 From 1873 the main auditorium housed a large organ originally built for the Royal Panopticon of Arts and Science in Leicester Square, from where it was removed to St Paul's Cathedral and thence to the Victoria Rooms.In July 1899 it was decided to replace this with an electric organ, which could be played from a keyboard at a considerable distance from the organ itself.The organ was built by Norman & Beard, and was first played by Edwin Lemare on 31 October 1900; On 1 December 1934, a fire started under the stage of the great hall or auditorium, quickly spreading.