BACUP Lancs

Co-operative Assembly Rooms W. Maden (1907)

EMPIRE / ART PICTURE PALACE / COURT THEATRE PICTURE PALACE / NEW COURT THEATRE / ROYAL COURT THEATRE Rochdale Road Opened 1893: converted from 1850 iron works. Prop., John Walters. Architects: Walters & Love (with Charles G Cook). New Court Theatre - F. Denman Wood (1907) c.1918: To Jackson’s Amusements. 1922 as Emp - Prop., Jackson’s Amusements, Ltd. Res. Man., W. Uttley. By 1941: (WE) -Prop., Jackson’s Amusements Ltd., Hippodrome, Rochdale. Phone 3212. Booked at Rialto Theatre, Rochdale. 1017 seats. Continuous. Prices 4d. to 1s. Stage and seven dressing-rooms. Phone Bacup 259. Station, Bacup L.M.S. 948: Upper circle removed. Star Cinemas. 1953: Cinema & variety (TOIB) Closed. 1969: bought by Bacup Amateur Op. & Dram. Society to date. 485 seats.

KOSY / GEM / Public Hall Burnley Road Opened as cinema 1910. 1919: Kosy Prop. Wilmore & Wishey. Res. man. Joe Mellor. One show daily. Two on Sat. Two changes weekly. 3d to 1s. Licensed for music and dancing. Voltage 120. Station, Bacup L.&Y. 1922 - Props., The Valley Entertainments (Waterfoot), Ltd. Res. Man., J. Chadwick. One show nightly, two on Sat. Two changes weekly. Prices, 3d. to 1s. Station., Bacup, L. & Y. R.

Closed and demolished for Regal.

Mechanics’ Hall f., Levet Brown (1907)

REGAL SUPER CINEMA Burnley Road (WE) (formerly KOZY) Re-built 1931: architect: Harry Cropper, FFAS. By 1941: Prop., The Valley Enter­tainments (Waterfoot) Ltd. 960 seats. Twice nightly. Prices 6d. to 1s. 3d. Stage. Proscenium, 45ft. Phone Bacup 104. Closed. Bingo. Derelict. Sold at televised auction in 2006 for £181,000.

ROSENDALE THEATRE fl. 1893 (Hannah)

BACKWORTH Northumb

MINERS THEATRE (AWH) - Props., A. & R. Henderson, 3 Coronation Street, Annetsford, Dudley R.S.O. 400 seats. Prices 3d. to 9d. Booked at Hall. Proscenium width 16ft.; stage 12ft.; two dressing-rooms. Station, Backworth, L.N.E.R.

BAGNOR nr Newbury Berks

WATERMILL THEATRE Opened 1967. Converted from barn. Seats 113 - s: 69, c: 44. Private theatre in Shax. or early Restoration shape.

BAGSHOT Surrey

British Legion 1950s - films on Saturday evening in winter. Flat floor. Exhibitor: Mr Heywood.

PRINCE’S CINEMA / ELCTRIC CINEMA / The Institute High Street Opened 1900 as Public Hall. Occasional variety. Opened as cinema 1913. Gas secondary lighting. 1919: Prop. Vernon & Martin. Res. man. E. Vernon. Continuous. Two changes weekly. 4d. to 1s. 6d. Seating 300. Licensed for music and dancing. Voltage 110. 1922 - Prop. & Res. Man., Captain B. L. Blampied. Continuous. Two changes weekly. Prices, 6d. to 1s. 10d. Station, Bagshot, L.S.W.R. 1941: (BTH) - Prop., Border (Berks) Cinemas, Ltd. 355 seats. Booked at 53 West Hill, Wembley Park, Middx. Continuous. Prices 6d. to 1s. 6d. Phone 195. Station, Bagshot, SR. Closed during war? Re-opened 1948 - Kind Hearts and Coronets. 1950 prices, 1s 3d, 1s 9d & 2s 3d. Closed to film. Auditorium converted to Huntley & Palmer’s biscuit factory. Burned down 1965. Derelict. rebuilt by 1973. Façade restored - Bagshot House - offices.

 

BAILDON nr Shipley, Yorks

PICTURE HOUSE Northgate Opened 1917. 1922 - Prop., Baildon Picture & Café Co., Ltd. Res. Man., J. Roberts. One show nightly, two on Sat. Two changes weekly. Prices, 2½d. to 9d. Station, Baildon, M.R. By 1941: (WE) - KYB20 By 1941: Props., Granby Picture House Co., Ltd., Baildon. 400 seats. Booked by Props. Once nightly. Three shows Sat. Prices 4d. to 9d. Pro­scenium width 24ft. Cafe attached. Phone Shipley 1056. Station, Shipley, L.M.S. To A. S. Hyde Circuit - Baildon Cinema Co. Booked by A. S. Hyde at H.O. Shipley. Closed 1960. Demolished.

BAKEWELL Derby

CINEMA 1922 - Prop., J. A. Halliwell & Co. Res. Man., J. A. Halliwell. Two shows nightly. Two changes weekly. Prices, 5d. to 1s. 3d. Station, Bakewell, M.R. To Mrs. M. Thompson. 200 seats. Listed as closed in 1937.

PICTURE HOUSE Haddon Road (WE) - Prop., Holmwood Picture Palace Co., Ltd., Grayfriars, Bakewell Road, Matlock. Phone Matlock 72. 655 seats. Booked at H.O. Continuous. Prices 7d. to 1s. 9d. Pro­scenium width 38ft. Phone Bakewell 144. Station, Bakewell, L.M.S. Demolished.

Town Hall f., E. Morewood Longsdon (1907)

BALDOCK Herts

ASTONIA High Street Opened c.April 1939. Prop. Noel A. Ayres. Architect: H. V. J. Dutton. 810 seats. Part-time bingo October 1967. Closed to film 30^th December 1969 - Jack the Giantkiller and Ride the Wind. Bingo. Closed 30^th June 1985. Demolished for OAP flats.

CINEMA 34 White Horse Street Opened Monday 22^nd September 1913. c.400 seats - one raked floor. Reversed auditorium. Once nightly, three on Sat. Two changes weekly. 1922: Prop., C. H. Barham. One show nightly. Two changes weekly. Prices, 5d. to 1s. 3d. To Noel A. Ayres c.1928. Café added. By 1940: Prop., Baldock Cinema Co., Ltd. 500 seats. Continuous. Prices 5d. to 1s. 3d. Phone Baldock 88. Cafe attached. Station, Baldock. Films by Herts & Beds Transport. Closed c.1940. WWII - storage. Commercial use.

Public Hall f., Wm. Marriott (1907)

BAMBER BRIDGE Lancs

EMPIRE PICTURE PALACE (Electrocord) - 400 Seats.

 

BANBURY Oxon

BANBURY THEATRE

Cadbury Memorial Hall Wm. Coulthard (1907)

GRAND THEATRE (1) Broad Street Opened 18^th July 1911. Prop., (& co.) Mgr. J. P. Lord. 490 seats. Cinema. From May 1914 stage added - pictures & variety. . 1922 - Prop., Banbury Grand Theatre, Ltd. Res. Man., Fred J. Wilks. Continuous. Mat. Thurs. & Sat. Two changes weekly. Prices, 5d. to 1s. 3d. To E. A. Bagley 1929. Talkies 21^st October 1929 - Showboat. Closed 13^th June 1935. Rebuilt on same site as Grand 2.

GRAND (2) Broad Street Opened 12^th December 1935 - Without Regret and Two for Tonight. Architect: J. G. Gomersall (Drury & Gomersall). By 1941 - (Imperial) Prop., E. A. Bagley. 950 seats. Booked at Hall. Continuous. Prices 9d. to 1s. 10d. Phone 2159. Station, Banbury. To Mayfair circuit 1941. To ABC 1943. Closed 14^th December 1968 - Where Were You When The Lights Went Out? and The Biggest Bundle of the All. To bingo. Now Chicago Rock Café.

NEW THEATRE Opened 1832. Sill stands - internally gutted.

ODEON / ABC / CANNON / CLASSIC / ESSOLDO / REGAL Horsefair (RCA) Opened 7^th October 1940 - The Four Feathers. Architect: A. P. Starkey. Props., Rickenya, Ltd., Arun Theatre, Arundel. Phone Arundel 2237. 897 seats. Prices 9d. to 1s. 10d. Continuous. Booked at Arundel. Phone Banbury 2071. Station, Banbury. To Southan Morris. To Essoldo 26^th August 1954 & re-named 31^st May 1956. To Classic 2^nd April 1972. Twinned 28^th January 1973 - 1: 482; 2: 23.

PALACE THEATRE / PICTURE HOUSE / PICTUREDROME / Corn Exchange Market Square Opened 1857. To Albert J. Kilby 1900 - various ents and film. P’drome Pal of Var 1914. Closed 18^th May 1916. Rebuilt 1916. To Blinkhorn family. Re-opened 16^th November 1916. 1919: Prop. T. & N. Blinkhorn. Res. man. H. N. Blinkhorn. Continuous. Two changes weekly. 5d. to 1s. 3d. Seating 400. Licensed for music and dancing. Voltage 460. 1922: Phone 154. Station, Banbury, G.W.R. To Palace Theatre Theatree Co. May 1923. February 1930 to G. C.H. Dicker. Talkies 17^th February 1930 (BA) - The Drake Case. 1934 leased to Union Cs. 600 seats. Pros. width 26ft. By 1941: (BA) Con­trolled by Union Cinemas, Ltd., Union House, 15, Regent Street, London, S.W1. Phone Whitehall 8484. Booked at H.O. Continu­ous. Phone Danbury 2254. Station, Banbury, G.W.R.& Film Transport. Fire damage 1942. Repaired. Later RCA sound. 794 seats. Closed Saturday 10^th June 1961 - Saturday Night and Sunday Morning and Brothers in Law. Shopping arcade. Demolished 1979. Façade re-constructed as original. Now a bank.

THEATRE ROYAL f., Geo. S. King (1907)

BARKING Essex

ABC / CAPITOL East Street Opened 21^st October 1929. Architect J. Aldridge. Prop., W. F. Lesadd. Organ: Standaart. To ABC 19^th May 1930. By 1941: (WE) - Props., Associated British Cinemas, Ltd. 1,266 seats. Continuous. Booked at H.O. Phone Rippleway 2702. Station, Barking. Closed 12^th December 1959. Demolished, now part of M&S.

ACE / ABC / STATE Barkingside (RCA) - Opened October 1938. Architect: George Coles. Props., Kay Bros., 185 Wardour Street. Phone Gerrard 2835. 2,500 seats, Prices 6d. to 2s. Continuous. Booked at H.O. Café and Dance Hall attached. Phone Valentine 5767. Station, Ilford. To ABC from Monday 16^th February 1948 - Mine Own Executioner. Re-named 1964. 1972 - bingo/ circle film split. Cinema closed 4^th December 1976. Cinema returned under Ace 1982. Closed 30^th April 1984. Whole building bingo. Now Gala.

Animated Pictures Bull Street

BROADWAY THEATRE / BIOSCOPE PICTURE THEATRE Broadway Opened 1914. 560 seats. By 1941: (BTH) - Prop., Broadway Cinema (Barking) Ltd., 152/253, Minories, E.C.3. Phone Royal 6896. 560 seats, Continuous. Prices 6d. to 1s. Booked in London, Proscenium width 21ft. Phone Rippleway 3512. Station, Barking, L.M.S. Demolished late 1940s.

CENTRAL HALL Mission 1,400 cap. Destroyed by enemy action January 1945. Ruins demolished.

CINEMATOGRAPH / PICTURELAND / Public Baths Concert Hall

ODEON / RIO Longbridge Road (RCA) Opened 1935 by Kay Bros. Architect: George Coles. Props., Kessex Cinemas, Ltd., 142 Wardour Street, W1. Phone Gerrard 5252. 2,200 seats. Booked at H.O. Continuous, Pictures and Variety. Prices 6d. to 2s. 6d. Phone Grangewood 2900. Fitted ‘Ardente’ Stage Amplification. Sold to Rank’s G.C.F. Renamed Odeon 1945.Tripled 1974. Closed 1998. Demolished, flats on site.

REGENT / ELECTRIC THEATRE & Vaudeville / ELECTRIC THEATRE de LUXE Rippell Road Opened July 1910. Prop., A. E. Martin. 1922 as Elec Th -Prop., F. Martin. Res. Man., John Hill. Two shows nightly. Two changes weekly. Station Barking, M.R. Sold, re-furbished, re-opened as Electric September 1923. Props., Rose & Bockner. By 1941: (WE) - Props., Rose & Bockner, 808 seats. Con­tinuous from 1 p.m. Two changes weekly, Prices 4d. to 1s. 3d. Phone Rip. 2657, Station, Barking, L.M.S. 1955 sold to D. Freedman & re-named Regent. 750 seats. Closed 14^th July 1956. Supermarket. Demolished for shops.

THEATRE-de-LUXE Bamford Road/Wakering Road Opened c1914. Prop., Electric Theatres (1908) Ltd. !922: prop. Arthur Blake. Closed c.1925. Workshop / 2^nd-hand furniture store / sausage factory. Demolished. Council almshouses. Demolished for ring road.

BARLESTONE Leics

CINEMA / COSY CINEMA Barton Road Opened 1920s. Prop., Thomas Chesterton. Shows, Tues, Fri. Sat. Prices, 5d, 7d, 1s, 1/9d. 1932 to Maurice Chesterton. To Harry Weston. 1941 as Cinema - Thur. and Sat. only. Prices 4d. to 1s. To George Weston. Closed c.1960. Still stands as Village Hall.

BARNARD CASTLE Co. Durham

Music Hall f. (1907)

SCALA CINEMA 13 Galgate (WE) - 1929: Rt. Sutherland, propr. By 1941: Prop., M.B.C. Cinemas, Ltd, 500 seats. Booked at Hippodrome, Workington. Twice nightly. Prices 6d. to 1s.3d. Phone Barnard Castle 50. Station, Barnard Castle, L.N.E.R. Still running in 73 (Westrex)

VICTORIA CINEMA / Victoria Hall Birch Road f., T. Borrowdale (1907) 1929: Alfd. Stewart, propr.

WYCLIFFE CINEMA 42a Bank 1929: Prop.: Major Kirkup. By 1941: (Mihaly) - Prop., H. B. C. Cinemas. 750 seats. Booked at Newcastle or Workington. Continuous, Prices 3d, to 1s. Station, Bamard Castle, L.N.E.R.

BARNET Herts

ESSOLDO / DOMINION 235 East Barnet Road (WE) Opened 31 October 1938. Architect F. E. Bromige after Edgar Simmons. 1941 - Fred. W. Allwood Circuit, Wallace House, 113-117 Wardour Street W1. Phone Gerrard 1363. 1,006 seats, Prices 6d. to 1s. 6d. Continuous. Booked at H O. Phone Barnet 4450. Station, New Barnet. To East Barnet Cinemas. To Essoldo 1947, & renamed 22^nd January 1950. Closed 21^st January 1967 OR 21^st December 1967 - My Fair Lady. Demolished for supermarket.

GAUMONT / BARNET CINEMA / CINEMA PALACE 122 High Street Opened Boxing Day 1912. 1922 - Prop., Home Counties Kinemas, Ltd. Res. Man., C. Wadden. Continuous. Two changes weekly. Phone, Barnet 677. Station, High Barnet, G.N.R. Re-named & circle added 1926. Talkies Monday 17^th February 1930 - The Trial of Mary Dugan. Modernised & new frontage c.1934. To Odeon c.1936. 1,038 seats. 1941 (WE) - Prop., Odeon (High Barnet) Ltd., Old County Cinema, Marlow, Bucks. Phone Marlow 695-9. Booked at Moor Hall, Cookham, Berks. Continuous. Prices 9d. to 2s. 4d. Stage, Phone Barnet 0677. Re-named Gaumont January 1955. Closed 8^th August 1959 - The Mouse That Roared and Juke Box Rhythm. Demolished for supermarket 1961.

NEW BARNET KINEMA / HIPPODROME / Assembly Rooms Lytton Road f., F. Fergusson (1907) Opened as Hipp cinema 27^th April 1925. Prop. M. P. Lawrence. Closed 18 July. To F. H. Melhuish, re-opened as Kinema Saturday 10 October 1925 - Miss Bluebeard and The Floorwalker. Closed Saturday 29^th May 1926. Rebuilt as Pic Th.

ODEON THEATRE (BTH) Great North Road Opened 15^th May 1935 - bought-in scheme. Architect: Edgar Simmons. Building cost £29,130. 1553 seats. Own electricity. 1941 - Props., Odeon (Theatres) Ltd., Old County Cinema, Marlow, Bucks. Phone Marlow 695-9. Booked at Moor Hall, Cookham, Berks. Prices 9d. to 2s. 4d. Continuous, from 2 p.m. daily, Stage; two dressing-rooms. Phone Barnet 4147. Tripled 1974.

