November 2007 Archives
Decades of cinema memories
Posted by Crosby Herald newsdesk on November 29, 2007 9:15 AM
MEMORIES will this week take a final look at historic pictures of old cinemas in the area courtesy of local collector Tom Heath.
The Plaza was officially opened in September 1939, closing a day later after the announcement of the outbreak of World War II, and reopening again two weeks later.
In 1943, the cinema was taken over by the Odeon circuit, changing its name to the Odeon in 1945.
It continued to be one of the best attended cinemas in the district, however opening hours were reduced in 1965.
In 1967, the Odeon became the Classic after being taken over by the Classic cinema circuit.
It operated as a single-screen cinema until June 1976 when work began on screens two and three.
The cinema had its opening as a triple screen in August 1976 with the real Chitty Chitty Bang Bang car brought on site.
Another name change, to the Cannon, came in 1983 when the Classic circuit came under the Cannon group.
Seven years later, an announcement was made to close the cinema, but it was saved by Apollo Leisure Ltd, in 1990, its name changing again to the Apollo.
In 1995, plans were announced to sell the cinema to a developer for demolition and a campaign was mounted by Janet Dunn to save it.
She formed the Plaza Community Cinema Charitable Trust and funds were raised to buy the building by trustees.
The cinema was reopened in 1997 under its original name the Plaza which still operates today.
The Gainsborough, named after celebrated painter Thomas Gainsborough, was Bootle’s fifth cinema and the last to be opened in the district before the outbreak of war in 1939.
The cinema, which had a 1,300 capacity, was opened in May 1922 with proceeds going to the Mayor of Bootle’s Unemployed Fund.
It was taken over by ABC Ltd in 1931 and continued to draw in audiences until the early 1950s.
But by the mid 1950s, admissions were falling at the cinema which, in its last two years, opened in the evenings only, with the exception of Saturdays, until its closure in November 1960.
The building was then taken over by Mecca Ltd and converted into a bingo hall which closed in the late 1980s.
The Electric Picture Palace, on Bridge Road, Litherland, opened in December 1910.
Film programmes were shown starting with a 3pm matinee, followed by evening performances at 7pm and 9pm.
Despite its success being proclaimed in 1912, a fall in numbers was apparent when performances were reduced to one a night and a matinee on Saturdays only.
The Electric Palace was Liverpool’s shortest surviving cinema after being destroyed by fire in July 1913 – just over two years after its opening.
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Declining cinema audiences in the early 1960s
Posted by Crosby Herald newsdesk on November 22, 2007 9:14 AM
HERE’S the third part in our series looking at old cinemas in the area, thanks to pictures from the collection of Tom Heath.
The Coliseum Picture House, on Linacre Road, Litherland, had its grand opening in February, 1921.
It boasted a seating capacity of approximately 1,400 and its proprietors claimed it was Liverpool’s largest cinema.
It closed its doors in 1931 for a revamp and opened again in May that year, still showing silent films and was the last cinema in the district to do so.
However, the cinema faced opposition in 1955 when ABC took over the Regal, in Litherland, which was followed by the opening of the New Gaumont, in Bootle, in 1956.
By the early 1960s, visitors to the cinema had declined and bingo was introduced.
The last films were shown in September 1963 and the hall was converted for bingo.
It continued being used for this until September 1983 when a serious fire damaged the auditorium and roof.
The building was demolished in 1990 and new houses built on the site in 1997.
The Regal, on Church Road, Litherland, opened its doors on June 12, 1939, with the feature film the Gracie Fields comedy Keep Smiling.
It was taken over by ABC in 1955 who introduced continuous performances throughout the day.
However, this was reduced to evenings only, except for Saturdays and holidays, in the late 1950s and in the early 1960s audiences started to decline.
The Regal closed its doors in July 1962 with a double feature – A Cry From the Streets and Inn For Trouble – and the building was converted into a luxury bowling centre.
It later became Secrets - once described as “one of Liverpool’s plushest nightclubs”.
