Here's some super interiors of the Savoy ABC. Go to English Heritage/Viewfinder/Birkenhead/photos BB87/03822 to -24. There's also some interiors of the Town Hall as built. How can they sell it off? It's a National Treasure!!
What about the "Rio" at the top of Price Street, just past Duke Street and after the library. Was regarded as a bit of a flea pit but the flicks were great on a Saturday morning. Hopalong Cassidy, Roy Rogers, Lash Larue, Laurel and Hardy, all the cartoons, marvellous. Also remember there was an "Astor", "Super", "Ritz", "Gaumont", a big one on Borough Road near the library which I can't remember the name of. The films were magic. Not many people had cameras then so photo's are as scarce as rocking horse doo-doo unfortunately but you can't take away the memories, that's for sure.
What about the "Rio" at the top of Price Street, just past Duke Street and after the library. Was regarded as a bit of a flea pit but the flicks were great on a Saturday morning. Hopalong Cassidy, Roy Rogers, Lash Larue, Laurel and Hardy, all the cartoons, marvellous. Also remember there was an "Astor", "Super", "Ritz", "Gaumont", a big one on Borough Road near the library which I can't remember the name of. The films were magic. Not many people had cameras then so photo's are as scarce as rocking horse doo-doo unfortunately but you can't take away the memories, that's for sure.
There was one who frightened the living daylights out of me and i don't know why... Mr Pastry
God help us, Come yourself, Don't send Jesus, This is no place for children.
Yep, the Plaza, thanks for that. There was also a Roxy, another name for a cinema. I think it was at the top of Conway St oposite the Ritz but I might be slightly out there. It may even have had its name changed to something else at one stage. That great big Hammond Organ coming up out of the pit in the Ritz used to be a fascinating thing to see and the music coming out of it was magical. i went there once when they had a stage show of Rock 'n Roll doubles. The Little Richard double was great and left a lasting impression on me. In those days there were Teddy Boys who used to go around stirring it. Me and a mate were stopped by 2 of them in Exmouth Street once. They got us into a shop doorway and we thought we were going to get a right pasting. "Do you fancy yourselves?" they asked us, and we were bricking it. "No" we answered. "Well stick a feather up your arse and fancy yourself a peacock." So saying they carried on up the road laughing their heads off. We were just relieved. I remember the Teds also wrecked a cinema in Birkenhead when "Rock Around the Clock" was showing.
I think the Roxy was at the top of Grange rd/Charing Cross and is now a fitness centre The Super was in Conway st by what was Conway girls school and became a club called the Majestic and is now a chinese "eat all you want for a £5" place
The Roxy was in Whetstone Lane, next to (?) the fire station, not to be confused with the Roxy Bingo Hall in Price Street 1962-87. The organ in the Ritz was a Compton, pre-war, but after war damage a part Christie/part Wurlitzer organ was installed on an organ lift. Original Hammonds were electric organs, no pipes. Modern ones are electronic in the tone generation method. You got your money's worth with the stage shows, plus the films, at the Ritz!
I think this thread started out talking about the Ritz theatre/cinema. I came across this recently. http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=27321 Amazing to think that all of these great Hollywood stars visited Birkenhead. How times have changed.