REGAL CINEMA / NEW BARNET PICTURE THEATRE Lytton Road Opened Thursday 11^th November 1926. Rebuild of NB Kinema. Prop., F. H. Melhuish. Re-named 1933. To A. W. & R. B. Green. Closed Saturday 26^th June 1937. Rebuilt, enlarged, new front. Re-opened Monday 11^th October 1937 - Wings of The Morning. Architect: Howes & Jackman. By 1941: Props., Leebert Theatres, Ltd. 500 seats. Continuous. Booked at Hall. Prices 7d. to 1s. 6d. Pros­cenium width 24ft. Stage and two dressing-rooms. Phone Barnet 3010. Station, New Barnet, L.N.E.R. Films by Road Transport. To Classic & closed 28^th July 1966 - The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm. Bingo to 1985 at least.

 

BARNOLDSWICK Yorks

Albert Hall James Starkey (1907)

ALHAMBRA THEATRE / Palace Roller Skating Rink The Parrock Opened 13^th July 1909 - steel frame, corrugated iron sheeting, wooden lining. Opened as Alhambra 1912. Prop. T. Palmer (Leeds). 1922 - Prop. & Res. Man., T. Palmer. One show nightly. Two changes weekly. Prices, 5d. to 9d. Phone, Barnoldswick 163. Station, Barnoldswick. M.R. Burned down night 23/24^th April 1924. Not rebuilt.

Co-operative Hall (1907)

MAJESTIC PICTURE HOUSE 1922 - Prop., M. Hartley. One show nightly. Two changes weekly. Prices, 3d. to 8d. Station. Barnoldswick, M.R. By 1941: (BA) Prop., M. Hartley & Sons, Ltd., Market Buildings. Phone 122. 700 seats. One show nightly. Two on Sat. Two changes weekly. Prices 8d. to 1s. 2d. Booked at Leeds. Dance hall attached. Station, Barnolds­wick, L.M.S. By 1956: (Duosonic). Phone Barnoldswick 2122.-Prop., Matthew Hartley and Sons, Ltd., Majestic Buildings. 700 seats. One show nightly. Two on Sat., Mat. Tues. and Sat. Prices, is. to 2s. id. Two changes weekly. Booked at Leeds. Dance hall and café attached. Station, Barnoldswick. Closed to film late 1970s. Demolished, library on site.

PALACE / PEOPLE’S PALACE / Public Hall & Skating rink St. James’ Square Cinema by 1914. 800 seats. 1918 mgr Jack Williams. Prices, 4d to 1s. By 1920, props. Nutter & Brown. 1922 - Prop. & Res. Man., Nutter & Brown. One show nightly. Two changes weekly. Prices, 6d. to 1s. Station, Barnolds­wick, M.R. 1925 props., People’s Palace Co. Res. mgr. W. Watson Brown. By 1941: (WE) - Prop., People’s Palace (Barnoldswick) Ltd., St. James Square, Barnoldswick. Phone no. 98. 668 seats. Booked at Leeds. Once nightly, twice on Sat, Mats., Wed. and Sat. Occasional Variety. Prices 6d. to 1s. Proscenium width 20ft. Stage, 20ft. deep; six dressing-rooms. Phone Barnoldswick 98. Station, Barnoldswick. By 1956 as Palace: (WE) Phone, Barnoldswick 2398.-Prop., Peoples Palace (Barnoldswick), Ltd., Majestic Buildings. Barnoldswick. Phone, 2122. 600 seat,. Once nightly at 7.30 p.m. Mat. Wed, and Sat. Three shows Sat. Prices, 1s. to 2s. 1d. Booked at Leeds. Proscenium width, 20ft. Stage, 20 ft. deep. Six dressing-rooms. Station, Barnoldswick (B.R.).

Queen’s Hall f., W. Watson (1907) listed KYB15

Victoria Hall listed KYB15

 

BARNSLEY Yorks

ABC / RITZ Peel Street (WE) Opened 22^nd March 1937 - My Man Godfrey. Architects Verity & Beverley + Ernest F. Tulley. 2,007 seats. WurliTzer 3c/7 with surround on lift + grand piano. Stage & dressing rooms. By 1941: Props., Union Cinemas, Ltd., Union House 15 Regent Street, London, S.W.1. Phone Whitehall 8484. Continuous. Booked at H O. Station, Barnsley, L.M.S. Renamed c.1961. Organ removed 1969. Closed 16^th March 1974 - Holiday on the Buses. Demolished.

ALHAMBRA THEATRE Doncaster Road Opened as theatre 1^st October 1915. Architect: Mr. Hinchcliffe. Closed as theatre 8^th June 1925. Cinema - Koenigsmark. By 1941: (WE) Prop., Picture House (Barnsley) Ltd., Old County Cinema, Marlow, Bucks, Phone Marlow 695-9. 2,100 seats, Booked at Moor Hall, Cookham, Berks. Continuous from a pm. Prices 4d. to 1s. 6d. Stage; 10 dressing-rooms. Phone Barnsley 3736. Closed by Rank Organisation 1960. Empty. Top Rank bingo 1968. Demolished 1982.

Arcade Assembly Hall J. Hewitt (1907)

BRITANNIA HALL 1922 - Prop. & Res. Man., C. Wyke. Two shows nightly. Two changes weekly. Prices, 3d. to 9d. Station, Barnsley. M.R.

CIVIC THEATRE / PUBLIC HALL Harvey Institute, Eldon Street - Opened 25^th January 1878. Props., The Mayor, Aldermen, and Burgesses of the County Borough of Barnsley, Mgr G.E. Hoey in 1907. January 1908 - disaster when children trampled each other to death before a matinée in James Atroy’s Variety and Picture season. Royal Yorks. Co. 2,000seats (KYB14) 1919: Prop. United Picture Co., Res. Man., Mrs. Coulthard. Two shows nightly. Three matinées weekly. Two changes weekly. Prices 3d to 9d. . Seating 1,500 Licensed for music. Voltage 230. Station, Barnsley. M.R. & G.C.J.C., L.&Y.R. By 1941: Phone 3170. 1,322 seats. Available for Theatrical and Kinematograph Exhibition. 1970s: seats 1,012: movable stalls 586, circle 426.

COSY CINEMA / Temperance Hall / Oddfellows’ Hall Pitt Street Opened as cinema 30 April 1910 - Royal Canadian Pictures. 1,280 seats. (KYB14) 1919: Temperance Hall - Man., C. Wyke. Two shows daily. Two changes weekly. Prices 2d. to 6d. Seating, 550. Voltage, 50. 1922 as Temp Hall - Prop. & Res. Man., C. Wyke. Two shows nightly. Two changes weekly. Prices, 3d. to 9d. Station, Barnsley, M.R.

ELECTRIC THEATRE Eastgate Opened 11^th March 1911- props., Electric (Barnsley) Co Ltd. 550 seats. (KYB14) Barnsley’s first purpose-built cinema. 1919: Prop. Jas. Cempy. Two shows nightly. Two changes weekly. Prices 2½d. to 8d. Seating 600. Voltage 220. Station, Barnsley, L. & Y. R. & M. R. 1922 - Prop., Wicker Picture House Syndicate. Three shows daily. Two changes weekly. Prices, 2½d. to 7d. Station, Barnsley, L. & Y. R. Marshall sound system 1931.

EMPIRE Super CINEMA / New EMPIRE PALACE 62-68 Eldon Street Opened 8 June 1908. Architects: North & Robins. Props.: Barnsley Empire Palace Company. Cost £17,500. First manager Harry Leacey, followed swiftly by Will Smithson, father of musical-comedy actress Florence Smithson. 1160 seats. Early pictures. (KYB14) 1922 - Prop., New Century Pictures, Ltd. Res. Man., H. Leacey. Continuous, Two changes weekly. Prices, 6d. to 1s. 6d. Phone, Barnsley 363. Station, Court House, Barnsley, L. & Y.R. By 1941: (BA) - Prop., Gaumont British Pictures Corpn. 1,160 seats. Booked at H O. Continuous. Prices 7d. to 1s. 6d. Phone Barnsley 363. Destroyed by fire 1955. Rebuilt as Gaumont (later Odeon) q.v.

GLOBE PICTURE HOUSE New Street Opened c September 1914. 1st mgr Stanley Broughton. 1919: Prop. ,Globe Picture House Ltd., Res. Man., R. H. Whyham. Continuous show daily. Two changes weekly. Prices 3d. to 1s 3d. Se ating, 1,000. Licensed for music and dancing Voltage, 220. Station, Barnsley, M.R., G.C.R. & L.&Y. 1922 - Prop., Globe Picture House (Barnsley), Ltd. Res. Man., R. H. Whyham. Continuous. Daily mat. Two changes weekly. Prices, 3d. to 1s. Phone, Barnsley 467. Station, Barnsley, M.R. By 1941: 1941 (WE) - Prop. Globe Picture House (Barnsley) Ltd. Res. Man, & Licensee, Mrs. A. Wyham, 872 seats. Booked at Hall, Continuous, Daily Mat, Prices 4d. to 1s. 3d. Phone Barnsley 467. Station Barnsley Court House.

HIPPODROME / Circus Town End Opened as variety theatre 2^nd March 1903 - Alec Hurley & Harry Monckton but with films as a regular feature of bill. Reopened 26^th December 1903 by Barnsley Hippodrome Syndicate. Geo. Birkill (1907)

ODEON / GAUMONT Eldon Street Opened 27^th February 1956 - on site of burned-out Empire. Architects: T. P. Bennett. Seats: 1,283 Re-named 1962. Twinned 1980 - 1: 414 2: 435. Closed 17^th September 2005. Empty.

PAVILION PICTURE THEATRE / Olympia Skating Rink Opened as rink 20 August 1909. By 1914: prop., C. P. Metcalf. 980 seats. (KYB14) 1919: Prop. Mid. Yorkshire Entertainments, Ltd. Res. Man., A Sinclair. Two shows nightly. Matinée Monday. Two changes weekly. Prices 3d. to 1s. Seating, 2,000. Licensed for music and dancing. Voltage, 230. Station, Barnsley, M.R., G.C.R., & L & Y. 1922 - Prop., Mid Yorkshire Entertain­ments, Ltd. Res. Man., A. Sinclair. Two shows nightly. Two changes weekly. Prices, 3d. to 1s. Phone, Barnsley 388. Station, Barnsley, M.R. By 1941: (WE) - Props., Mid-Yorkshire Entertainments, Ltd., 53, Street Lane, Leeds, Phone Leeds 64352. 1,452 seats, Booked at H O. Continuous. Prices 5d. to 1s. 2d. Phone Barnsley 2588. Station, Court House, L.M.S. Burned down 1950.

PRINCESS PICTURE PALACE Town End Opened c1912 - 800 seats (KYB14) 1919: New Century Pictures Ltd. Res. Man., H. Leacey. Continuous. Two matinées weekly. Two changes weekly. Prices 2½d. to 6d. Seating. 850 Licensed for music. Voltage, 230. Station, Barnsley. M.R. 1922 - Prop., New Century Pictures, Ltd. Res. Man., H. Leacey. Continuous. Two changes weekly. Prices, 3d. to 9d. Phone, Barnsley 237. Station, Bamsley, M.R.

PUBLIC HALL Eldon Street 1922 - Prop., United Picture Co. Continuous. Two changes weekly. Prices, 3d. to 9d. Phone, Barnsley 496. Station, Barnsley, L. & Y.R. By 1941: (BA) Continuous. Prop., New Century Pictures, Ltd. 850 seats. Booked by Gaumont-British Pictures Corpn. Prices 3d. to 9d. Proscenium width 30ft. Phone Barnsley 3737.

SAVOY CINEMA Lundwood (BTH) Opened September 1935. 1941 - Props., Lundwood Cinemas, Ltd. 684 seats. Booked at Hall. Prices 4d. to 9d. Proscenium width 45ft. Phone Brierley 42. Closed to film. Still stands as Netto supermarket 2007.

STAR PICTURE HOUSE STAR / BRITANNIA PICTURE PALACE Sheffield Road Opened 7^th November 1910. 900 seats. (KYB14) Modest brick-built cinema 85 ft in length and 35 ft wide, with seating on a single floor, fitted with tip-up seats in red leather and crimson velvet. The auditorium was decorated in crimson and white. 1919: Prop. C. Wike. Two shows nightly. Two changes weekly. Prices 2d. to 6d. Seating, 700. Voltage 50. By 1941: (BA) - Prop., T. H. Whittaker, 247, Park Road, Barnsley. Phone 3360. 500 seats, Booked at Hall. Continuous. Station, Barnsley. Closed 1959.

THEATRE ROYAL (1) Erected 1814 by Wm. Depledge. Opened as ‘Theatre’ 26^th July 1815. 1878 - Salvation Army. Re-opened by public co. led by Joseph Hewitt (?Grimsby brewer) 1888. Closed & Demolished.

THEATRE ROYAL (2) Wellington Street (No 3). Foundation stone 7^th June 1898. Opened Mon 29 December 1898 - Morrell & Moullet’s No. 1 Co. - The Geisha. Architect Herbert Crawshaw - cost £16,000. Seats: 1,200. Prosc. 28′, depth 50′ 6”, 2 scene docks, 8 dressing rooms. A. G. Mitchell in 1907. Damaged by fire 1942. Closed 18^th May 1957. 1961: bingo. Now nightclub.

VICTORIA THEATRE ‘The Vic.’ fl. 1953 - touring revue.

Extra info: Kate Taylor - cinema history notes

 

BARNSTAPLE Devon

Assembly Room F. Adams (1907)

CENTRAL / ASTOR / CLASSIC / ODEON / GAUMONT PALACE Boutport Street (BA) Opened 3^rd August 1931. On site of Theatre Royal. Prop., Albany Ward Theatres Ltd. Architect: W. H. Watkins. 1,124 seats inc 422 in balcony. 1941 - Prop., Gaumont-British Picture Corporation, Ltd., 123 Regent Street, W1. 1,112 seats. Booked at H O. Continuous from 2 p.m. Prices 8d. to 1s. 10d. Proscenium width 40ft. Phone Barnstaple 2550. Stations, Barnstaple, G.W.R., & Barnstaple Junction, S. R. Fitted ‘Ardente’ Deaf Aids. Odeon 1962. to classic 1967. Twinned. Now 4 screens: seats 1: 388 2: 80 app. 3: 80 app. 4: ??

FORESTERS’ HALL THEATRE / PICTURE PALACE Opened as full-time cinema February 1919. Prop./lessee Albany Ward. 1922 as Palace - Prop., Provincial Cinematograph Theatres, Ltd. Station, Barnstaple, L.S.W.R. 1953: run by Courtney - locally-owned. (TOIB)

JOHN GAY THEATRE SG46: White Heather Productions (Repertory). Booking Agent: John S. Patton, 25, 8. Molton St., W1. Cap.: 225. No works of John Gay may be performed. Once nightly 7.30 Matinee Saturday. Only 10ft. flats can he used. Prosc. opening: 21ft. x 10ft. Elec. equip.: 230 v. D.C. Footlights two, four dips. Lighting to be improved. Dressing rooms: One single, two chorus (acc. 10). No orchestra. Licence for light refreshments to company and staff. In 1953 owned by Andrew Melville (TOIB)

COSY CINEMA / PICTURE PALACE 2 Silver Street Opened 1910. By 1919 prop. Wilfred E. Jones. Closed c.mid-20s? Demolished.

Parish Church Room, Hasfer. (1907)

PICTURE HOUSE 58 High St Opened 1918. 1922 - Prop., Provincial Cine­matograph Theatres, Ltd. Res. Man., Yorke Trevor. One show nightly. Two changes weekly. Prices, 6d. to 1s. 6d. Station, Barnstaple, L.S.W.R. Closed 1924, demolished.

QUEEN’S THEATRE / ALBERT HALL / Music Hall Boutport Street Part of Corn Exchange of 1855. Several times rebuilt. Oliver J. Nicklin. (1907) 1937 as Al H.: (B.T.H) Prop., Barnstaple Entertainments Ltd. 469 seats. Rebuilt by Corp. 1952: seats 814 - S: 514, B: 300.

REGAL The Strand (BTH) - Props., Regal (Barnstaple) Ltd. (? Architect: David E. Nye) 840 seats. Continuous. Prices 8d. to 1s. 10d. Proscenium width 30ft. Stage, 20ft.; six dressing-rooms. Phone 2002. Station, Barnstaple G.W.R./S.R. Sold by Maurice Prince 1973. To Clifton circuit. Closed. Sold. Nightclub since 1982

THEATRE ROYAL Opened 1843 f., Harry Ashton (1907). 1922 - Prop., Provincial Cine­matograph Theatres, Ltd. Res. Man., G. F. Howard. One show nightly. Mat, Wed., Fri., and Sat. Two changes weekly. Prices, 5d. to 2s. Station, Barnstaple, L.S.W.R. Closed in 1930. Site used for Gaumont Palace.