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Celebrating VJ Day
Posted by Crosby Herald newsdesk on November 22, 2007 9:13 AM
HERE'S a souvenir programme dating back to 1945.
The brochure was put together for VJ celebrations being held at St Nicholas Church Hall, in Brighton-le-Sands, on September 8.
It was handed to Memories by Brian Newell, from Worthing Street, Waterloo, whose late wife, Wendy, nee Fennell, was invited to the event aged just nine.
Brian found the programme when going through old papers belonging to the family.
The front cover details the place, date and time of the event along with a request for Wendy to attend.
It also says that the opening ceremony was to be carried out by the Mayor of Crosby at the time, Herbert Preston Reynolds, JP.
Inside the programme, the organising committee members are listed, including: Mr A Newton, chairman and honorary secretary; Mr J Powell, deputy chairman and Mr J Corrin, honorary treasurer.
Also listed are collectors: Mrs E Birch; Mrs D Fairclough; Mrs A Mullen and Mrs M Newton.
Thanks is given by the chairman to the collectors, as well as to friends and residents who gave their support by attending various functions organised to raise funds for the VJ celebrations.
Mr W Brookes is also thanked for his kind gift of ice cream.
The programme for the day included all children meeting at St Nicholas’ School, followed by a mystery tour by motor coach, the opening ceremony and tea at St Nicholas’ Church hall.
Karino the magical humourist then presented his children’s hour, which was followed by games and community singing before a firework display ended the event.
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Film fans had a wide choice
Posted by Crosby Herald newsdesk on November 15, 2007 9:10 AM
MEMORIES will this week continue its journey through pictures of old cinemas in the area courtesy of local collector Tom Heath.
The Queen’s Picture House, on South Road, Waterloo, was the first purpose-built cinema in the area seating 660.
It was opened in March 1913 and became a focal point for fans of silent films.
Queen’s was equipped for CinemaScope in 1955 and presented some first runs in the district of Twentieth Century Fox releases for six days.
It closed its doors in August 1959 showing I Only Arsked and Buchanan Rides Alone.
Building began on the Corona Cinema, College Road, in 1914, but because of the outbreak of the Great War, it was not completed until 1920 having its grand opening in May that year.
It was the first local cinema to be equipped for sound and the first in the district to have CinemaScope.
But it was also the first post-war cinema closure in north Liverpool, closing its doors in December 1956 with the building demolished a year later.
The Stella Picture House, on Seaforth Road, Seaforth, was built at a cost of £36,000 and described as a super-cinema with seating for 1,200.
Its grand opening took place in December 1920 with bookings beyond expectations.
The cinema’s audiences were at their peak in the late 1940s and its hours of opening increased.
But in 1955, the Stella was suffering due to competition from three other cinemas in the area.
It closed in July 1958 with the double feature If I’m Lucky starring Perry Como and Plunder Road starring Gene Raymond.
In May 1959, the building was used as a roller skating rink before a firm of printers applied to take it over.
This was thrown out by the council and a public inquiry went in their favour.
The building was demolished in 1964 and redeveloped as the Stella shopping precinct.
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At the movies
Posted by Crosby Herald newsdesk on November 8, 2007 9:15 AM
MEMORIES this week begins a four-part series looking at cinemas in the area in days gone by, featuring more pictures from the vast collection by Tom Heath.
The first shows the Winter Gardens Cinema, on Church Road, Waterloo.
Built in the 1870s, it was first used as a gym and later a billiard hall before it became the district’s first cinema in December 1909.
It closed after two months but was reopened by the same lessees, in February, 1910, under the name Winter Gardens.
In 1913 the cinema underwent a revamp and seating capacity was increased to 450.
It then came under new management in 1914 and changed its name to the Waterloo Picture Playhouse until its closure in July 1922.
The building then had another make over, with capacity again increased to 650, before its reopening as the Winter Gardens Theatre in September 1922 until June 1931.
