple were living separately. William had returned to his mother’s house on Stodman Street while Emily remained at 2 The Park with her companion, Marion Bednall.

 

 

Housing Developments and Cinematic Ventures

Emily's entrepreneurial spirit led her to develop working-class housing in Newark, including notable areas such as The Park ( These are much grander houses all set back from the street. Sturdy semi detached houses of several styles sit along the tree lined avenue. ) and Lime Grove (she built small terraced houses for workers and larger villa residencies for the managers of the new industries that were moving into Newark at the turn of the 20th Century. The Lodge, a very robust house with bay windows galore sits at the end of Lime Grove, this is where Emily lived with her husband for much of her life)


But she didn't stop there. In 1913, she built Newark’s first cinema, Kinema on Baldertongate, which opened in 1913., because who doesn't love a good movie night?

 

In 1919 Emily purchased the Chauntry estate, which included the historic Chauntry house (now the site of the Palace Theatre, which she built, in 1920..

 

By 1920,  in a time when the suffragettes were fighting for female, she had expanded her empire by building the Palace Theatre, a stunning Neo-Byzantine style venue that quickly became the town's entertainment hub

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Overcoming Challenges

After her husband's death in 1919, Emily faced numerous challenges, including a business partner who ran off with the firm's capital. But did that stop her? Absolutely not! She founded Blagg and Johnson Ltd in 1921 and the Newark Brick Company in 1925. She was like the Energizer Bunny of property development—she just kept going

 

 

 

The Palace Theatre: A Lasting Tribute

The Palace Theatre, which opened its doors on July 5, 1920, remains a testament to Emily's vision, although no longer owned by Emily Blagg. Both Palace Theatre and the Kinema had been sold to a Sheffield syndicate.

 

Its Neo-Byzantine style was exotic, upmarket and fashionable and from its first screening, a version of King Solomon's Mines, it quickly became a popular haunt for the residents of Newark. Blagg was a shrewd businesswoman and, although she opened the Palace as a cinema, she made sure to fit it out with a sizeable stage and orchestra pit to allow for the possibility that the town's appetite for film might wane. And sure enough, within the year a strong programme of live events was in place.

 

Since then, a slew of famous names have tread the boards at the Palace. Sir Donald Wolfit began his stage career here in 1921 and returned with Miss Marple herself, Margaret Rutherford, and John Clements a decade later. In 1927, prima ballerina Anna Pavlova graced the stage and in 1950 Cliff Richard had Newark rocking away within its walls.

 

The theatre has given more than entertainment to the town over the years; its spectacular minarets proved the ideal lookout post for spotting fires during the Second World War.

Since then, the Palace has gone through many changes but has survived threats of closure thanks to the people of Newark, who've rallied on several occasions to save it. While the cinema is no more, the Theatre continues the tradition of hosting fantastic entertainment and bringing famous names to the town, which in recent years have included Jason Manford, Jimmy Carr, Joan Armatrading, Jason Donovan and more.

For more info on the Palace Theatre, go HERE

 

 

 

A Legacy That Lives On

Throughout her career she demonstrated a strong sense of community spirit. Many of the houses she built were affordable homes intended for her workers. In 1914 Emily provided free entertainment for children at the Kinema.

 

But her most prized legacy was surely the Palace Theatre, the beautiful and stylish building she had poured her heart and soul into and which continues to give pleasure and entertainment to people today.

 

Emily Blagg passed away in 1935, leaving behind a legacy of industrial and residential development that significantly shaped Newark-on-Trent. Her contributions to the town's infrastructure and entertainment venues have had a lasting impact, making her a revered figure in the town's history.

Emily Blagg's story is a testament to her entrepreneurial spirit, resilience, and dedication to the community. Her legacy continues to inspire and remind us of the profound impact one individual can have on a town's development and history.

Her family continues to call for increased recognition of her work, and rightly so.

 

Emily was a woman ahead of her time, breaking glass ceilings and building brick walls.