 

BARROW-in-FURNESS Lancs

APOLLO (1) / ASTRA / ABC / RITZ (WE) Opened 14^th September 1936 by Union Cinemas. Architects: Drury & Gomersall (+ local F. J. Parker). Props., Union Cinemas, Ltd., Union House, 15, Regent Street, London, S. W. Booked at H O. 1,735 seats. Three shows daily. Phone Barrow 999. Station, Barrow Central. 1950 mgr C. B. B. Crisp. Renamed ABC c.1961. Closed 15^th January 1977 - became Astra and tripled. Closed 1999 as Apollo multiplex opened. Demolished 2004.

APOLLO (2) Hollywood Park, Hindpool Road LA14 2NA Seats: 1: 117 2: 102 3: 257 4: 256 5: 117 6: 117

Carlisle Palace Opened 1873. Closed & demolished 1903.

Central Hall H. Gaythorpe (1907)

CIVIC HALLS Duke Street Seats 960. Prosc. 31′

CLASSIC / ESSOLDO / GAIETY and PICTUREDOME Abbey Road Opened 22^nd March 1913. Built by Capt. Calvert Routledge. 1914 KYB Prop. Hugh Robertson. 1922: Prop., Gaiety & Picturedrome (Barrow), Ltd. Res. Man., H. Armstrong. Three shows daily. Two changes weekly. Prices, 5d. to 1s. 3d. Phone, Barrow 375. Station, Central, F.R. 1934: Prop. The Three Theatres, Ltd. Twice nightly 6.45 / 8.45, daily mats. 2.30. August 1936 leased to Union, then ABC October 1937. Closed November 1938. Back to Brennan and re-opened. By 1941: (WE) Prop., Brennan’s Cinemas, Ltd., 107 Duke Street, Barrow-in­-Furness, Phone 990. Separate houses, 1,000 seats. Booked at Manchester. Prices 3d. to 1s. Proscenium width 30ft. Phone Barrow 375. Station, Central, L.M.S. Sold to February Essoldo 1948. 1950 mgr: G. Yeadon (as Gaiety). Renamed c.1950. Closed 1^st June 1968. 1977 demolished.

CLASSIC / ODEON / ROXY Cavendish Street Opened 1937. Architects: Drury & Gomersall. 1,200 seats. 1941: (WE) - Prop., James Brennan, 107 Duke St., Barrow-in-Furness. Phone 990. 952 seats, Prices 4d. to 1s. 2½d. Three shows daily. Booked at Manchester and Liverpool. Phone 228. Station, Barrow-in-Furness, Central, L.M.S. To Odeon 1943 - renamed 1945 when 948 seats. 1950 mgr F. J. Field. Later seats 804. Sold to Classic in December 1967 - renamed. Closed 1976. Nightclub use. Disused. Now PG’s Wine Bar.

COLISEUM THEATRE Abbey Road Opened 1907 on site of wooden circus by Capt. Calvert Routledge (Pic. Pioneers). Architect: A. Winstanley. 1,070 seats. Cinema 1914. 1922 - Prop., C. & M. Routledge, Ltd. Man. Dir., Mrs. Calvert Routledge. Three shows daily. Two changes weekly. Prices, 4d. to 1s. 3d. Phone, Barrow 598 Station, Central, F.R. 1934: Props., The Three Theatres, Ltd. Mgr. S. Armstrong. Pictures & Variety. Mat. daily: 6.30 / 8.45. Seats, c.1,350. To Union circuit 1936. By 1941: (WE) Props., Union Cinemas, Ltd., Picture House, 15, Regent Street, London, S.W.1, Phone Whitehall 6484. Booked at H O. Three shows daily. Phone Barrow 598. Station, Barrow Central, L.M.S. To Essoldo (through Gatshead Emp. Pal. Co.) 21^st March 1948. Variety revived. 1950 mgr: G. Yeadon. Closed 18^th January 1964 after panto. Disused; demolished 1978.

Drill Hall Strand (1907)

ELECTRIC THEATRE Buccleuch Street/Dalton Road Opened 1911 by Charlie Barber. 1922: Lessee: C. Barber; man. Mr. Pearson. 1922 - Prop., Electric Theatre Co. Res. Man., F. E. Pear­son. Continuous. Mat., Mon., Thurs. & Sat. Two changes weekly. Phone, Barrow 184. Station, Central, F.R. 1932: re-decorated in ‘Italian Lake’ semi-atmospheric style - murals and foliage by Fred. A. Foster (Nottingham). Closed 1933-34 1934: Lessee R. T. Dockeray. Mgr. Frank E. Pearson. Twice nightly, 6.45 / 8.45, mats. Mon. Thurs, Sat. By 1941: (BTH) Prop. Furness Electric Theatre Co., Ltd. 760 seats. Booked at Hall. Twice nightly, Mat., Sat. Two changes weekly. Prices 4d. to 1s. 2d. Phone Barrow 184. Station, Central, L.M.S. 1950 mgr F. E. Pearson.

EMPIRE fl. 1897. (Hannah)

HER MAJESTY’S / THEATRE ROYAL Albert Street Opened 1864 or 9 as T.R. Rollo Balmain (1907) Renamed H.M. 1905. 1914KYB Prop. Calvert Routledge. 1922 - Props., C. & M. Routledge, Ltd. Man. Dir., Mrs. Calvert Routledge. Two shows nightly. Two changes weekly. Prices, 4d. to 1s. 3d. Phone, Barrow 578. Station, Central, F.R. 1934: Lessee C.C. Taylor. SG46: Prop.: Terence Byron, Ltd., 35, Abingdon St., Blackpool. No agent. Cap.: 800. No matinées. Variety, revue, and pantomime. Tel: 924. 1950 mgr W. G. Baines. Closed 1954 (under R.S. Theatres) 1957: Repertory- Renaissance Theatre Co. Last Director, Donald MacKechnie: last S.M. David C. Hird. Closed 14^th January 1967. Demolished 1973.

OSBORNE CINEMA Michaelsea Road 1934: Lessees, Osborne Ltd. Mgr R. J. Evans. Tel: 30. Continuous 6.30 to 10.40.

PALACE THEATRE / HIPPODROME / New Amphitheatre Duke Street Opened 29^th December 1873 as the Royal Amphitheatre, architect Arthur Worrall. Salvation Army Citadel. Partially demolished. Rebuilt as theatre 18^th January 1912. Architect: G. Walker; converted to cinema by Fred Newman (KYB1914). Reconstructed 1915. Pictures and Variety. 2,000 seats. Man. dir., J. Graham Crocker. 1922- Prop. Barrow Entertainments, Ltd. Res. Man., C. Finch Hatton. Two shows nightly. Mat., Mon., Thurs. & Sat. Two changes weekly. Prices, 4d. to 1s. 3d. Phone, 336. Station, Barrow-in-Furness, F.R. Modernised 8^th August 1931. 1,356 seats. 1934: Props. The Three Theatres Ltd. Mgr. T. Byrne. To Union circuit August 1936, then ABC October 1937. By 1941: (WE) Props., Union Cinemas, Ltd., Union House, 15 Regent Street, London, S.W.1, Phone Whitehall 8484. Booked at H O. Continuous. Phone Barrow 418. Station, Barrow-­in-Furness (Central) L.M.S. 1950 mgr W. Joy. To Essoldo 21^st March 1948. Closed 17^th March 1963 OR 1^st June 1968. Bingo. Demolished 2000.

Queen’s Hall Abbey Road C. J. Roberts (1907)

REGAL 47 Forshaw Street (WE) Opened 1931 by James Brennan. Architect F. J. Parker. 1,050 seats.1934: Gen mgr S. Kirby, mgr E. Melville. Twice nightly ‘Talkies and Variety’. 6.30 / 8.40. Mat. daily. October 1936, leased/sold to Union Cinemas, Ltd., Union House, 15, Regent Street, London, S.W.1, Phone Whitehall 8484. By 1941: Continuous. Phone Barrow 549. Station, Barrow Central. 1950 mgr G. Brodie. Closed 29^th December 1956.

ROYALTY THEATRE and OPERA HOUSE / ROYAL ALHAMBRA Cavendish Street Opened 1872 as R. A. Altered 1894. Architect: Mackintosh. Re-named. Hugh Robertson (1907) Tel: 228. 1922: Lessee & Mgr: Hugh Robertson. Res. mgr. T. Watson Armstrong (re-decorated, new electrics and heating). 1934: 1,000 seats. Twice nightly - 6.50/8.50p.m. Lessees, Miss E. A. Robertson & J. M. McFarlane. Res. mgr. R. F. Douthwaite. Closed and demolished for Roxy 1937.

SALTHOUSE PAVILION CINEMA Roose Road 1922: Licensee & res. mgr. Cllr. G. Shyvers. 960 seats. Prop., Northern Amusements, Ltd. Continuous. Two changes weekly. Prices, 4d. to 1s. 3d. Phone 413. Station., Barrow-in-Furness, M.R. 1934: Props. James Brennan & S. Kirby. Res. mgr. W. G. Brown. Twice nightly 6.30 / 8.40. Mat. Sat 2.30. By 1941: (WE) - Props. Union Cinemas, Ltd., 15, Regent Street, W.1, 943 seats. Two shows daily. Mat., Sat. Booked at H O. Phone 515. Station, Central, L.M.S. 1950 mgr Mrs. E. Brown. Bingo in 2004.

TIVOLI THEATRE of VARIETIES / STAR PALACE of VARIETIES / ALEXANDRA Forshaw Street Opened 1868 as Alex. Renamed Star in 1871, then Tivoli. Bought by Signor Rino Pepi at auction in 1902. Early films on the ‘Pepi-Scope’. !922 - Props., Labon & Signor Pepi. Tel: 549. Res. man. J. Johnson. Sold to James Brennan in 20s - first of Brennan circuit. Demolished in 1931 for Regal.

Town Hall (Old) Cornwallis street f., J. Gunson (1907)

WALNEY THEATRE Natal Road, Walney Island Opened 1^st November 1915. 786 seats. 1922: man. dir. Will Catlin, res. mgr W. D. Mackenzie. Continuous. Three mats. weekly. Two changes weekly. Prices, 5d. to 1s. 10d. Station, Barrow, M.R. 1934: Props., The Three Theatres Ltd. Gen. mgr A. J. Hope. 800 seats. Cont. from 6.30, mats. Mon & Sat. To Union circuit 1936. To ABC October 1937. By 1941 (BTH) - Props. Union Cinemas, Ltd. Union House, 15 Regent Street, London, S.W.1, Phone Whitehall 8484. Continuous, Mon. to Fri.; two shows on Sat, 786 seats. Booked at H O. Phone Barrow 422. Station, Barrow-in-Furness (Central) L.M.S, Film Transport. To Essoldo 20^th March 1948. 1950 mgr N. Willis. Closed 20^th OR 29^th June 1959. Bingo. Supermarket 1964. Demolished 1983.

Extra information from 1934 Directory, Allen Eyles’ circuit histories and 1950/1 Yearbook

 

BARROW-upon-HUMBER Lincs

FORESTERS’ HALL High Street 1922 - Prop. & Res. Man., J Lovelace. One show nightly. Two change weekly. Prices, 5d. to 1s. 3d. Station, New Holland, G.C.R. - mobile 16mm. shows. (M. Brader)

PICTURE THEATRE High Street Opened 19^th January 1922 - conversion of chapel. Prop., Cecil Whiteley. c.650 seats. Closed 1937. (M. Brader)

Barrow-on-Humber Picture House 1922: Gilbert Kilburn & Noel G. Bailey lessees

 

BARROWFORD nr Nelson Lancs

EMPIRE Palace / PALACE PICTURES / EMPIRE PICTURE PALACE Nora Street Opened 1913. W. Taylor man. dir. Electricity from tram-lines. Pictures & variety. 1922 Pic Pal - Prop., Picture Palace Co. Res. Man., J. T. Sharples. One show nightly. three on Sat. Two changes weekly. Prices, 6L. to 1s. 3d. Phone, Nelson 552. Station, Nelson, L. & Y.R. From February 1927 lessee Betty V. Gableton, gen. mgr. Douglas Milton, Cyril Bell res. mgr, assistant Herbert Holgate. 1928 mgr. Charles Gaston. April 1930 lessee W. Hargreaves, Wilson Stobbart gen. mgr. Closed c.1932. Empire Garage. Then Popular Garage. Still stands with façade altered.

BARTON-on-HUMBER Lincs

CENTRAL HALL PICTURE HOUSE 1919 - 1929. Silent only - closed on death of owner. (M. Brader)

ELECTRIC PICTURE HOUSE High Street 1922: Props.: Arthur Window & Albert Mason. Seats: c.400. 14th April 1922. First sound-on-disc in town - 29th March 1930. Closed 1936. (M. Brader)

ELECTRIC THEATRE 1922 - Prop. D. Canty. Continuous. Two changes weekly. Prices, 5d to 1s. Station, Barton-on-Humber. G.C.R

Oddfellows’ Hall High Street f., F. Thompson (1907)

NEW THEATRE High Street 475 seats. 1930-1941. (M. Brader)

OXFORD PICTURE THEATRE & THEATRE OF VARIETIES Newport Street/Maltby Lane Kelly’s 1922: Edwin William White­ley, proprietor. KYB 1922 - Prop., H. Rodmell Res. Man., W. Atkinson. Continuous. Two changes weekly. Prices, 61. to 1s. 6d. Station, Barton-on-Humber, G.C.R. ?Re-modelled 1932. By 1941: Prop., Cecil Whiteley. 560 seats. Booked at Hall. Once nightly, twice Saturday, Two changes weekly. Prices 6d. to 1s. 3d. Closed to film mid 60s. Bingo till December 1972. Warehouse. Now sports hall.

STAR THEATRE / STAR PICTURE HOUSE High Street 1922 as Star Th - Prop., & mgr. Percy Lee. Two changes weekly. Prices, 4d. to 1s. ?re-opened by Cecil Whiteley in 1934 OR 37. 350 seats. By 1941: (AWH) Once nightly, twice Saturday, Booked at Hall, Stage, 12ft. deep; two dressing-rooms, Prices 6d. to 1s. Phone Barton 109. Station, Barton-on­-Humber, L.N.E.R. Later BTH machines and WE sound installed. sold to Star circuit. Closed 5th June 1957- Men are Such Fools. ?Bingo closed 1962. Demolished for shop - ?now housing. (M. Brader)

Temperance Hall J. Hudson (1907)

Volunteer Hall W. Hardy (1907)

BARTON-UNDER-NEEDWOOD Staffs

CENTRAL HALL 1922 - Prop., Barton-under-Needwood Pictures, Ltd. Man., Geo. Ball. Two shows weekly. Two changes weekly. Prices, 5d. to 1s. 3d. Phone, Barton-under-Needwood 3. Station, Barton & Walton, Mid,

BARWELL Leics

PALACE / EMPIRE Picture Palace 46 Shilton Road Opened c.1916 - purpose-built. Prop., Harry Spencer Cooper. 1922 - Prop., H. S. Cooper. Station, Elmsthorpe, L.N.W.R. Talkies 1930. 1932 - (AWH) Hy. Spencer Cooper, proprietor. 350 seats on one raked floor. 1941 as Pal - 350 seats. Once nightly, Mon., Tues., and Thurs. Two shows Sat. Prices 8d. to 1s. 2d. Closed. Commercial uses. Still stands.

BASILDON Essex

ARTS CENTRE Towngate Opened c.1968. 454 seats. Closed March 1988. Demolished.

ROBINS / CANNON / ABC 1 & 2 Town Square/North Gunnels Opened 5^th September 1971. Gen. mgr. James Court. 644/455 seats. Chief Bob Hall. To Cannon 1986. To Robins. Closed December 1999 - multiplex opening.

TOWNGATE THEATRE & MIRREN STUDIO Pagel Mead Opened April 1988. Seats 550 and 188.

UCI Festival Leisure Park, Pipps Hill Seats: 1: 361 2: 180 3: 146 4: 164 5: 220 6: 337 7: 246 8: 220 9: 164 10: 146 11: 180 12: 538 [Sold November 2005 to Empire Cinemas (Ward Anderson)]

 

BASINGSTOKE Hants

ANVIL Opened Tuesday 3^rd May 1994 - classical music concert. Prop., Trust financed by council. Concert / multi-purpose hall. 1,400 seats.