The Winter Gardens then reopened again as a cinema in December 1931 and became the last privately owned cinema in north Merseyside until rising costs, dwindling audiences and competition resulted in its closure in September 1965.
The Regent Picture House, on Liverpool Road, Crosby, had its grand opening in December 1920.
Because of its high standard of comfort, the Regent was the best attended cinema in north Liverpool for many years.
It was taken over by Mecca Ltd in 1968 to be turned into a bingo and social club.
The cinema closed in November that year with Barbarella starring Jane Fonda.
Large numbers attended opening performances at the Palladium, on Seaforth Road, Seaforth, on Christmas Day, 1913.
During its early years, the Palladium had no direct opposition and was well attended.
But in the early 1920s, three larger cinemas opened nearby.
In 1949, it was taken over by Crosby Entertainments Ltd whose managing director, Phillip M Hanmer, had opened the new Plaza in Crosby in 1939.
The Palladium closed in June 1959 with the final programme Rockets Galore with Wild Heritage.
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Lander Road School
Posted by Crosby Herald newsdesk on November 1, 2007 9:16 AM
MEMORIES readers are being asked if they recognise anyone in this picture.
It shows class one at Lander Road School, Litherland, in around 1932.
It was handed to Memories by Harold White who features fifth from the left in the back row aged five.
If you recognise any of the pupils, or want us to print your old school picture post your memories here.
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Festival of Britain
Posted by Crosby Herald newsdesk on November 1, 2007 9:15 AM
MEMORIES will this week look at a souvenir brochure from 1951 courtesy of Crosby resident and former auctioneer Billy McMahon.
The pamphlet was produced for the borough of Crosby Festival of Britain Shipping Exhibition, held in August of that year, at Crosby Road North school, Waterloo.
It includes a message from the chairman at the time, Percy Furness.
He details what will be on show at the event, which included models of naval, cargo and well-known sailing ships, as well as tankers, paddle streamers and cargo and passenger liners.
The exhibition also had oil paintings, photographs and plans of liners which sailed from the Mersey.
This is as well as an amateur section which featured models and a number of paintings and illustrations.
Honorary organiser, JT Warburton, also gives a message.
He said: “You who visit the exhibition will see models of ships from the days of Queen Anne; you will see models of sailing ships from the time of Christopher Columbus’ Santa Maria up to the last half century of beautiful sailing ships; then paddle and steam ships up to the present day large liners.
“You will also see beautiful models loaned to us by the Admiralty – here again you will see Queen Anne’s Navy up to our present time Navy.”
He also adds that the aim was to pass on funds from the exhibition to the Liverpool Seamen’s Welfare Society, Summerlands near Kendal, other seamen’s charities and Sea Cadet Corps.
The shipping exhibition officials are listed, including Percy Johnston who was the honorary treasurer, and a picture of the then Mayor and Mayoress of Crosby, JS Duckels and Mrs Duckels.
Apologies are published from people who are unable to attend the event, including singer Bing Crosby.
Also unable to attend were the Earl of Derby, Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope, Air Chief Marshal Sir Frederick Bowhill and Captain Malcolm Bullock.
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Hawthorne Tannery
Posted by Crosby Herald newsdesk on November 1, 2007 9:14 AM
THIS picture shows a wagon load of vegetable leather at the gates of Hawthorne Tannery, on Hawthorne Road, Bootle, in the 1880s.
The picture was used on a Christmas card from The British Leather Company.
It was handed to Memories by James Lawrence, from Crosby, who found the card in the attic of his former home in Manor Avenue.
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This page contains an archive of all entries posted to Crosby Memories in the November 2007. They are listed from oldest to newest.
October 2007 is the previous archive.December 2007 is the next archive.
Many more can be found on the home page or by looking through the archives.
"I also have in my possection a VJ photograph My m..."
"I remember the Gainsborough Cinema,it was luxuriou..."
"In my collection of medals, I have one for the Fes..."
"The photo of Cooks Road brings back many memories ..."