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Dorchester is a market town and the County Town of Dorset. Its origins go back 4,000 years. Maumbury Rings was originally a Neolithic henge probably used for pagan rites. The Romans converted it into an amphitheatre for their entertainments. In later times it was the site of the gallows, and hangings and burnings drew large crowds. Its still used occasionally for outdoor events.
A theatre was probably built in Dorchester circa 1789. The famous actor Edmund Kean performed there in 1813 in Richard the Third. His young son, Howard, had died of whooping cough on the way to Dorchester from Barnstaple, and is buried in an unmarked grave in Holy Trinity Church yard. The Dorset County Chronicle 7th February 1828 states that
A new elegant theatre has just been erected in Dorchester and will be opened on the 15th inst. Great credit is due to Mr. Gurme the architect for the manner in which every thing is arranged. The talents of our manager, Mr. Lee, are also well known and greatly appreciated. He has engaged Miss Foote for a few nights.
It was referred to as the Royalty Theatre. Like most theatres of the time there were frequent changes of management and periods when it was dark. Information is vague, the 1828 theatre may have been a reconstruction of the earlier one. A poster for Edmund Kean's visit was displayed at the 1828 theatre in Trinity Street long after it became a china store.
The Corn Exchange, designed by Benjamin Ferrey, was built in 1848. It became Dorchester's main venue for concerts, dances, lectures and theatrical performances, and it still is. A clock tower was added in 1864. Film shows were presented at the Corn Exchange. The earliest one I have found was The Walford Family's Popular Entertainment on Monday & Tuesday 25th and 26th February 1903. The programme included,
The Biggest Bell Band on Earth, over 200 bells. Pine Harp and Hydroaktulopsychicharmonica Soli, English and Welsh Vocalists, an Oriental String Band in Costume, concluding with a cinematograph show, With Our Flag To Pretoria.
These early film shows were a mixture of shorts and topical films. The companies presenting films at the Corn Exchange included Poole’s Myriorama, West’s, and also Anderton’s Famous Electrical Bioscope. Albany Ward also advertised locally.
Albany Ward had acquired the Jubilee Hall in Weymouth and was later to run three cinemas in Weymouth and other cinemas in the South West and Channel Islands. He also ran film shows at the Corn Exchange.

The Corn Exchange, Dorchester in 2001. Photograph by the author.