CANNON / ABC 1 & 2 / WALDORF Wote Street (WE Wide Range) Opened Monday 28^th October 1935 - Roberta. Prop., Casey’s Cinemas (George Casey). 863 seats. Pros. c.38ft., one dressing room. Sold by widow to Union 1937. To ABC with circuit. By 1941 - Prop., Union Cinemas, Ltd., 25 Regent Street, London, S.W1. Phone. Whitehall 8434. Mgr 1955-71 Frank Miles. CinemaScope 1955 - A Star is Born. Luxury lounge treatment 8^th March 1971. Mgr Brian Lewis. 568 seats. Twinned and re-named 15^th September 1977 - The Spy Who Loved Me and Orca - the Killer Whale. Seats 420 / 218. Roger Marley mgr April 73 to April 86 To Cannon & re-named 1986. Closed Thurs 21^st February 1991 - Death Warrant. Charity furniture shop. Derelict. Demolished 1996.

HAYMARKET THEATRE / GRAND THEATRE / GRAND CINEMA / GRAND EXCHANGE CINEMA & VAUDEVILLE THEATRE / Corn Exchange Wote Street Opened 1^st March 1865. Architects: Salter & Wyall. f., W. Leavey (1907) 1910 converted to roller rink. Opened as cine-variety hall June 1913. Prop., Edwin George Casey. 640 seats. (KYB 1914) Grand Cine by 1922. Interior burnt out 16^th May 1925. Rebuilt. Monday 25^th November 1929 - 2^nd talkie in town - Broadway. 1931: George Casey, lessee & manager. Bought by Union March 1937, to ABC October 1937. 598 seats. Closed as cinema Saturday 30^th April 1938 - Minstrel Boy. By 1941: (WE) Opened as theatre. 598 seats. Renamed Haymarket 1951. 454 seats. Closed June 1992. Renovated & new fly tower added. February 2007 control passed from Basingstoke Theatre Trust. Closed to September 2007.

PRESIDENT / MERCURY CINEMA Mercury Motor Inn Opened Thurs 2^nd September 1976 - One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest. 168 seats. Mgr. Gavin Blake. Closed in 1980s. Now part of Apollo Hotel.

ODEON / WARNER Basingstoke Leisure Park, Churchill Way West, West Ham Opened 21^st September 1990. Mgr. Paul Cumming. Seats: 1: 427 2: 238 3: 223 4: 154 5: 157 6: 157 7: 154 8: 223 9: 238 10: 427. Sold & re-named 2006.

PLAZA (1) / PAVILION / Drill Hall Sarum Hill Built 1883 - brick walls, corrugated iron and glazed clerestory roof. Donated by Capt. (later Lt.-Col.) John May. f., (1907) 1925 to George Casey: Pavilion dance hall, then Plaza Cinema after Grand fire. WE sound. Closed, demolished and New Plaza built on site 1931.

PLAZA (2) Sarum Hill Opened Monday 5^th October 1931 - City Lights and Cimarron. Prop., George Casey. Mrs A. B. Christmas, manageress (Casey’s daughter). Bought by Union March 1937. 670 seats. By 1941: (WE) - 700 seats. Prop., Union Cinemas, Ltd., 15 Regent Street, London S.W1. Phone Whitehall 8484. Closed Saturday 26^th June 1954 - The Sword and the Rose. Became Co-op furniture store. Closed 1980. Demolished February/March 1981 for office block.

REGAL Odiham fl. 1930s. Still stands.

SAVOY ELECTRIC THEATRE / ELECTRIC THEATRE Wote Street Built as swimming pool. Empty. Re-built and electrical equipment installed. Opened as cinema 10^th October 1910. Prop. Walter Duley, mgr. D. Holderness. Cap. 500 on one sloping floor. 1922 - Prop. & Res. Man., H. Pease. Continuous. Two changes weekly. Prices, 5d. to 1s. 3d. Phone 173. Station, Basingstoke L.S.W.R. By 1925 R. F. G. Donne proprietor, C. Walker Booking & Resident manager. Monday 18^th November 1929 1^st talkie in town - Interference. 1931: C. Walker, mngr. Closed 1938/9 & rebuilt as Savoy.

SAVOY THEATRE Wote Street (BTP) Opened Monday 23^rd October 1939 - The Little Princess and Everybody’s Baby. On site of Electric. Architect: E. Norman Bailey. Continuous. Prices, 6d to 1/10d. By 1941 - Prop., Basingham Theatres, Ltd., 75-77 Shaftesbury Avenue, W1. 710 seats. Booked at H O. Continuous. Prices 9d. to 2s. 6d. Phone 133. Station, Basingstoke, SR. CinemaScope 1955 - The Robe. (m.s. note in 1957KYB to Mr Morgan, Palladium Swindon.) Prop. Basingham Theatres Ltd. Closed Saturday 27^th August 1966 - Walk Don’t Run. 1967 demolished as part of clearance for future shopping centre et al.

Town Hall Market Place Built 1832. 1^st-floor ballroom. T. Pritchard. (1907) Still stands as Willis Museum.

VUE / STER CENTURY Festival Place Opened October 2003. 1: 199 2: 181 3: 143 4: 275 5: 275 6: 120 7: 319 8: 248 9: 295 10: 176. Re-named autumn 2005.

BASLOW with BUBNELL Derby

STOCKWELL HALL (Metropolitan) – 200 seats

 

BATH Somerset

AS­SEMBLY ROOMS Alfred Street f., C. B. Oliver (1907) Ballroom opened as cinema c.1924. Bought by Savoy Cinemas (ABC foundation circuit) c1926. closed 26^th March 1934. Now restored by National Trust.

BEAU NASH PICTURE HOUSE / ELECTRIC Westgate Street Opened 1914. 1920 reconstructed as Beau Nash. Architect: Alfred J. Taylor. 744 seats, later enlarged to 1,088. 1922 - Prop., L. Davis. Continuous. Two changes weekly. By 1941: (WE) Bought by ABC August 1929. By 1941 - Prop., Associated British Cinemas, Ltd., 30-31 Golden Square, London W.1, Phone Gerrard 7337. 1,081 seats. Booked at H O. Continuous. Proscenium width 25½ft. Phone Bath 4330. Station, Bath, G.W.R. and L.M.S. Modernised 1971. Owned by Council. Leased to Odeon. Closed 18^th October 2004. Listed Grade II. Leased to Brighton Comedy Club October 2006 as live venue to open by June 2007..

Drill Hall (1907)

FORUM Southgate Street (WE) Opened 1934. Architect: W. H. Watkins & E. C. Morgan Wilmott. By 1941 - Prop., Avon Cinema Co., Ltd., to, Windsor Place, Phone Cardiff 225. 2,139 seats, Booked at HO. Continuous from 2.45. Prices 9d. to 2s. 6d. Proscenium width 50ft. Phone Bath 4962. Cafe attached and Dance Hall, Station, Bath, G.W.R. Fitted ‘Ardente’ Deaf Aids. Now Bath City Church

Jubilee Hall (1907)

LITTLE THEATRE St Michael’s Place (WE) - Prop., Consuelo de Reyes, Citizen House, Bath, Booked at Everyman Theatre, Hampstead. Continuous. 218 seats, Prices 8d. and 1s. 2d. Proscenium width 16ft. Stage 16ft. deep. Six dressing rooms, Cafe attached, Station, G,W.R. and Road Transport. Twinned: Seats: 1: 192 2: 74

ODEON James Street West 1: 360 2: 300 3: 210 4: 200 5: 200 6: 125 7: 100 8: 100

ODEON THEATRE / REGAL / PICTUREDROME Southgate Street Opened c1914. 1922 - Prop., Bath Electric Theatre Co., Ltd. Res. Man, & Sec., Arthur Hales. Continuous. Two changes weekly. Prices, 5d. to 1s. Phone, Bath 833. Enlarged & renamed 1930. to Union. To Odeon & re-named 1935. 863 seats. By 1941 (BTH) - Prop., Odeon Theatres, Ltd., Old County Cinema, Marlow, Bucks. Phone Marlow 695-9. Booked at Moor Hall, Cookham, Berks, Continuous from 2.15 p.m. Prices 9d. to 1s. 10d, Stage. Phone Bath 3533. Station, Bath, G.W.R. Closed 13^th December 1969. Demolished.

PALACE THEATRE / PAVILION / LYRIC Opened 1886 as Lyric; 1888 Pavilion. To MacNaghten V. Circuit 1903 as Palace - F. Macnaghten (1907). By 1941: Prop., W. S. Pearce. 900 seats. Variety. Phone Bath 2261. SG46: Prop.: W. S. Pearce. Palace Theatre, Bath. Bookings: Nat Day, Albion House, New Oxford St., London W.C.1. Cap.: 800. Twice-nightly 6.30 and 8.30, Sats. 6 and 8. No Matinées. Variety and revue. Stage: Pros. 24ft., height 18ft., min. depth from Setting line 24ft., height under fly galleries l8ft., width between fly galleries 30ft., grid to stage 28ft., no counter­weight gear, 16 sets lines. Elec. equip. 240 v. A.C. Footlights, three circuits. Four battens each with two circuits. Two spots on stands. Four floods on stands. One f.o.h. following lime. No facilities for flying. Dressing rooms: Eight. Orchestra: Resident eight (piano, two violins, bass, sax, trumpet, trombone, drums). Amplifying equip.: One mike. No turntable. Closed 21^st May 1955 - interior re-modelled. Regency ballroom from 2^nd May 1956. Then wrestling and bingo. (TOIB)

PUMP ROOM 1922 - Dir., John Hatton. Occasional shows.

ROBINS / GEMINI St John’s Place 3 screens. Closed January 2004. Projection & other equipment to Burnham-on-Sea Ritz. Rebuilt internally as EGG - young persons’ theatre. Incorporated into Theatre Royal premises.

SCALA CINEMA / OLDPIELD PARK PICTURE THEATRE Oldfield Park Opened 1913? 1922 - Continuous. Two changes weekly. 1941: (WE) - Props., Harris Cinemas, Ltd., 22 West Park, Redland, Bristol, Phone 35645. 808 seats. Booked by Props. Continuous. Prices 9d. to 1s. 4d. Phone Bath 5020. Stations, Bath, G.W.R. & F.T.S. (Great Britain) Ltd. Closed 1961. Leo’s Superstore. Later Co-op. Threat of closure & demolition 2006.

THEATRE ROYAL (No 2) Egbert Lewis (1907) SG46: Prop.: Reg. A. Maddox. No agent or barring clause. Cap.: Stalls 211, boxes 54, amphitheatre 100, D. Circle 145, U. circle 211, gallery 250. Once-nightly at 7. Matinées Wednesday and Saturday, 2.30. Plays, opera and ballet. Stage: Prosc. 28ft. x 20ft., depth 30ft., height to flies 20ft., width between fly galleries 32ft., stage to grid 40ft., hemp lines 40 sets. Elec. equip.: Voltage 230 A.C. and D.C. Footlights, three with ind. dimmers. Battens, four each with three circuits and dimmers. Spot bar with four spots ind. dimmer controlled, Dressing rooms: Nine. Separate room for orchestra. Orchestra: Acc. for 14. Resident orchestra five. Microphone and two loud speakers. 2006: Still open as theatre. Maddox father & Son for c.50 years mid-20th c.

VAUDEVILLE PICTURE THEATRE 1922 - Prop., Bath Vaudeville Picture Theatre Co. Res. Man. A. E. Vaughan. Continuous. Two changes weekly. Prices, 9d. to 1s. 6d. Station, Bath, G.W.R.

BATLEY Yorks

COLLIN’S CINEMA Victoria Street, Batley Carr 1922 - Prop., Collins Cinema Co., Ltd. Res. Man., H. Westmoreland. Two shows nightly. Mat., Mon. & Sat. Two changes weekly. Prices, 5d. to 1s. 1928: Prop. Collin’s Cinema Co. Ltd. Res. Man. H. Westmorland. Prices: 2½ to 11d. 1938 Prop: T. Bickler. By 1941 - (WE) Prop., Bickler Cinemas, Ltd., 211a Harrogate Road, Leeds. Phone 65986. Occasional Variety, Booked at Leeds, Con­tinuous. Prices 5d. to 1s. 2d. Phone Dewsbury 267. Stage. Station, Batley Carr, L.M.S. & L.N.E.R.

CO-OP HALL up 250 stone steps - 1st cinema.

EMPIRE Super CINEMA St. James Street By 1941: (WE) - Prop., Batley Theatre & Opera House, Ltd. 933 seals. Booked at Hall. Continuous. Two changes weekly. Prices 5d. to 1s. 2d. Phone Batley 412, Station, Batley, L.N.E.R. & L.M.S. To A.S. Hyde Circuit.

PLAZA Well Lane 1938: Props: Jefton Entertainments Ltd., Cross St. Manchester. Tel: Blackfriars 0752. 1941: (WE) - Props., Central Picture Theatres (Lincoln) Ltd., Central Chambers, 42, Albion Street, Leeds. 628 seats, Con­tinuous. Prices 4d. to 1s. 3d. Booked at Leeds, Proscenium width 22ft. Phone Batley 308. Station, Batley, L.M.S.

PICTURE PALACE Well Lane 1928 - Prop. Batley Pictures Ltd. Res. Man. W.H. Copeland. Bked @ Hall. Twice nightly. Mat: Mon & Sat.. Prices: 2½ to 11d. Tel: Batley 308

REGENT PICTURE HOUSE Bradford Road 1922 -Prop., Regent Pictures (Batley) Ltd. Man. Dir., G. Day. Two shows nightly. Two changes weekly. 1926: Gen. Man & Sec. Charles William Clow. Bked @ Hall. Two shows nightly. Three mats. Variety once a month, booked by Hodgson’s Variety Agency, Bradford. Stage: 5ft. deep. 4d to 1s. To A. S. Hyde Circuit. By 1941: (WE) - Props., Regent Pictures (Batley) Ltd. 810 seats. Booked at Hall. Continuous Mon. to Fri. Two shows, Sat, Mat., Tues. and Sat, Prices 5d. to 1s. 2d. Phone Batley 449. Station. Batley, LN.E.R. & L.M.S.

THEATRE ROYAL (No 3) Opened 1896. J. E. Whitty (1907). ? Became cinema in 1921. Demolished 1961.

Town Hall (1907)

VICTORIA CINEMA / Victoria Hall Branch Road f., J. Hopkinson in 1907. 1922 as Vic H - Prop., Regent’s Pictures (Batley), Ltd. Man. Dir., G. Day. Two shows nightly. Two changes weekly. Station,, Batley, G.N.R. 1928: Prop: Regent Pictures (Batley) Ltd. Gen. Man & Sec. Charles Clow. Bked @ Regent Picture House. Two shows nightly. Three mats. Pictures & variety. Booked by Hodgson’s Variety Agency, Bradford. Stage: 21ft. deep. 2d to 8d.Tel: Batley 449 By 1941: (RCA) - Props., Regent Pictures (Batley) Ltd., St. James Street, Batley. 750 seats. Films booked at Empire Cinema. Two shows nightly. Prices 4d. to 10d. Phone Batley 412. 1954: Props: Yorkshire Cinemas (Batley) Ltd. 636 seats. Cont from 5.30 p.m. Mon - Fri., Sat from 1.30. Prices: 6d to 1/6d. Three changes weekly. Bked @ Leeds. Tel: 1047

 

BATTLE Sussex

BATTLE CINEMA 1922 - Prop. & Res. Man., J. C. Bissell. One show nightly. Two changes weekly. Prices, 5d. to 1s. Station, Battle S.E. & C.R.

Drill Hall (1907)

BAWTRY Yorks

PICTURE PALACE (BA) - Prop., Palace Cinema (Bawtry) Ltd., 4 Tickhill Road, Doncaster. Phone 53166. Continuous, Booked at Leeds, Prices 7d. to 1s. 2d. Phone Bawtry 81. Station, Bantry, L.N.E.R.

 

BEACONSFIELD Bucks

The CHILTERN / PICTURE HOUSE Station Road Opened 1927. 1937: (Picturetone) Prop., H. S. Morgan. 500 seats.Phone 268. 1941: (BTP) -Props. Weller & Stevenson’s Theatres, Broadway Cinema, Chalfont St. Peter. Phone Gerrard’s Cross 2904. 500 seats. Booked at H O. Continuous, Prices 7d. to 2s. 6d, Phone Beaconsfield 248. Station, Beaconsfield, G.W.R. & G.C. Joint. Now adventure playground.

BEAMISH Co Durham

BEAMISH PICTUREDROME Handenhold 18^th Oct 1912 - 28^th Jan 1914 (Frank Manders)

BEAUFORT Mon.

CINEMA 1941 - Props., Beaufort Cinema & Billiard Hall Co., Ltd. Continuous when open. Stations, Beaufort or Ebbw Vale, L.M.S., & Ebbw Vale, G.W.R.

