At 3:00pm on the 16th of June 1883 a children’s magic show began at Victoria Hall, a theatre in Sunderland, England. The venue was packed with children of all ages – as many as 1,500 boys and girls had paid a penny each to see the show. As the entertainers took to the stage and the magic began, none present in their seats knew that almost one in seven of the audience would not leave the theatre building alive.