Although listed as a cinema in the Kinematograph Year Book, the Corn Exchange was never a regular cinema but only used occasionally for film shows. Albany Ward did ask the Borough Council if he could take it on as a cinema, but he was refused.
Dorchester’s first regular cinema was the Electric Picturedrome in Durngate Street, opened on Easter Monday 24th April 1911. Messrs. P. J. Dunne & Co., who were connected with cinematograph theatres in the north of England, especially in the Newcastle district, saw the possibilities of Dorchester, a town entirely without provision, and took over the commodious and suitable Victoria Hall in Durngate Street, renamed it the Electric Picturedrome, and fitted it up as an up-to-date picture house.
The Victoria Hall was described as having been
...wonderfully transformed and its appearance, it is hardly necessary to say, immensely improved. The upper room has been converted into the picture hall. The walls are covered a rich and cheerful red, and fitted with electric lamps, that when the pictures are not projected shed a soft steady lustre over the hall, showing the neatly upholstered tip-up seats. Of seats there are three grades, to suit the requirements of different classes and means, the price of admission being ninepence, sixpence, and threepence. The first class seats on the elevated floor at the back of the hall, are upholstered in red plush, and the second class seats in red rep., while those in the pit are of varnished wood. Altogether now the hall affords comfortable seating accommodation for 530 persons under Mr. Dunne's supervision. The seats were put up by the Sit Easy Seating Company. For the cinematograph machine an approved steel fire-proof room has been constructed, in compliance with the provisions of the Cinematograph Act, and in this is a costly and powerful Wrench Projector has been installed which projects the moving pictures upon the specially prepared white wall at the further end of the hall. The premises have been carefully inspected and duly licensed by the County Authority, so that delicate ladies and anxious parents may have not the least apprehension of the danger of fire. Both the staircases leading up to the hall have been nicely stained and varnished. One is used as an entrance and the other as an exit. In the basement, which has a solid floor of cement, we find the room for generating the electricity. For we must lay stress on the fact that here we have genuine electric pictures, not merely, as hitherto, at the Corn Exchange, cinematograph films shown by the limelight, which cannot possibly be so effective as if shown by electricity. The powerful dynamo which generates the illuminating current is driven by a compact 10 h.p. petrol engine.
The efficient and courteous staff consists entirely of local men and boys; for although Mr. Dunne might have brought his own personnel with him, yet he is a firm believer, from sentimental as well as business considerations, in "supporting home industries", and thus laying the foundations of a good local connection. The dynamo engineer is from Messrs. Channon and Sons, Motor Engineers, of High East Street. Mr. A. J. Way, of Handel House, an accomplished pianist, has undertaken to play the incidental music.
Two shows are being given every night, beginning respectively at seven o'clock and at nine. The programme for this week which is of an agreeably varied character, opens with a comedy entitled Modern Courtship. Mr Dunne has at his command special facilities for the selection of choice new films by all the leading English, French, and American makers, especially, Pathé, Gaumont, and Kalem. No trouble or expense is spared to present an up-to-date programme of a varied kind. The pictures are marvellously clear and brilliant, and flicker is reduced to a very minimum. There will be an entire change of programme every week. Besides the evening performances the proprietors have arranged to give a matinee especially for people coming in from the country every market day, Wednesday and Saturday.
In May the Picturedrome started to change its programme twice a week on Mondays and Thursdays instead of just once a week. The films shown at this time included some instructive pictures, drama and films with strong moral themes. The firm claimed ‘that the canons of good taste can be observed without dullness or lameness being the penalty.’
Mr. Dunne died in 1920. The last advert for the Picturedrome appeared on the 25th March 1920. The cinema was acquired by the Award Circuit of Mr. Albany Ward. The premises were renamed the Palace and re-built on the -
...most up to date lines and consists, on the ground floor, of stalls and pit with the seats arranged on a gently sloping floor, an uninterrupted view of the stage is thus assured. The commodious balcony is luxuriously appointed, and adjacent to is a comfortable lounge and a handsome foyer. The Palace is equipped with every modern requirement, the seating throughout consisting of upholstered tip-up chairs, and providing accommodation for over 400 people. Although the building has been opened primarily as a super cinema, the stage has been supplied to permit of frequent visits of theatrical companies, concert parties etc. so that the amusement loving public may anticipate a constant variety of entertainment. The latest hot water system has been installed for heating purposes, and the building is scientifically ventilated by powerful electric motor fans, thus ensuring a highly hygienic atmosphere.
So far as the Bioscope side is concerned, the operating chamber is quite a model of its kind, and equipped with duplicate machines of an up-to-date character as the result of which there will be no irksome waits between the pictures. The exits from the building are especially adequate and this attests that not only the comfort, but also the safety of the audience has been carefully studied. The decoration of the Palace is of the most ornate description. For the present there will be one performance nightly at eight, with the exception of Mondays and Saturdays, when there are to be two performances at 6.30 and 8.45 with a matinee on Saturday afternoons at 3 p.m.
The architect of the new Palace was F. T. Maltby of Dorchester. Messrs. Jesty & Baker of Weymouth and Portland were the building contractors.
The Palace opened on Tuesday 2nd ovember 1920, the first resident manager being Roger Alwyn. The ceremonial opening was attended by the Mayor and Mayoress of Dorchester, Mr. & Mrs. A. L. Tilley, Mrs Thomas Hardy, the members and officials of the Town Council with their wives, and several of the leading inhabitants. At eight o'clock the Mayor took to the stage accompanied by Mr. Van Den Bergh (Manager of the Award Circuit), and various local dignitaries. Mr Van Den Bergh apologised for the absence of his chief, Albany Ward, who was ill. The first films shown at the Palace were Henry Edwards and Chrissie White in Possession, on Thursday it changed to Mary Pickford and Charlie Chaplin.
Interestingly, around the time of the opening of the original Picturedrome, in April 1911 an advert had appeared in the Dorset County Chronicle ‘Wait For the Grand Opening of Albany Ward's New Picture Palace.
A grand site has been secured and a handsome building has been designed for the purpose, seating nearly 1,000 persons. REMEMBER! Albany Ward's are the original West of England Pictures. The name is a guarantee - DON'T CONFUSE ANY OTHER SHOW WITH IT. The Palace at Dorchester [presumably what the planned cinema was to be named] will run in conjunction with the Royal Jubilee Hall, Weymouth and Palaces at Weymouth, Yeovil, Salisbury, Trowbridge, Portland and Trebarris; the Opera House, Jersey; Alhambra, Jersey; St. Julian's Theatre, Guernsey thus ensuring only the very best pictures. The only provincial exhibition circuit owning its own film works. Mr. Albany Ward wishes to announce that the new building is in no way connected with any existing hall or picture concern in Dorchester. WAIT AND SEE.’
Well the people of Dorchester had a long wait. That proposed cinema was never built! After many attempts to get a cinema in Dorchester, Albany Ward only succeeded after his rival died.
The reconstructed Palace became part of the P.C.T. circuit later in 1929 along with other cinemas in the Albany Ward Circuit. P.C.T. merged with the Gaumont-British Company later, so the Palace became a Gaumont cinema but retained the name Palace.
The Palace went over to Talkies on Monday 14th July 1930, the first talkie being The Great Gabbo with Eric Von Stroheim and Betty Gompson. A British Acoustic sound system had been installed. The last silent film was shown the previous Saturday - Come and Get It with Bob Steele.
The Palace was without competition until Monday 10th July 1933 when the Plaza, Trinity Street opened. Its first film was King Kong shown for the first time in the provinces. The Plaza cost £20,000 to build. 136 feet long, 49 feet wide, and 40 feet in height. The skeleton of steel was encased in brickwork, adorned with snowcrete. ‘No expense was spared in the construction of the building’, and ‘acoustic experts were engaged to provide perfect sound to every seat’.
There were 986 seats and a Western Electric sound system. The opening ceremony was performed at the 2.30 matinee by Major W. P. Colfox, M.C., M.P. After congratulating Dorchester on its beautiful new building, he spoke for two or three minutes on film censorship. He said film censorship did not relieve the management of a picture house from showing good films. He expressed a keen hope that as many as possible of British films would be shown. He deplored the American twang which was heard in the films made in the U.S.A.
Also on the stage for the opening ceremony were the Mayor and Mayoress of Dorchester, Councillor & Mrs. R. N. Dawes, Thomas Lynes, chairman of the Plaza Cinema Co., Edwin J. Stevens, director and secretary, E. W. Tilley, director, Jack G. Woods, managing director, (evidently well known in the local cinema and theatrical world) and the Town Clerk, J. Adrian Hands. The Mayor & Mayoress of Weymouth were also present. Mr Lynes spoke of the local enterprise, which followed the foresight of J. G. Woods who, passing through the town one day, enquired as to the possibility of the erection of a cinema. It all came about accidentally!
The audience heard songs by Mrs. Fred D. Tharby, A.R.A.M., who was accompanied by Mrs. Victor G. Mardon, medalist R.A.M. ‘Mrs. Tharby's beautiful voice carried to every part of the auditorium and the acoustic properties of the hall proved to be perfect.’ Then a Pathé Super Gazette sound film. It was that day’s release and Saturday's tennis final at Wimbledon was included. Afterwards the feature film, King Kong was shown. The proceeds of the matinée, £29, was donated to the Dorset County Hospital. There were to be continuous performances at the Plaza from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m.
The Plaza was used during the Second World War for instructional and fund raising events, and by the American Army for lectures and film shows, as well as providing its usual film programmes. A ‘Salute the Soldier’ Concert at the Plaza on the 8th June l944 featured, Isobel Baillie, Heddle Mash, Felix Kok (a young South African violinist), Harry Hemsley, and the Casterbridge Singers.
Cinemascope was installed over at the Palace in 1955 but that did not prevent its closure on the 4th May 1957. The last film shown was Kelly and Me with Van Johnson. A. W. Bigness was the manager when it closed, and Redvers Beat was the Chief Projectionist. Mr Beat was the third generation of his family to work at the Durngate Street cinema: his grandfather had been the first projectionist. The Palace has since been demolished, and a block of flats occupies the site.