GAIETY / Gaiety Hall 1922 as GH - Prop., Blaina Cinema Co. Res, Man,, R. Lee., One show nightly. Two changes weekly. Prices, 5d. to 9d. Station, Beaufort, G.W.R. By 1941: (BA) - 560 seats.

 

BEBINGTON Cheshire

RIALTO Bebington Rd., New Ferry (WE) - Prop., Bedford Cinemas (1928) Ltd., 29, Castle Street, Liverpool, 2. 1,271 seats. Continuous. Prices 6d. to 1s. 3d. Phone Rock Ferry 1383.

ESSOLDO / REGAL Bebington Road Opened 12^th February 1938. Architect: S. Colwyn Foulkes, 1316 seats. To Southan Morris, To Essoldo 26^th August 1954. Closed 22 February 1969. Soon demolished.

 

BECCLES Suffolk

CINEMA Saltergate Opened October 1914. Prop., A. P. Robinson. 500 seats. Prosc. 24′, 12′ deep; two dressing rooms. Once nightly. 2d. to 1s. 1922 - Prop., Elkington, Elliott & Hipperson, Res. Man., E. A. Atkinson. Continuous. Mat. Sat. Two changes weekly. Prices, 5d. to 1s. 10d. Phone, Lowestoft 104. Station, Beccles, G.E.R. To Mrs E. E. Hipperson. Sound 1932 - The Love Parade. To Beccles Cine Co 1934. By 1941 - Props., Beccles Cinema Co., Ltd. 400 seats. Closed February 1960 - Life in Emergency - Ward 10 and Ask Any Girl. Showroom & warehouse, now furniture shop.

Corn Hall / THEATRE Exchange Square 1819 - 1845. Built by David Fisher. 1819 - 1845. Frederick Charles Burton, ‘the last of the barnstormers’, took a benefit there. He died in 1917 aged 95. By the 20s it had become the Corn Hall. Still there behind Lloyd’s Bank, part of same building. (Mellor)

Public Hall / Town Hall f., G. Fisk (1907) Built 1785 - often used for dramatic performances before the Fisher Theatre was built. Early film shows till 1914. Still stands.

REGAL THEATRE Ballygate (WE) Opened 26^th October 1931 - Monte Carlo. Architect: Cecil Masey & F. J. Meen. Stadium seating. Prosc. 36′x20′, depth 15′; four dressing rooms. Prop, Beccles Cinema Co., Ltd. Mgr./chairman Ronald Barnett. 647 seats. Booked at Hall. By 1941: Continuous. Twice on Sat. Mats., Wed, and Sat, Prices 7d. to 2s, Proscenium width 36ft. Phone Beccles 133. Station, Beccles, L.N.E.R. BA sound fitted later. 1955 - CinemaScope. Closed Saturday 20^th November 1976 - Kelly’s Heroes. Bingo + live shows. Demolished 1989 - except for adjoining shops & flats.

NEW CINEMA - ?reference to the Regal

 

BECKENHAM Kent

ODEON THEATRE Elmers End 46 Croydon Road Opened 26^th August 1939 - The Man in the Iron Mask. Architect: Keith Roberts (Andrew Mather). 1,518 seats. Prop., Odeon Theatres, Ltd., Old County Cinema, Marlow, Bucks. Phone Marlow 695-9. Continuous. Prices 9d. to 1s. 10d, Booked at Moor Hall, Cookham, Berks, Phone Beckenham 5081. Closed 5^th January 1957 - Dance with me Henry and Overland Pacific. Demolished. (Shortest-lived original Odeon except bombed Canning Town.)

ODEON / ABC / MGM / CANNON / ABC 1,2,3 / ABC / REGAL High Street Opened 22^nd September 1930 - The Rogue Song. Architect: Robert Cromie. Prop., Beckenham Picture Houses, Ltd. (Alfred Reed’s Theatres). 1,980 seats. Prosc. 47ft. Projection box at rear of stalls. Organ from September 931: WurliTzer 2/8 (rebuilt as 3c. 1937). Bought by Union 1936. 6d. to 2/-. By 1941: (WE) - Props., Union Cinemas Ltd., 15, Regent Street, London, S.W.1, Phone 8484. Continuous. Pic­tures and Variety. Booked at H O. Café and Dance Hall attached. Stage, 24ft. Seven dressing-rooms. Phone Beckenham 1171, Stations, Clock House or Beckenham Junction, SR. Renamed ABC 1962. Tripled 1978/9 Seats: 587 (former circle) 295, 124. Now 6 screens

PAVILION High Street (Edibell) Opened 31^st October 1914. Continuous. Two changes weekly. Props. South London Cinema Co. (1916) Ltd. 1922 - Prop., South London Cinema Co. (1916) Ltd. Res. Man., Miss Jordan. Continuous. Two changes weekly. Prices, 5d. to 2s. 4d. Station, Beckenham, S.E. & C.R. c.1928, Frank Theobald, mgr. closed c.1933.

Public Hall f., T. W. Thornton (1907)

Extra information: B. Hornsey (Bromley booklet)

 

BECONTREE Essex

ODEON / REGENT CINEMA Green Lane, Chadwell Heath Opened 1929. Architect: Lewis Solomon & Sons. Prop. Kay Ltd. (Kessex Cinemas). Café. (RCA) - Prop., Kessex Cinemas, Ltd., Film House, Wardour Street, London W1, Phone Gerrard 5252. 1,500 seats. Booked at H. O. Continuous, Prices 9d. to 1s. 10d. Stage and 4 dressing-rooms. Phone Seven Kings 2302. Station, Chadwell Heath, L.N.E.R. Leased then sold to Odeon and re-named 1946. Closed 4^th April 1970. Empty. Bingo.

 

BEDALE Yorks

ASSEMBLY ROOMS Market Place - Occasional shows, 200 seats.

Drill Hall, f., J, Linscott (1907)

BEDFORD Beds

CANNON / GRANADA 5-9 St. Peter’s Street (RCA) Opened 15^th December 1934 - The Thin Man. Architects: William T. Benslyn, James Morrison & R. Furneaux Jordan (Theodore Komisarjevsky interiors). 1,690 seats (996 stalls + 694 circle). Props., The Granada Theatres, Ltd., 36, Golden Square, W1. Phone Gerrard 3554. Phone Bedford 3348. Café attached. 70mm 28^th July 1968 - Doctor Dolittle. Mgr. Charles Field. 29^th July 1974 café converted to Granada 2. 209 seats. Existing box used - periscope system. 1982 Granada proposed bingo in main house, keeping mini as cinema. To Cannon January 1989 & re-named. Closed 2^nd December 1990 - The Exorcist 3 and Flatliners Screen 2. Demolished February 1991. Supermarket - now with BFI commemorative plaque.

CENTURY / PLAZA / Castle Rink Embankment Opened October 1909 as skating rink, later dances, exhibitions, boxing, variety shows, and as a café. To Robert Chetham February 1924. Converted to Plaza 4^th March 1929. 1052 seats - single well-raked floor. Pictures & occasional stage shows. By 1941: (WE) - Prop., R. Chetham. 1,052 seats. Continuous. Proscenium width 40ft. Phone Bedford 2345. Station, Bedford, Midland Road. L.M.S. Post-war run by John Chetham. Last mgr. Stan Hunt. Sold to Granada 17^th February 1969, renamed Century. Reduced to 973 seats. Mgr Ronnie Blake, David Simpson Apri1 1970 to September 1971. Then Richard Wilson. Closed 22^nd June 1974 - The Professionals. Bought by council. Plans to convert to live theatre / regional film theatre shelved. Leased for 5 years to operator of Royal County, for use as restaurant/nightclub. Failed. Demolished 1983.

CINEWORLD / UGC / CANNON Aspects Leisure Park, Newnham Avenue Opened 20^th December 1990. Seats: 1: 336 2: 293 3: 293 4: 290 5: 191 6: 191 UGC until summer 2005.

CIVIC THEATRE - projection facilities.

Corn Exchange f. (1907) Early film seasons.

GRANADA 3 / EMFIRE 27 Midland Road Opened 27^th May 1912. Prop., Ernest Blake. 534 seats (374+160). 1922 Prop., Blake Bros., (Theatres) Ltd. Res. Man., F. Simms. Three shows daily. Two changes weekly. Phone, Bedford 738. Station, Bedford, M.R.

Taken over by Granada (Bernstein Theatres Ltd. ) Christmas Day 1934. 682 seats. By 1941: (WE) Props., The Granada Theatres, Ltd., 36, Golden Square, W1. Phone Gerrard 3554. Phone Bedford 3848. Station, Bedford, L.M.S. Closed, improved, and re-opened 1954. ‘Closed until further notice’ 6^th September 1975 - Superchick and Knucklemen. Reopened as Granada 3 18^th April 1976. Closed 19^th June 1977 and demolished. Electricity Board showroom.

PALACE High Street/Silver Street Opened 6^th April 1912. Architects: Warner & Felce. Prop., Blake brothers. 600 seats. 1922 Prop., Bedford Palace, Ltd.. Res. Man., W. Kettles. Continuous. Daily mat. Two changes weekly. Phone, Bedford 738. Station, Bedford, M.R. Bought by Granada 1934. Closed 22^nd March 1936. Immediately demolished. Shop.

PICTUREDROME Duck Mill Walk Opened 2^nd May 1910. Leased to Blake brothers, later Robert Chetham 1917. 1937 - 590 seats. By 1941: (WE) - Prop., R. Chetham, ‘Turton,’ Bedford, Phone 2913. 600 seats. Continuous. Booked at Hall. Prices 6d. to 1s. 6d, Phone Bedford 3331. Station, Bedford L.M.S. To John Chetham Closed 1964. Demolished. County Hotel.

ROYAL COUNTY THEATRE Midland Road (No 3) Adapted from Central Hall (1898) & opened in 1899 as Royal County Theatre & Opera House. E. Graham-Falcon (1907) WWI - officers’ training school. 1937 prop. W. Graham Falcon. Cap. 1,000. WWII - Salvation Army canteen. Re-opened 1945. SG46: Prop.: Rose Newton, Royal County Theatre, Bedford. Cap.: Orch. stalls 87, stalls 86, P. stalls 99, pit 98, D. circle 85, Fam. circle 97, balcony 126. Barring clause: 17 miles’ radius. Once nightly 7. Matinées Saturday 2.30. Twice nightly 6.30 and 8.40, Saturday matinée. No set policy. Stage: Prosc. 26ft. Height 20ft. Min. depth from setting line 21ft. Height under fly galleries 21ft. Width between fly galleries 30ft. 6 in. Height of grid from stage 46ft. 6 in. No counterweight gear. 28 sets hemp lines. Elec. equip.: 210 v. A.C. Footlights, three circuits with dim­mers. Three battens each with three circuits with dimmers. Two floods on stands. Three following limes (one f-o-h, two perches). Dressing rooms: Six large. Separate room for orchestra. Orchestra: Acc. 16. Resident eight (2 violins, bass, trombone, 2 trumpets, piano, drums) Amplifying equip.: Microphone supplied. Closed 1959. Bingo 1963. By 1974 - theatre restaurant. Bingo. By 2006 - Church of Zion.

 

BEDFORD LEIGH, Lancs - see Leigh, Lancs.

 

BEDLINGTON Northumb

Locke Memorial Hall f., (1907)

PALACE THEATRE Opened c.1896. 1922 - Prop., Northern Entertainments Co. Res. Man., Fred Grantham. Two shows nightly, Mon. & Sat., one rest of week. Four changes weekly. Prices, 7d. to 1s. 3d. Station, Bedlington, N.E.R. Closed c.1927. Re-built as Wallaw.

PRINCE OF WALES Glebe Road Opened c. 1890. To cinema c.1918. Run by C. N. Walton in 1939. By 1941: (WE) - Prop., Emily Hastwell, c/o Walton, 53 Westlands Road, Darlington. 736 seats, Continuous. Two changes weekly. Prices 7d. to 1s. 2d. Booked at Newcastle. Phone 3223. Station, Bedling­ton, L.N.E.R. Later Crown Tombola Club. Demolished.

WALLAW CINEMA (WE) - Prop., Wallaw Picture, Ltd., Ashington, Northumb. Booked at H.O. 1,356 seats. Two shows nightly. Prices 7d. to 1s. 2d, Phone 2259. Station, Bedlington. Demolished.

 

BEDMINSTER Glos - See Bristol

 

BEDWAS and MACHEN Mon

WORKMEN’S HALL (RCA) -Props., Bedwas Workmen Hall Institute, Booked at Hall. 850 seats. Continuous, Prices 4d. to 1s. Proscenium width 22ft. Phone Bedwas 23. Stations, Bedwas & Caerphilly, G.W.R.

PAVILION KYB 1922

BEDWORTH Warwick

GRAND CINEMA Bulkington 1941: Prop., - Nicholls. Booked at Hall. Continuous. Two changes weekly. Station, Bedworth. L.M.S.

PALACE Leicester Road 1922 - Prop., F. Williams. By 1941: (BTH) - Prop., Edward W. Wallis. 850 seats. Booked at Hall, Continuous. Two Changes weekly. Prices 6d. to 1s. 3d. Pros­cenium width 20ft. Phone Bedworth 86. (Closed.) 1951: Prop., Palace (Bedworth) Ltd., 687 Stratford Road Birmingham. Phone Springfield 2111. 515 seats. Booked at H.Q. Continuous evenings; mats. Wed & sat. Two changes weekly. Prices 7d to 2/4. Station, Bedworth. To Peter Hocking. Bingo in 2006.

PLAZA / STAR CINEMA / STAR KINEMA 1922 as SK - Prop., W. L. Shortridge and J. Smith. Man. W. E. Steven. Continuous. Two changes weekly. Prices, 5d. to 1s. Station, Bedworth, L.N.W.R. By 1941: (Morrison) King Street,-Prop., Edward W. Wallis, Coventry Road, Bulkington. 386 seats, Booked at Hall, Continuous, Prices 5d. to 11d, Station, Bedworth, L.M.S. Closed.

Public Hall f., T. P. Harrison (1907)

ROYAL PICTURE THEATRE 1922 - Prop., Whittall & Shute. Res. Man., E. A. Shute. One show nightly, two on Sat., mat. Mon., Tues. and Sat. Two changes weekly. Prices, 4d. to 6d. Station, Bedworth, L.N.W.R.

BEESTON Notts

CLASSIC / ESSOLDO / ASTORIA Derby Road, Lenton Abbey (BTP) Opened Monday 8^th June 1936. Architect: A. J. Thraves. Prop., Lenton Abbey Astoria Ltd. 1,144 seats. By 1941: Props., Abbey Theatres, Ltd., Elite Bldgs., Notting­ham. 1,200 seats. Continuous, evenings only. Prices 8d. to 1s. 6d. Booked at H.O. by Herbert Elton, Phone Nottingham 2273-4. Proscenium width 38ft. Phone 54758. Station, Beeston, L.M.S. To Essoldo 1949 & re-named Friday 1^st August 1952. Closed 18^th April 1970. Re-opened as New Essoldo Monday 28^th December 1970. 437 seats. To Classic Friday 31^st March OR 2^nd April 1972. Closed to film Saturday 1^st OR 11^th October 1975. Bingo. Skateboard. Snooker hall, derelict 1993. Demolished December 1993 - January 1994.

Council School Rooms New School, Baugh (1907)

ESSOLDO / MAJESTIC CINEMA Queen’s Road/Station Road (BTH) Opened Thursday 1^st September 1938. Architect: E. S. Roberts. 1,038 seats. By 1941 - Props., Abbey Theatres. Ltd., Elite Buildings, Nottingham. 1,000 seats. Prices 8d. to ls.6d. Booked by Herbert Elton. Phone Nottingham 2273/4. Continuous. Phone 55123. Station, Beeston, Notts. To Henton (Midlands) Ltd. To Essoldo 1949 & re-named c.1951. Closed to film Saturday 14^th September 1968. Bingo. Demolished July 1988.

PALLADIUM (1) / COSYDROME CINEMA / COZYDROME Chapel Street Opened August Bank Holiday 1907 - conversion of chapel. Re-named Cosydrome Cinema August 1908. Closed mid-December 1909. Ran as Pall. Wednesday 30^th October 1912 to Saturday 11^th October 1913.

PALLADIUM SUPER CINEMA (2) High Road Opened Friday Boxing Day 1913. 1922 - Prop., Palladium (Beeston, Notts), Ltd. Res. Man., Thos. J. N. Meakin. Continuous. Two changes weekly. Prices, 6d. to 1s. 3d. Station, Beeston, M.R., 124 miles. By 1941: (BTH) - Props., Palladium (Beeston, Notts) Ltd., Burton Bldgs., Parliament Street, Notting­ham, Phone Nottingham 42081. 750 seats. Booked at HO. Continuous. Stage, 15ft. deep. Prices 6d, to 1s. 4d. Proscenium width 25ft. Phone 54619. Closed Saturday 18^th April 1959. Demolished.

