Forums Forums Wirral History : Chasing the Past Wirral History Birkenhead's Music Halls

What isn't DD ?

Sorry, brain was still in gear which meant it was otherwise occupied - its not the same building.

Sorry if this has already been posted.
http://www.arthurlloyd.co.uk/BirkenheadTheatres.htm
A very good site about Birkenhead music halls.

A "Royal Film Performance" in Birkenhead?
http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=27321

Re the Claughton/Astor cinema, the door on the left up the side street was the doorway to the Empress School of Ballroom Dancing, where I learnt to dance during the 1940/50's, it was run by a gentleman named Gerry, his surnam escapes me.

Fascinating to read about the Astor Tombola - I remember as a child waiting for a bus many times outside there and looking up at the composers' heads. I was quite obsessed by them! Do you know where in Cork they are now? And are there any pictures of them besides the ones already put up?

Funny you should mention the composers heads on top of the Astor, i was only talking about them last night. Whenever i'd get the bus from there with my mother when i was young those heads scared the living daylights out of me. I used to try to avoid their gaze but felt compelled to look up..... then the had me! Dissembodied heads! They gave me nightmares. Funny how strange things like that effect you when ya little.

Stegga, you are not alone in being freaked out by them! Even almost forty years later, I had a nightmare about them after sending in that message last night! But they still fascinate me and I'd love to see a good photo of them 'in situ'...

I seem to recall as a young boy taken by my father to the Argyle Theatre in about 1948/49 and we saw a variety show followed by a feature film.

First, welcome to wiki; hope you find lots to interest you.
I don't think it could have been the Argyle, since it was bombed in 1940 & never re-opened.

It was bombed during the war and destroyed I think
May have been the Ritz or the Queens you went to
see 1st post by Upton

The Argyle was bombed, September 1940. Top of the bill was Billy Scott Coomber and his singing Grenadiers and the final song ever sung on stage was, There'll always be an England. Later that night it was hit by an incendiary bomb.

My great aunt, Ruth (Queenie) Long married Louis Gaye had her wedding reception at the Hippodrome in about 1920. They were both members of the Denville Stock Company. I have a newspaper article that says "there were nearly 2000 people there to see the wedding hitherto without parallel in Wallasey". St.Pauls church was "crammed to the doors" Thatre manager, George Dunn was best man & my father, Harry Clare was a pageboy & wore a white satin buster suit. A reception was held " on the stage of the theatre which presented a brilliant scene. The afternoon was devoted to dancing, and the orchestra, under the efficient direction of Mr. Louis Burgess, played lively selections of music".

Wow, fantastic thread guys, hopefully I can build on this information and find primarys sources to include into my studies.