2009 is our 70th anniversary year - we started life as Southern Railway Dramatic Society (SRDS) in 1939.
The group was initially based in Deepdene, where the Southern Railway HQ was evacuated for the second world war. The group performed mainly for service personnel, in church halls and the like.
After the war, a railway arch in Mepham Street by Waterloo Station was acquired and converted into "The Arch Theatre Club", providing a home for the group until the arrival of EuroStar at Waterloo caused a move.
Our current premises, another arch around the corner in Lower Road, was opened as "The New Arch Theatre" in 1990.
In 1992, the group took the name "Network Theatre Company" to reflect railway re-organisation and a wider membership beyond the railways, but retaining a railway link in the name, with Network South East (and more recently Network Rail!). The theatre premises were renamed "Network Theatre".
Much of our older history is not recorded (at least not electronically) but we do have some information about previous productions, and some of our newsletters, on this website.