PALACE / PICTURE PALACE High Road High Road Opened Saturday 1^st February 1913. 1922 - Prop., Beeston Picture Palace, Ltd. Res. Man., Theodore Jones. Continuous. Two changes weekly. Prices, 4d. to 1s. Phone 105. By 1941: (WE) - Prop. J. H. H. Allsop. 700 seats. Booked at Hall. Continuous. Two changes weekly. Prices 7d. to 1s. 4d. Station, Beeston, L.M.S., & Road Transport. Closed Saturday 20^th February 1960. Demolished. Shops.

PAVILION High Road Opened Friday 16^th February 1912. ‘Tin Trunk’ - probably temporary wood & corrugated-iron erection. Closed Saturday 7^th December 1912.

BEIGHTON Derbys

Board School Room C. Hellwell (1907)

CENTRAL HALL High Street (BTH) 420 seats. Once nightly, twice Sat. Prices 4d, to 1s. Closed 1968, now garage premises.

PICTURE PALACE 1922 KYB. 1937: (BTH) Prop. Mr. Whiteley. 500 seats.

BELPER Derby

PALACE / PICTURE PALACE King Street 1922 - Prop., Thos. P. Moorley. Res. Man., William H. Morton. One show nightly. Two changes weekly. Prices, 5d. to 1s. Station, Belper, M.R., 134 miles. By 1941: (WE) - Prop., Thos, P. Moorley. 850 seats. One show nightly, twice Sat, Mat., Sat. Two changes weekly. Booked by J. Pollard, Bentick Chambers, Mansfield. Prices 6d. to 1s. 2d, Width of Proscenium, 24ft. Stage, 18ft. Three dressing-rooms. Phone 153. Station, Belper, L.M.S. Closed 1960. Demolished, Wilkinsons on site.

RITZ / Public Hall King Street - Props., Belper Public Hall Co., Ltd. f., J. Pym (1907). 1941: (BTH) Booked by J. Pollard, Bentick Chambers, Mansfield. 725 seats. Once nightly, twice Sat., Mat., Wed, Prices 6d. to 1s. 2d, Proscenium width 22ft. Stat­ion, Belper, L.M.S. 55 seats. Later split for bingo / film - 555 seats. Then former circle twinned 1971. To Sam Lavington. Sold as flat at £4,500, personal cinema came free. Lease to Peter & Maureen Moss. Lease sold. Prop. ran off October 1991. Closed. Lottery Grant 2006. Re-opened Friday 3^rd November 2006.

 

BELTON nr Doncaster Lincs

Conservative Hall f., J. W. Ross (1907)

PUBLIC HALL Grey Green - Prop., Trustees. Res. Man., W. Ross. Occasional shows. Prices 6d. to 1s. 6d. Station, Belton, Axholme Ry.

 

BELLINGHAM Northumb

CINEMA / TOWN HALL CINEMA 1922 - Prop. Bellingham Cinema Co. Res. Man., N. M. McGowan. Two shows nightly. Three changes weekly. Prices, 1s. 3d. to 1s. 9d. Station, Bellingham, N.E.R.

 

BELVEDERE Kent

BELVEDERE CINEMA Picardy Street (AWH) - Prop., J. Helsdon Burton, 5 Bloomsbury Place, Southampton Row, W.C.1, Phone Museum 5853. 400 seats, when reconstructed. Continuous. Booked at H O. Prices 6d. to 1s. 6d. (Closed.) Possibly this was the Cosy, and the reconstruction never happened.

Public Hall f., Dr. H. Crane (1907)

COSY TALKIE THEATRE / GRAND ELECTRIC THEATRE Picardy St/Sheridan Rd Opened c.1913. Props. W. T. Smith & Son (Geo. Edward) 1922 - Prop., W. T. Smith & Son. Res. Man., W. T. Smith. Continuous. Three changes weekly. Prices, 5d. to 1s. 6d. c.1930. Taken over by W. A. Atkinson, AWH sound installed. 275 seats. Continuous. Prices 6d. to 1s. 6d. . 1931 re-named Cosy. Prop., British Comedies Ltd. 1937: (AWH) Prop., J. Helsdon Burton. Phone 384. Converted to Kit-Kat Ballroom. Demolished - flats now on site.

QUEENSLAND ELECTRIC THEATRE Crabtree Manor Way Opened 1913/4 - conversion of auction room (April 1913 plans). Props., Chas. Crump & Chas. Wimm. Architect: ? W. Roberts, Erith. c.250 seats. Cost £800. 1922 - Prop., Crump & Wren. Res. Man., C. W. Crump. Phone, Erith 250. Sold c. 1922 to Walter M. Sparrow & Wm. Skinnerton. Continuous. Three changes weekly. Prices 5d. to 8d. 1924 re-named. 1925: Props., Sparrow & Skinnerton. Res. Mgr. W. M. Sparrow. Booked at hall. Continuous. Three changes weekly. Prices d t 8d. Phone Erith 250. Films by motor transport. Sold c1928 to L. W. Fox. No talkies. Skating rink. Later Pentecostal Baptist Church.

 

BENTHAM Yorks

PICTURE HOUSE

Public Hall f., R. Sanderson (1907)

 

BENTLEY with ARKSEY, near Doncaster Yorks

COLISEUM (WE) - 900 seats

Town Hall J. Peters (1907)

 

BERKELEY Glos

THE BERKELEY / ELECTRIC CINEMA Station Road-Lessee, Alan G. Mason, High Street. Phone Berkeley 35. 300 seats, Booked by Prop. Continuous, Mon. to Fri.; twice on Sat, Two changes weekly. Prices 6d. to 1s. 6d. Station. Berkeley, G.W.R. Films by Road Transport.

 

BERKHAMSTED Herts

COURT THEATRE High Street Opened Saturday 24^th March 1917 - rebuild of brewery. Architect: Ewan S. Barr. Prop. David Pike & P.P. co. Cap. 700+, later 624. Mgr C. W. Fox. To S&K by March 1930. Rebuilt/modernised with new entrance block 17^th September 1934. c.1,000 seats. Organ: Christie 3c/6 (stage left chamber) with surround on lift - removed 1937. Rep. th. 1939-40. By 1941: (WE) - Props., Shipman & King, M84, Shell Mex House, Strand, London W.C. Phone Temple Bar 5077. Booked at HO. Continuous from 2 p.m. Proscenium width. 34ft. Phone 154. Station, Berkhamsted. L.M.S. Closed 11^th June 1960 - The Horse Soldiers. Supermarket. Fire 1969. Demolished. Tesco on site.

GEM Cowper Road Opened 1911 - corrugated iron. Cap. 168. Closed c.1913.

PICTURE PLAYHOUSE King’s Arms Yard Prince Edward Street Opened c.November 1912 - conversion of stables. Architect: Herbert A. Bowes. 340 seats on one raked floor. Closed 17^th March 1917. Now re-fronted as King’s Hall.

REX High Street (RCA) Opened 9^th May 1938. Architect: David E. Nye. Props: Shipman & King, M84. Shell Mex House. Strand, London W.C. Phone Temple Bar 5077. 1,100 seats. Booked at H.O. Continuous from 2 p.m. Café. Phone Berkhamsted 134. Station, Berkhamsted L.M.S. Closed 16^th January 1973 - The Amazing Mr Blunden. To Star & re-named Studio 1 - part-time bingo. To Zetter & circle twinned as Rex 1 & 2 1976. Stalls bingo. Closed to film. [600 seat restored for 6^th December 2004 re-opening as part of scheme converting rest of building to flats]

Town Hall, f., W. J. Pickin (1907)

BERWICK-on-TWEED Northumb

BERWICK THEATRE (WE) -Props., Berwick Theatre, Ltd., 3, Bridge Street, Berwick, Phone 203. 1,100 seats. Booked in Newcastle. Continuous. Prices 7d. to 1s. 6d. Proscenium width 33ft. Stage, 28ft. deep. Six dressing-rooms. Café and Dance Hall. Phone Berwick 268. Station, Berwick, L.N.E.R.

Corn Ex­change, f, A. L. Miller (1907)

PLAYHOUSE Sandgate - Opened between 2^nd August 1913 / 9^th April 1914. By 1941: (WE) Props., Berwick Playhouse Co. 992 seats, Booked at Hall. Continuous, Prices 6d. to 1s. 3d. Stage, four dressing rooms. Phone Berwick 155. Seats: 650. Fly tower over acting area. Closure announced for 31^st August 2005.

Queen’s Rooms, f., W. M. Mather (1907)

THEATRE Old Brewery Lane, Hide Hill. ‘A very simple long room which had a raked floor and scenery painted on the wall of the stage area’ - letter from Borough Planning Officer. 1978: owned by Joe Youngman who purchased the building as part of the A&B Garage. (BTG)

 

BEVERLEY Yorks

Assembly Rooms f., F. Mills (1907) Became part of Regal.

MARBLE ARCH PICTURE PALACE Butcher Row Opened post-WWI by Joshua Butt. 1922 - Prop., Marble Arch Picture Palace, Ltd.. Res. Man., E. H. Butt. Continuous. Mat.. Mon., Thurs., Sat. Two changes weekly. Prices, 3d. to 1s. 5d. Phone, Beverley 129. Station, Beverley, N.E.R. By 1941: (WE) Props., Marble Arch Picture Palace Co. (Beverley) Ltd. 1,100 seats. Booked at Leeds. Continuous. Mat., Mon., Thurs and Sat. Two changes weekly. Occasional Variety. Prices 6d. to 1s. 4d. Stage, 14ft. deep. Phone 168. Café attached. Station, Beverley, L.N.E.R.; & Road Transport. Demolished, supermarket car park.

PICTURE PLAYHOUSE / Corn Exchange 1886 - leased by Ernest Symmons in 1913 and converted to cinema. 1922 -Props., E. F. Symmons & L. C. Holderness. Res. Man., E. F. Symmons. Continuous. Mat. Thurs. Two changes weekly. Prices, 4½d. to 1s. Phone 15. Station, Beverley, N.E.R. By 1941: (Wired) Prop., E. P. Symmons, 5, Eastgate. 480 seats, Booked at Hall, Continuous. Two shows Sat, Mat., Mon. and Thurs. Prices 6d. to 1s. 4d. Phone Beverley 15. Station, Beverley, L.N.E.R. Closed. Attempt at re-opening failed.

REGAL Norwood (WE) Opened 2^nd November 1935. Local co. & County. Architect: Robert Cromie. Part of Assembly Rooms block. Bought by ABC 1937. Props., Associated British Cinemas, Ltd., 30 31 Golden Square, London W1. Booked at H. O., Continuous. 946 seats. 6d. to 1s 6d. Café and Dance Hall. Phone 368. Station, Beverley, L.N.E.R.; & Road Transport. Fitted ‘Ardente’ Deaf Aids. Closed 22^nd June 1968. Bingo / snooker. Derelict.

THEATRE - part of Butler’s York Circuit. 1805. Lost by Butler c.1816.

BEWDLEY Worcs

GARDEN CINEMA 1922 as New Garden. By 1941 as Garden: (BA) -Props., J. E. Smithson, Greenacres, Habberley Road, Wribbenhall. Booked at Bewdley. 500 Seats. Continuous. Mon., to Fri., Mat. Sat. Prices 6d. to 1s. 2d. Proscenium width 30ft. Stage, 10ft. deep. Two dressing rooms, Phone Bewdley 26. Station, Bewdley, G.W.R.

St. George’s Hall, f., Mrs. Woodward (1907)

 

BEXHILL-on-SEA Sussex

ABC / RITZ Buckhurst Road (WE) Opened 18^th January 1937. Architects: Verity & Beverley. 1,142 seats. - 1941: Props., Union Cinemas, Ltd., Union House, 15, Regent Street, London, SW1. 1,126 seats. Proscenium width 44ft. Booked at H. O. Continuous, Phone Bexhill 600. Station, Bexhill, S.R. Closed 2^nd December 1961. Bingo. Demolished.

CINEMA de LUXE Western Road Opened 1913. 1921 - Prop., Playhouses (Bexhill), Ltd. Res. Man., H. Holton. Continuous. Two changes weekly. Prices, 5d. to 1s. 3d. Phone, Bexhill 79. Station, Bexhill, L.B. & S.C.R. Closed 1921, now a garage.

De La WARR PAVILION Marina Opened 1935. Prop., Corporation. Architects: Erich Mendelsohn & Serge Chermayeff. SG46: Cap.: Stalls, 650, balcony 500. Once nightly 7.30. Matinées Wednesday or Thursday and Saturday. Repertory, summer shows, orchestral concerts. Stage: Prosc. 28ft., height 14ft., depth 25ft., height under flies 28ft., width between flies 32ft., height of grid 40ft., hump lines 28, not including spot bar or battens. Elec. equip.: 230 v. A.C., 50 cycles. Foot­lights, three, battens, three, each with three circuits, spot bar with eight spots. Floods coupled to three dimmers, Pit lighting with three circuits. 15 dips. One spot on stand. 12 floods on stands. 12 f.o.h. pre-set spots. Two f.o.h. following limes. Five spots between battens. Dressing rooms: Five single, two chorus. Band room. Orchestra: Three (acc, 40). Piano, violin, ‘cello. Summer rep’ 50s - Penguin Players, then Richard Burnett.

Egerton Park/Pergola opened 1906. Closed c.1935. Demolished.

GAIETY /York Hall London Road Opened 1895. Architect: Randolf Richard. f., J. Osborn (1907) Rebuilt 1935 - (WE) Props., Gaiety (Bexhill) Ltd., 9, North Street, Brighton, Booked at Picturedrome, Eastbourne, by Managing Director. Continuous. Phone Bexhill 680. Closed by bomb l944.

Jubilee Memorial Hall f., P. S. Hallett (1907)

Pavilion Theatre/ Kursaal Opened 1896. Architect: G.H. Grey. J. M. Glover (1907). ?alteres 1911 Renamed WWI. Closed c.1935. Demolished 1936.

REDSTACK PLAYHOUSE / CURZON / CLASSIC / PLAYHOUSE (WE) Western Road 1922 - Prop., Play­houses (Bexhill), Ltd. Res. Man., H. Bolton. Continuous. Two changes weekly. Prices, 5d. to 2s. 4d. Phone, Bexhill 78. Station, Bexhill, L.B. & S.C.R. 1941 - Props., Kinema Playhouses, Ltd. Man. Dir., Randolph E. Richards. Booked at Picturedrome, Eastbourne, Continuous, Phone Bexhill 78, Station, Bexhill S.R. 1955 mgr. Peter Button. Later - circle only. Seats: 175. Closed 28th October 2004 as Curzon; reopened December 2005, partly as live theatre. 175 seats.

SAVOY / CARLTON CINEMA / St. GEORGE’S / NEW PALACE / BIJOU Town Hall Square Opened 1910, altered 1912. 1922 as St. G’s. - Prop., J. F. Ash., Res. Man., Mrs. J. F. Ash. Three shows daily. Two changes weekly. Prices, 8d. to 1s. 10d. Phone, Bexhill 423. Station, Bexhill, L.B. & S.C.R. By 1941 (men) - Prop., A. Alcock, Glebe Cottage, Sedlescombe, Battle. Phone Seddlescombe 62. 490 seats. Booked at Hall. Continuous, Prices 6d. to 1s. 6d. Phone Bexhill 423. Station, Bexhill Central, S.R. (from Charing Cross & Victoria). (Closed.) Re-opened Closed 1954. Demolished mid-80s (Theatres Trust)

Victoria Hall (1907)

BEXLEY and BEXLEYHEATH Kent

ABC 1 - 4 / ABC CINEBOWL / REGAL (WE) Broadway Opened 3^rd September 1934. Architect: Richard Cromie. 2.044 seats. Organ: Compton. Leased to Sidney Bacon Pictures Ltd. c1935: bought by Union Cinemas, Ltd. Managed by Associated British Cinemas, 30-31 Golden Square, W1, 1,947 seats. Continuous. Booked at H O. Proscenium width 45ft. Stage, 44ft. Four dressing rooms, Phone Bexley 1680, Station, Bexleyheath, S.R. Films by Road Transport. Fitted ‘Ardente’ Deaf Aids. Bomb destroyed organ chambers. Renamed ABC January 1962. Bowling alley added. Quads 25^th May 1978: 506, 350, 230, 216. Closed & demolished 1987. Site - Asda superstore.

