Royal Dramatic College

The Royal Dramatic College was a home for retired actors in Woking, England; it was opened by the Prince of Wales (later Edward VII) in 1865, and closed because of financial difficulty in 1877.

This site was selected by John W. Anson, Secretary of the Dramatic, Equestrian and Musical Sick Fund, which provided members with financial help when ill and a decent burial.

Actors could not otherwise rely on such things: a report of the inauguration of the burial ground commented "Before this was obtained, a parish funeral, or cast among strangers, too frequently in from 6-16 inches of water, was the fate of many."

A. R. Slous's True to the Core: a Story of the Armada won the first drama prize and was performed on 8 Sept 1866 at the Surrey Theatre.

The Institute closed after Leitner's death in 1899, and the building became a factory for aircraft and motorcycle manufacturer Martinsyde and later for James Walker Ltd.