The Palace (and staff?) from a newspaper clipping.	The Palace façade just before demolition	and the auditorium during demolition. These two photographs by courtesy of P. Dyson of Wimborne.

Bingo came to the Plaza from Thursday 28th November 1974 but films continued as well. The Plaza was tripled from Sunday 26th January 1975. Paul Newman and Robert Redford in The Sting in Cinema 1. Roger Moore in The Man With the Golden Gun in Cinema 2. The third section was for bingo. The last single programme was Confessions of a Window Cleaner and The Take. The cinemas seated 200 and 100.

The projection box today with platter and Phillips DP75 projector.

Myles Byrne ran the Plaza Cinemas for a number of years and then Reeltime Entertainment took over in 1991. Dolby digital sound was installed in 1995, the art-deco frontage was renovated in 1995, and new seating installed in 1997. The bingo club closed down in September 2001 but the cinema continues, as bingo had been run by a separate company from the cinema side. On Wednesday 6th November 1997 the Plaza showed the world première of the film Scarlet Tunic based on Thomas Hardy's short story ‘The Melancholy Hussar’ with Emma Fielding, Jack Shepherd, and Gareth Hale. Tickets, including a reception at the Thomas Hardy Hall, cost £25 and raised £5,000 for the MRI Scanner Appeal.
By the way the Kinematograph Year Book for 1913 lists a Central Hall, Station Road, Dorchester, but this is an error as Dorchester had no Central Hall and no Station Road!

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