ASTOR / PALACE (2) Opened 1934 - rebuild of Pal 1. 1941: (BTP) - Prop., Harry Quinton, Glouces­ter House, Warren Road, Bexleyheath. Phone 1999. 786 seats. Prosc. 26ft.Continuous, Booked at Hall, Prices 6d, to 2s. Station, Bexleyheath, S.R. 1961: sold and renames. Closed to film 4^th November 1967 - Up the Creek and Raising the Wind. Bingo. Closed. Demolished.

BROADWAY / NEW CINEMA (WE) Broadway Opened 1913. Prop. Bexleyheath Cinemas Ltd. 550 seats - one floor. Prosc. 22ft., 14ft. deep. Fly tower. 1922 - Prop., Bexley Heath Cinema, Ltd. Res. Man., A.. S. Atchison. Two shows nightly. Mat., Wed.., Thur., & Sat. Three changes weekly. Prices, 5d. to 1s. 3d. Phone 184. 1929 - enlarged. 716 seats. Pictures & variety. Talkies January 1930. 1941 - Prop, Harry Quinton. 734 seats. Continuous. Booked at Hall. Proscenium width 22ft Stage, 14ft. deep; two dressing-rooms. Prices 6d. to 2s. Phone Bexleyheath 1999 Station, Bexleyheath, S.R. Closed as cinema 1956 - now ‘Rat & Parrot’ pub.

BROADWAY PICTURE PALACE Pincott Street 300 seats. N. S. Nesbitt. ?closed during WWI

CINEWORLD 28-70 The Broadway 9 screens / 1,500 seats

Freemantle Hall High Street pre-1910 film on Saturday nights 1922 - Man., R. C. Sivell. Station, Bexley, S.E. & C.R.

PALACE Pictures & Varieties (1)/ PICTURE PALACE / Public Hall Chapel Road Opened 1870 Cost £2,000. Concert Room: cap. 500. f., T. Jenkins (1907) 1909 - 1915 Pease’s Perfect Pictures & variety. December 1915 - leased by Harry Quinton. Pictures & variety. Prosc. 16ft., stage 10ft. deep. Prices 4d to 1s. Twice nightly. Two mats. three changes weekly. 1922 - Prop. & Man., H.. Quinton. Two shows nightly. Two mats. weekly. Three changes weekly. Prices, 4d. to 1s. Station, Bexley Heath, S.E. & C.R. New stone-faced façade & Talkies 4 November 1929 - Fox Movietone Follies of 1929. Cinephone sound. Burned down 1934. Replaced on same site by Palace (2).

Pincott Hall early film seasons pre-1909.

Royal Electric Animated Picture Palace

BICESTER Oxon

Corn Exchange f., J. P. Drover (1907)

CROWN CINEMA Sheep Street (BTH) Prop., Alfred Tilt. Phone Bicester 23. 300 seats. Booked at Hall. Continuous. Mat. Sat. Prices 6d. to 1s. 6d. Proscenium width 22ft. Hotel (12 bedrooms h. & c. Billiard table) RAC/AA appointed, Stations, Bicester G.W.R. & L.M.S.

REGAL CINEMA London Road (BTP) Opened September 1934. Architect: Harold S. Scott. Props., Union Cinemas, Ltd., 15, Regent Street, London SW1. Phone Whitehall 8484. Controlled by Associated British Pictures, Ltd. Continuous. Booked at H O. 504 seats. Phone Bicester 169. Stations, Bicester, G.W.R. & L.M.S. Motor Transport. Closed 3^rd December 1975. Bingo. Demolished.

St. Edburg’s Hall f. (1907)

 

BIDDULPH Staffs

PALACE King Street Opened 6^th June 1910 - Belshazzar’s Feast. Architect: s. Gibson. Prop., Geo. Barber. Cap. 500 inc. forms. 1922 - Prop., Crooks, Turner & Shemilt. Res. Man., Geo. Crooks. One show nightly, two on Sat. Two changes weekly. Prices, 3d. to 1s. Station, Biddulph, N.S.R. By 1941: (Kamm) - Props., Crooks, Turner & Shemilt. 500 seats. Booked at Hall by Geo. H. Crooks. One show nightly. Prices 3d. to 1s. Station, Tunstall, L.M.S. Closed 1947. Re-opened. Closed c.May 1962.

BIDEFORD Devon

BIJOU Lower Gunstone Opened c.1913. Prop. H. Gale. c.400 seats. Closed during WW1? Now a nightclub.

ELECTRIC PALACE KYB14 - no further information.

Market Hall J. Stoneman (1907)

New Assembly Rooms J. R. Pounds (1907)

PALACE THEATRE (BTH) - Originally opened 1869. 1922 - Prop., Squire & Son. Res. Man., J. E. Squire. One show nightly, Two changes weekly, Prices, 4d. to 1s. 3d. Station, Bideford, L.S.W.R. Palladium, Mill Street - Prop. & Man., Charles Thurlow. One show nightly. Two changes weekly. Prices, 4d. to 1s. 5d. Station, Bideford, L.S.W.R. 1929 - Mr. Robertson. 1937: (B.T.H.) Prop., Palace Theatre (Bideford) Ltd. 800 seats. By 1941: Props., Palace Theatre (Bideford) Ltd. Continuous, Prices 8d, to 1s. 10d. Proscenium width 21ft. 9 in. Stage, 20ft. deep. Phone Bideford 213. Station, Bideford, S.R. Seasonal rep. in 50s. (TOIB) Closed 1961. Demolished c.1971.

PALLADIUM Mill Street Opened during WWI. Prop. H. G. Brain. Closed 1926, then Patt’s Stores, greengrocer’s shop in 1995.

Public Rooms Bridgeland Street f., Caleb Squire (1907)

STRAND CINEMA Kingsley Road (BTH) Opened 21^st July 1938. Architect: D. E. Nye for Maurice Prince. 800 seats. Props., Bideford Entertainments, Ltd. 800 seats, Continuous, Prices 8d, to 1s. 10d. Proscenium width 40ft. Phone 70. Station, Bideford, S.R. CinemaScope July 1955. 1973: sold by Maurice Prince to Ken Jones, Stratford-on-Avon Picture House Co. (part of former Clifton Circuit). Closed Saturday 2^nd May 1981 - The Mirror Crack’d. Leased by James Robertson. Re-opened 24^th May. Closed April 1982. 1984 re-opened by G. Potter. Closed. Nightclub. Derelict till demolished 1990.

 

BIGGLESWADE Beds

Drill Hall A. J. Hills (1907)

EMPIRE Hitchin Street Opened February 1913. Prop., Charles Thurston. 1922 Prop., Suburban Pictures, Ltd. Res. Man. L. Freeman. Continuous. Two shows, Sat. and Holidays. Two changes weekly. Prices, 5d. to 1s. 3d. Station, Biggleswade G.N.R. To A. Hill. To Cox Cine Co. By 1941: (AWH) - Props., Cox Cinema Co., Ltd. 480 seats. Booked at Regal House, Biggleswade. Continuous. Prices 8d. to 1s. 9d. Phone Biggleswade 2297. Station, Biggleswade, L.N.E.R. Closed 1957. Pye Electronics factory. Demolished - Empire Close on site.

REGAL Station Road (BTP) Opened July 1937. Prop., A. Hill. To Cox Cinema Co. 746 seats. By 1941 - Props, Cox Cinema Co., Ltd., Regal Cinema. Booked at Hall. 736 seats. Continuous. Prices 8d. to 2s, 4d. Phone Biggleswade 2230. Station, L.N.E.R. Biggleswade. Closed to film 1976. Now Flutters Bingo.

St. GEORGE’S PICTURE PALACE Market Square 1922 Prop. and Res. Man., F. McLintock. Continuous. Two changes weekly. Prices, 5d. to 1s. 3d. Station, Biggleswade. G.N.R.

Town Hall f., H. Chaundler (1907)

BILL QUAY Co Durham

CROWN 1922 - Prop. & Res. Man., E. Edwards. Two shows nightly. Mat., Tues. & Sat. Two changes weekly. Prices, 5d. to 9d. Station, Pelaw-on-Tyne, N.E.R.

BILLERICAY Essex

FOLD ARTS CENTRE High Street

RITZ Chapel Street (BTP) Opened April 1938. Props., Billericay Cinema, Ltd., Bexwell House, Downham Market, Phone Downham Market 8. 648 seats, Prices 8d. to 1s. 10d. Continuous, Booked at Hall. Proscenium 25ft. Phone Billericay 259. Station, Billericay. Films by Road Transport. To APP Theatres Ltd (Albert Phelps) by 1955. Closed to film 1971. Bingo. 1992: snooker club. Demolished 2000.

Town Hall, f., J. Jefferies (1907)

 

BILLINGBOROUGH Lincs

FORESTERS’ HALL Vine Street (Imperial) - Opened 1939 as permanent cinema. !941: Prop., Allan Lewthwaite, 19, Broadway, Crowland, Lincs. 224 seats. Prices 8d. to 1s. One show Fri. at 7.30 p.m. Booked at Leeds. Proscenium width 5ft. Films by Motor Transport. Sold to Gray brothers of Peterborough 1949. WE sound installed. Closed 14th October 1954. Still stands. (M. Brader)

- Fri. Travelling show - Mr. Yardley.

 

BILLINGHAM-on-TEES Durham

FORUM THEATRE Opened 1968. Architects: Elder & Lester. Theatre consultant Michael Warre. 637 seats in 3 tiers.

PICTURE HOUSE (WE) -Props., Picture House (Billingham) Ltd. 700 seats. Booked at Newcastle, Continuous. Prices 8d. to 1s. 2d. Phone Norton 53311. Station, Billingham, L.N.E.R.

 

BILLINGHAY Lincs

COSY CINEMA (Morrison) Billinghay - Opened 1927 by Cecil J. Williams. Leased to Charles Willows, who re-equipped and installed Gyrotone. 1941: Prop., C. R. Gaskill. 290 Seats. Booked at Leeds. Once nightly. Two shows Sat. Proscenium width 12ft. Prices 3d. to 1s. 3d. Station, Tattershall. WWII - run by R.A.F. Closed mid-60s. demolished 1972. (M. Brader)

HIGH STREET CINEMA 1922: John Willows, proprietor

 

BILLINGHURST Sussex

ELECTRIC CINEMA 1922 - Prop., Arthur Barrett. One show weekly (Tues.). Prices, 4d. to Is. 10d. Station, Billinghurst, L.B. & S.C.R.

BILSTON Staffs

Foxy Lady Oxford St

ALHAMBRA High Street Opened 1912. Leased by Thomas Wood to 1927. 1941 (RCA) - Prop. E. K. Hawtin, Allport Road, Cannock. Tel. Cannock 3307. 425 seats. Continuous. Prices 5d. to 9d. Booked at Forum, Cannock. Stage, 7ft. deep; two dressing-rooms. Proscenium width 22ft. Phone 41400. Station, Bilston, G.W.R. Closed c.1964 - continued on a very part-time basis until c.1982. Supermarket.

New Drill Hall (1907)

ODEON THEATRE / PALACE / WOOD’S New Picture PALACE (2) Lichfield Road Opened 17^th November 1921. Prop. Thomas Wood. Architect: A. Hurley Robinson, interior Val Prince. 1,400 seats. Largest silent screen. Sound installed, acoustics improved. September 1936 leased to C. S. Joseph circuit & re-named Palace. Bought by Odeon & renamed 1937. By 1941 (BTH) - Props., Odeon Theatres, Ltd., Old County Cinema, Marlow, Bucks. Phone Marlow 695-9. 1,251 seats. Continuous from 2 p.m. Sat. from 6 p.m. Booked at Moor Hall, Cookham, Berks, Prices 8d. to 1s. 6d. Stage (+fly tower) and seven dressing-rooms. Phone 41025. Café attached. Closed to film 22^nd February 1964. Bingo. Multi-purpose hall. 2000 - Asian functions/wedding receptions venue.

SAVOY High Street Opened 10^th October 1927. 21- year lease to C. S. Joseph. By 1941: (BTH) - Props., Astel Pictures, Ltd. C. S. Joseph Circuit, 74, Salisbury Road, Moseley, Birmingham 13. Phone South 1238. 700 seats. Continuous. Mats., Mon., Thurs. & Sat. Prices 4d. to 9d. Phone Bilston 41398. Station, Bilston, G.W.R. Closed 1962.

THEATRE ROYAL (No 3) Opened 1902. H. Battersby (1907) 1922 - Prop., E. C. Jazon. Res. Man., F. Rothery Ellis. Prices, 6d. to 2s. Phone, Bilston 1. Station, Bilston, G.W.R. By 1941: (BTH) Props., Astel Pictures, Ltd., C. S. Joseph Circuit, 74, Salisbury Road, Moseley, Birmingham 13. Phone South 1238. 800 seats. Pictures and Variety. Continuous. Prices 6d. to 2s. Proscenium width 26ft. Stage, 25ft. deep. Six dressing-rooms. Phone 41001. Station, Bilston, G.W.R. SG46: Prop.: Astel Pictures, Ltd., 38, John Bright St., Birmingham. Cap.: Stalls 145, D. circle 186, boxes 18, U. circle 152, P. stalls 105, pit 108, standing about 100. Barring clause: 3 miles. Once nightly 7.15. Usual matinées Thursday and Saturday 2.30. Twice nightly 6 and 8. Saturday matinée. All classes of entertainment. Stage: Prosc. 25ft., height 20ft., stage depth from setting line 30ft., height under fly galleries 20ft., width between fly galleries 30ft., height of grid from stage 40ft. No counterweight gear, 26 hemp lines. Elec. equip.: 200-210 v. A.C. 50 cycles. Footlights four circuits. Four battens each with two circuits. Cyclorama top lighting with two floods not coupled to dimmers. Two floods on stands. Two f-o-h pre-set spots. One following lime at back of house. Dressing rooms: Four single, two large chorus (total 10 in each). Orchestra: Acc. 10. Resident (Cond., 2 violins, piano, drums, cornet, trombone, ‘cello). Amplifying equip.: two-turntable reproducer, f-o-h or stage. Microphone. Don Auty: ‘A dump. The chorus girls’ room was a wooden hut at the back. The wall had holes drilled in it by the local youths.’ Closed 1955, demolished 1961.

WOOD’S PALACE (1) / ELECTRIC PALACE / New PICTURE PALACE / Town Hall Church Street Opened as cinema 1910. Closed 1921 - Prop., J. & T. R. Wood. Prices, 6d. to 1s. 3d. Phone 25. Station, Bilston, G.W.R. Replaced by Palace 2.

 

BINGHAM Notts

PICTURE HALL 1922 KYB

BINGLEY Yorks

BINGLEY HIPPODROME Main Street 1922 - Prop., Bingley Hippodrome Co., Ltd. Res. Man., H. Upton. Two shows nightly. Two changes weekly. Prices, 3d. to 1s. 3d. Phone 174. Station, Bingley, M.R. By 1941: (WE) - Props., Bingley Hippodrome, Ltd., Old Bank Chambers, Keighley. Phone Keighley 2264. 739 seats, Booked at Leeds, Two shows nightly. Two changes weekly. Prices 6d. to 1s. 6d. Proscenium width 26ft. Phone 174. Closed. Demolished for Woolworth shop. Closed.

GEM PICTURE PALACE Waddington Street - Prop., Booth Grainge. Res. Man., J. H. Green. Continuous. Two changes weekly. Prices, 3d. to 9d. Station, Bingley, M.R.

MYRTLE CINEMA (WE) 1941 - Props., Bingley Cinema, Ltd., 9 Henry Street, Keighley. Phone 204. 900 seats. Booked at H. O., Continuous, Prices 6d. to 9d. Phone Bingley 211. Station, Bingley, L.M.S. Closed. ?Demolished.

PICTURE HOUSE / Co-operative Hall / Co-operative Assembly Rooms (1907) Henry Hibbert film show 22nd Feb 1900. 1922 - Prop., Picture House Co. Res. Man., J. Holmes. One show nightly, three on Sat. Two changes weekly. Prices, 3d. to 9d. Station, Bingley, M.R.

Victoria Hall f., R. Laycock (1907)

 

BIRCHINGTON-on-SEA Kent

RITZ (Kalee) 1941 - 400 seats. Continuous. Prices 6d. to 1s.6d.

SELECT CINEMA 1922 - Continuous. Two changes weekly, Prices, 5d. to 1s. 3d. Station, Birch­ington-on-Sea, S.E. & C.R.

BIRKENHEAD Cheshire

ABC / SAVOY Argyle Street (RCA) Opened 10^th October 1938. Architect: W. R. Glen. Props., Associated British Cinemas, Ltd., 30-31 Golden Square, W1. Phone Gerrard 7887. 2,016 seats. Booked at H.O. Continuous evenings, daily Mat. Phone Birkenhead 161. Station, Woodside, Birkenhead, Mersey R. Re-named ABC 1961. 1970 - luxury lounge: 600 seats stalls only. Closed 27^th March 1982. Snooker club.

ARGYLE MUSIC HALL Opened 21^st December 1868. 800 seats. 1876 - dramatic licence obtained as P.oW under Dennis Grannell. Returned to Argyle mus hall 1890. T. D. Clarke, then D. J. Clarke. 1937: 893 seats. Bombed 26^th September 1940. Intended to be rebuilt but inadequate insurance cover. Ruins later demolished.

ASTOR / CLAUGHTON PICTURE HOUSE / CLAUGHTON MUSIC HALL Claughton Road Opened 1862. f., J. R. Simm (1907) 1912 converted to cinema. 1922 as CLAU PIC Hse - Prop., Claughton Picture House Co. Res. Man., Mrs. J. Sharp. Three shows daily. Two changes weekly. Phone, Birkenhead 2029. Station, Central, Mersey R. BTH sound June 1930 - Sunny Side Up. 1937: 900 seats. By 1941: (BTH) - Prop., Claughton Picture House Co., Ltd., 8 Cook Street, Liverpool, Phone Bank 8605. 800 seats. Booked at 9, Ranelagh Street, Liverpool, by Alfred Levy. Continuous evenings. Daily Sat. Phone Birken­head 2029. Stations, Central, Mersey R., & Woodside. By September 1952 to Woodhill Entertainments (Manchester) & re-named Astor. 1956 refurbished - closed later same year. Bingo. Closed 1981. Demolished March 1982.

AVENUE SUPER THEATRE Bidston Avenue 1937: (B.T.H.) Luxor Cinemas Ltd. 1941: (BTH) Props., S.M. Super Cinemas, Ltd., 37/38 Golden Square, W1. 1,300 seats. Pictures and occasional concerts. Booked at HO. Con­tinuous, Mon. to Fri. Twice on Sat. Prices 6d, to 1s. 6d. Café. Phone Birkenhead 3524. Stations, Liverpool Central, C.L.C., & Park. Birkenhead, Mersey R.

EMPIRE / CANNON / CLASSIC / ESSOLDO / EMPIRE PICTURE HALL 30-32 Conway Street Opened 26^th May 1917. Architect A. Ernest Shennan. c.700 seats. 1922 - Prop., Cheshire Picture Halls, Ltd. Head office 56 Hamilton Square, Birkenhead. Res. Man., L. W. Towers. Continuous. Two changes weekly. Prices, 1s. to 1s. 7d. Phone 1815. Station, Woodside, G.W.R., 194 miles. Modernised 1930s. 1937: (WE) Prop., Claughton Picture House Ltd. 1,021 seats. By 1941: (WE) Prop., S.M. Super Cinemas, Ltd. 893 seats. Booked at 37 38, Golden Square, W1. Continuous evenings. Mon, to Fri., three shows on Sat. Slats., daily. Prices 9d. to 1s. 3d. Phone Birkenhead 1815. Station, Woodside, G.W.R. To Essoldo 26^th August 1954. Bingo January 1968. Modernised. Re-opened 14^th February 1969 as ‘Essoldo Luxury Cinema’. 500 seats. £40,000. To Classic & renamed 2^nd April 1972. To Cannon. Re-named Empire c.14^th March 1990. Closed 23^rd November 1990. Carpet warehouse. Quasar centre.

ESSOLDO / RITZ Conway Street Opened 4^th October 1937 - The Man in Possession. Architect: Robert Cromie. Prop. Cheshire Picture Halls. Mgr. E. H. Whittell. 2,170 seats. Organ 4/ By 1941: Prop., S.M. Super Cinemas, Ltd., 37-38 Golden Square, London W1. Phone Gerrard 4556. Damaged by bomb 21^st December 1940. Rebuilt by W. M. Shannon. Re-opened 13^th January 1947. To Essoldo & re-named 26 August 1954. Closed to film 5^th January 1969. Bingo. Demolished 2001.

ESSOLDO / COLISEUM PICTURE HOUSE / Music Hall & Assembly Rooms Bebington Road, Tranmere Opened 15^th November 1879. Converted to cinema c.1910. 1922 - Prop., Coliseum Picture House Co., Ltd. Res. Man., L. Wood. Two shows nightly. Two changes weekly. Prices, 5d. to 1s. 3d. Phone, Rock Ferry 355. Station, Green Lane, Mersey R. Talkies 8^th November 1929 - Weary River. 1937: (WE) prop., Luxor Cinemas Ltd. Phone Rock Ferry 355. By 1941: (WE) Prop., Cheshire Picture Halls, Ltd., Park Road North, Birkenhead, Booked at H.O. Three shows daily. Two changes weekly. Prices 6d. to 1s. Phone Rock Ferry 355. Station, Green Lane, Mersey R. To Southan Morris Cinemas. To Essoldo with circuit 26^th August 1956. Closed 1962 - A Story of David. Furniture store to mid-1990s. Demolished 2005.

GAUMONT Park Road East (BA) - Props., General Theatre Corporation, 142-150, Wardour Street, W1. 1,696 seats, Prices 9d. to 1s. 10d. Continuous from 2pm. Pro­scenium width 40ft. Booked at New Gallery House, Regent Street, W1. Stage 18ft. deep. Seven dressing rooms, Station, Woodside, G.W.R. Fitted ‘Ardente’ Deaf Aids. Now a furniture shop.

LYCEUM - Prop., S.M. Super Cinemas, Ltd., 37-38, Golden Square, London W1.

LYRIC PICTURE PALACE Price Street 1922 - Prop., Lyric Cinema Co., Ltd. Head office, 124 Price Street, Birkenhead. Twice weekly. Prices, 5d. to 1s. 3d. Station, Birkenhead Woodside, L.N.W.R., 194 miles. 1937: (B.A.) Prop., R. Marshall. 650 seats. Phone 1775. By 1941: (BA) - 700 seats. Booked at Hall. Continuous. Prices 4d. to 6d. Stations, Central, Mersey R., & Woodside, G.W.R.

MAJESTIC Conway Street

New BIRKENHEAD HIPPODROME / METROPOLE THEATRE / GAIETY / Ohmy’s Circus Grange Road 1888 - permanent circus building with arena and stabling. Adapted as Gaiety by 1896. 1898,William Wallace Kelly turned into Metropole. (for Kelly - see Theatre Royal & Liverpool theatres). He left in 1905 for T.R. - empty for 3 years. 7^th December 1908 - Walter de Frece re-opened as N.B.Hipp. - Vesta Tilley. By 1912 Clarke of Argyle took over - mainly cinema. Bombed during war.

NEW MAYFAIR - Prop., S.M. Super Cinemas, Lid., 37-33, Golden Square, London W1.

PARK PICTURE HALL Park Road East Opened 1909 - 1st cinema - James R Saronie, local photographer. 1922 - Prop., Lyceum Egremont, Ltd. Res. Man., W. Lloyd. Continuous. Two changes weekly. Prices, 5d. to 1s. Phone, Birkenhead 36. Station, Park, Mersey R. 1937: (B.A.) Prop., General Theatre Corporation Ltd. 928 seats. Phone 36.

PICTURE HOUSE Conway Street 1922 - Prop., Bedford Cinemas, Ltd. Res. Man., Leonard N. Rowley. Continuous. Two changes weekly. Prices, 1s. 1d. to 1s. 7d. Phone, Birkenhead 2211. Station, Central, Mersey R. By 1941: - Prop., S.M. Super Cinemas, Ltd., 37-38, Golden Square, London W1,

PICTUREDROME Charing Cross-Prop,, Birken­head Picturedrome & Billiard Hall, Ltd. Res. Man,, R. Shaw. Three shows daily. Two changes weekly. Prices, 6d. to 1s. 3d. Phone, Birkenhead 1911. Station, Central, Mersey R.

PLAZA THEATRE Borough Road (WE) Opened 1930. 1937: props., Bedford Cinemas (1928) Ltd. 2,560 seats. Phone 1119. 1941 - Prop., Bedford Cinemas (1928) Ltd., 29 Castle Street, Liverpool, Phone Central 1545. 2,293 seats. Booked at Hall. Continuous from 2.30 p.m. Prices 6d. to 1s. 6d. Stage, 18ft. deep; four dressing-rooms. Café attached. Phone Birkenhead 1119. Stations, Birkenhead (Woodside or Central). Mecca B&S. Demolished.

QUEEN’S HALL Claughton Road f. Rees & Tattersall (1907) 1922 - Three shows daily. Two changes weekly. Prices, 7d. to 1s. 3d. ‘Phone, Birkenhead 1498. Station, Birkenhead, Mersey R. 1937: (B.A.) General Theatre Corporation Ltd. 500 seats. Phone 1498. By 1941: (BA) - Prop. General Theatre Corpn., Ltd., 123 Regent Street, London W1. Pictures and Variety. Booked at H.O. Continuous, Daily Mats. Prices 5d. to 8d. Phone Birkenhead 1498. Stations, Liverpool Termini

REGAL Bebington Road Opened 1928. By 1941–Prop., S. M. Super Cinemas Ltd., 37/38 Golden Square, London W1. Phone Gerrard 4556. Closed 1969, demolished 1970.

REGENT PICTURE HOUSE Church Road, Higher Tranmere Opened Monday 16^th July 1926 - Forget-me-not and The Bashful Sailor. prop., Tranmere Picture House Ltd. WE sound 10^th March 1930 - Compromise. To ABC c.August 1935. By 1941: (WE) - Prop., Associated British Cinemas, Ltd., 30-31 Golden Square, London W1. Phone Gerrard 7887. 1,091 seats - one floor. Booked at H.O. Continuous. Mat. daily. Proscenium width 28ft. Phone Rock Ferry 611. Station, Central, Mersey R. Closed 1^st December 1956. Demolished. Shops on site.

REX - Prop., S.M. Super Cinemas, Ltd., 37/33 Golden Square, London W1. Phone Gerrard 4556.

RIALTO Bebington Road (WE) - Prop., Bedford Cinemas (1928) Ltd., 19, Castle Street Liverpool, 2. Phone Central 1544. Booked at H.O. Continuous. Daily Mat, Proscenium width 40ft. Prices 8d. to 1s. 6d. Phone Rock Ferry 1383. Station, Bebington.

RIO / PALLADIUM Price Street Opened 29^th November 1913. Architects: Nagington & Shennan, 800 seats. 1922 - Prop., Cheshire Picture Hall Co., Ltd. Res. Man., Mrs. E. Nixon. Two shows nightly. Three mats. weekly. Two changes weekly. Prices, to 1s. Phone, Birkenhead 2093. Station, Park, L.N.W.R. 1937 (BTH) Prop. Luxor Cinemas Ltd. To Southan Morris. By 1941: (BTH) - Prop., S.M. Super Cinemas, Ltd. 800 seats. Continuous. Prices 4d. to 9d. Phone Birkenhead 2093. Station, Park, Mersey, & L.M.S. Closed by bomb damage. repaired. Re-opened as Rio - wooden seats as wartime economy measure. To Essoldo 26^th August 1954. Closed 13^th April 1957. Roxy Bingo Club. Demolished 1987.

RITZ Claughton Rd. 1937: (W.E.) Luxor Cinemas Ltd. 2,500 seats.

ROXY / CHARING CROSS PICTUREDROME Charing Cross Opened 2^nd November 1910. Architects Campbell & Fairhurst. 1000 seats. 1937: (B.T.H.) Prop., Harry Buxton. 800 seats. Phone 1911. By 1941: (BTH) - Prop., J. F. Emery Cinema Circuit, 26, Cross Street Manchester. 760 seats. Continuous Mats. daily. Prices 7d. to 1s. 6d. Proscenium width 22ft. Booked at H.O. Phone Birkenhead 1911. Station, Woodside, or Central, To Southan Morris. To Essoldo 26^th August 1954. Closed 21^st July 1956. Supermarket.

SCALA / THEATRE ROYAL Argyle Street (No 3) W. W. Kelly (1907 - see Liverpool theatres) Converted to cinema 18^th April 1921 - architect James Bramwell. 1,000 seats. 1922 as SCALA-Prop., Scala (Birken­head), Ltd. Continuous. Two changes weekly. Phone, Birkenhead 161. Station, Birkenhead. Mersey R. Bought by ABC February 1930. (RCA) 981 seats. Closed 6^th February 1937 and demolished for Savoy.

SUPER CINEMA Conway Street 1937: (BA) Prop., General Theatre Corporation Ltd. 796 seats. Phone 2211. 1941 - Prop., Gaumont British Picture Corpn., Ltd. Booked at 123 Regent Street, W1. 792 seats, Continuous from 1.30 p.m. Prices 9d. to 1s. 6d.

THEATRE ROYAL (1) Destroyed by fire c.1892. Ruins stood for some years. Demolished for T.R. (2)

THEATRE ROYAL (2) Opened by W. W. Kelly 1905 - licence transferred from Metropole. (Sell)

VUE Conway Park Seats - 1: 311 2: 354 3: 159 4: 202 5: 429 6: 202 7: 159

WALSH’S PICTUREDROME Price Street 1922 - Prop. & Res. Man., D. Walsh. Two shows nightly. Two changes weekly. Prices, 3d. to 9d. Station, Woodside, L.N.W.R.

BIRMINGHAM Warwick

London W1. Phone Gerrard 7887. 2,128 seats. Booked at H.O. Continuous from 2 p.m. Proscenium width 47ft. 6 in. Phone Erdington 0214. Station, Chester Road, Erdington.

ABC CINEBOWL / PAVILION (WE) Stirchley - Props., Associated British Cinemas, Ltd., 30/31 Golden Square, London W1. Phone Gerrard 7887. 1,938 seats. Continuous. Booked at H.O. Pro­scenium width 53ft. Café. Phone King’s Norton 1241. Demolished.

ABC / GAIETY CINEMA (2) Opened 18^th November 1939. Architect: W. R. Glen. 1,480 seats. (WE) Prop., Associated British Cinemas, Ltd., 30/31 Golden Square, London. W1. Phone Gerrard 7887. 1,400 seats. Booked at H.O. Phone Central 1186. Fitted ABC / REGAL CINEMA Soho Road/Booth Street Handsworth Opened 13^th October 1929. Architect: Harold S. Scott. 2.096 seats. To ABC 1935. By 1941 (WE) - Prop., Associated British Cinemas, Ltd., 30-3 1 Golden Square. W1. Phone Gerrard 7887 2,112 seats. Booked at H.O. Continuous. Mats, daily. Phone Northern 1801. Stations, Snow Hill, G.W.R., or New Street, L.M.S. Re-named ABC c.1959. Closed 16^th November 1968. Bingo. Re-opened for Asian films. Demolished c.1980.

ADELPHI SUPER CINEMA (BTH) Hay Mills - Prop., Associated British Cinemas, Ltd., 30/31 Golden Square, W1. Phone Gerrard 7887, 1,248 Seats. Booked at H.O. Continuous. Daily Mat. Phone Victoria 1208. Station, New Street, L.M.S. Closed 1968. Now Asian Community Centre.

ADULT WORLD / SUNSET CINEMA Hinckley Road

ALBION PICTURE THEATRE New Inns, Handsworth 1922 - Prop., Albion Picture Theatres, Ltd. Res. Man., Mrs. A. E. Kirmse. Continuous. Two changes weekly. Prices, 6d. to 1s. 3d. Phone, Northern 433. Station, Snow Hill, G.W.R. By 1941: (WE) - Prop., Albion Picture Theatres, Ltd. Booked at Hall. Con­tinuous. Two changes weekly, Prices 8d. to 1s. 6d. Phone Northern 0433. Station, Snow Hill

ALEXANDRA THEATRE / LYCEUM THEATRE John Bright Street Opened: whit Mon. 1901 as Lyceum - The Woodman. Prop., Wm. Coutts. Architects: Owen & Ward. November 1902 - old to Lester Collingwood and renamed Alex, 1911 - bought by Leobn Salberg & his two brothers-in-law. Closed 6^th April 1935 - Dick Whittington. New façade & auditorium by Satchwell & Roberts. 1,530 seats. Prosc. 42′, depth 32′.Re-opened December 1936 - Cinderella. Derek Salberg took over.: rep. panto. 1959 - bars opened. October 1968 - bought by council (£85,000) and new bridge and frontage block added. SG46: Prop.: Alexandra Theatre (Birmingham) Ltd., John Bright St., Birmingham. Touring attractions booked direct. No barring clauses Cap.: Stalls 658, P. stalls 36, D. circle 402, U. circle 454. Once nightly, repertory 6.30, pantomime 6. Matinées Wednesday and Saturday 2.30. Pantomime daily. Entertainment: Reper­tory May to Decemb