A couple of days ago I came up & did a little project. One of the jobs I had after I left school in 1952 was as a cinema projectionist. The two cinemas I worked at were the Ritz which was on Conway St., where there's a car park now, next to Argos, & the Plaza in Borough Rd. I didn't go to the site of the Ritz, but visited several others & took pics.
The Ritz was opened by Gracie Fields in 1937, the year I was born. It closed in 1969.
These weren't the only cinemas in town, but they were the main ones. The Ritz & Plaza had Wurlitzer organs, which rose from a pit & were played during the interval.
At that time, the programme would consist of the main feature, a second short feature (what we in the trade called a 2 reeler) & a newsreel & trailers for forthcoming films. The programme always finished with playing of "God Save the King" & it was very rude not to stand for this, or to leave before it finished.
While I was at the Plaza, we were converted for Cinemascope, with a wide screen & extra lenses, called Anamorphics, to expand the film, which was standard 35mm. but had been compressed during filming. These lenses were swung in front of the standard lens when a Cinemascope film was shown. Surround sound too!!
There was quite a skill in maintaining correct illumination on the screen. The light source was carbon arc & you had to keep the carbons correcty adjusted, or the screen would go brown on one side & blue on the other.

I didn't know what is now a furniture shop, which used to be roller world on Park Rd. East used to be a cinema.

And I've only just noticed that it is similar in style to what is now rileys in Argyle St.

Thanks for sharing

what sort of films were showing?

Some excellent information there Chris!

When did u them pics?
Is Rileys offering free memberships?

Very first line Pomp:

What about the wallasey based picture houses Chris?

good work. didnt know about the bebington ones.

WOW you have just save a chunk of History there Chris,
I wouldn't have known any of them.

Love the little snippet
I didn't know that either.

Where there is buildings left you can see that they "Could" have been cinema's, obvious when you know.

How things have changed

Never went to Wallasey much. The only one I remember was the Continental, which showed esoteric stuff, like opera. You used to be able to order coffee & they would bring it to you during the interval.

Everything. all the latest Hollywood offerings & British 'stiff upper lip' films. I remember the first Cinemascope film I showed at the Plaza was "The Robe". Frank Sinatra was making a lot of films at the time; I remember "Young at Heart" with him & Doris Day.
As far as style is concerned, it was all of its time; late Art Deco mostly & a common theme ran through all the chains.

(I've just been reminded, from another source entirely, that the Regal in Bebington later became part ot the Essoldo chain, but I don't suppose any of you youngsters will remember that)!!

Stop press. Just watching "Dr. Strangelove" on ITV3. Has one of the best lines ever; "gentlemen, gentlemen, you can't fight in here, this is the war room"

My dads friend mally's ex girlfriends dad and mum used to be the projectionist in Argyle street (used to be called ABC Cinema when they where projectionists) i'll have to ask them if they have some photos of the inside of the cinema and out. Be nice to see how it use to look etc..

Yeh that would be amazing.

lol chris quote

Where the bingo hall in Moreton is, that used to be a picture house. Ill see if I can get some photos of it sometime.

My mum used to tell me when I was a kid what it was like in there, so I will see if I can get any info outta her lol.

The building that is centred:

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=moreton+wirral&rls=com.microsoft:en-gb:IE-SearchBox&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=ie7&rlz=1I7GGIH&um=1&sa=N&tab=wl

Yes, I remember now that it was the ABC after the Savoy.

Ok bit of research done, thanks to http://cinematreasures.org. no pics tho sorry, maybe If I get chance I will go out and get some of the old buildings or sites.

a few Wallasey Cinemas:

Lyceum Electric Palace Cinema/The Gaumont Palace/Unit 4 Cinemas/Apollo 6 Cinemas
Located on King street in egremont (near wallasey town hall)
The Gaumont Palace opened on 13th November 1933. It replaced the earlier Lyceum Electric Palace Cinema (1910-1931) which had been destroyed by fire.

Seating arrangements for the new Gaumont Palace was designed on a stadium plan, with a raised section at the rear instead of an overhanging circle. The auditorium walls were lined with silk tapestry and lighting was via a series of lamps hung from decorative poles attached at an angle to the walls and a series Art Deco style lay-lights in the ceiling.

The theatre was built in a quiet corner of town away from the main centre. It was taken over by Classic Cinemas from 12th December 1967 and re-named Classic Cinema. Bingo was tried briefly in 1969, but films returned and in September 1974 it was taken over by Unit 4 Cinemas who divided the auditorium into four screens in 1975. In 1979 two additional screens were installed by dividing what had been the rear raised section into three screens. Taken over by Apollo Leisure it was re-named Apollo 6 Cinemas and these continued to operate until closure came in 2000. The building was left empty until 2005 when it was demolished and a block of flats built on the site.

It was a forgotten beautiful building even at the end but the developers got hold of it. It still had a lot of its original features on its exterior and apparently some remaining inside when it was converted to 6 screens, as a shell was put into the building. The decorative stone carved panels on the front of the building by artist Frank Barnes were saved intact from the demolishers.

The Phoenix was in wallasey village opposite the junction of Sandy Lane, Wirral Villa's is now built on the old site.

The Capitol was an ABC cinema and was based in Liscard, on the junction of seview road and the liscard centre one way ring. there was a roundabout at this junction before the lights and the one was system.

The Liscard Palace Cinema was a short walk along Seaview Road from the Capitol.
Opened in 1911 as the Liscard Electric Palace in Seaview Road, Wallasey, proved to be one of the area's finest and most popular venues for film entertainment.

The cinema continued to draw crowds right into the 1950s when, as with most UK cinemas, it eventually fell victim to the falling number of cinema-goers.

The Liscard Palace Cinema eventually closed in June of 1959. The building later became a supermarket (Lennons) and then a shoe shop (Shoemarket), which remains to this date.

so good info matey

I remember the old Apollo Cinema.

It was the first ever cinema I went to, and I think I was taken to see beauty and the beast in 1991, then Aladdin in 1992 lol

Some pictures of the above mentioned wallasey cinemas, buildings or sites of where the buildings where.

ahh waddi has been busy lol

any idea why the apollo was knocked down?

to make way for apartments,

I have a picture of the apollo boarded up, currently seeking permission to post it tho.

seeking permission? from who?

the person who took the picture.

he is a member of this site and a member of a forum that I "pinched" the pic from, lol

so thought it would be appropriate to ask 1st.

fair enough.

I took them pics in a drive by shooting,

explain:
Dropped wife of a ASDA to do shopping,
2 babies in the back asleep,
thought hmm what should I do, boring sat in the car in Asda carpark.
I know I'll go for a little drive, on the drive I passed the liscard palace and the capitol and a little light bulb appeared above my head, so round the liscard one way system and back towards the 2 above mentioned buildings, took the pictures on my phone hanging out of the car window whilst stopped at the lights etc, never left the car once. photography version of a drive by shotting, lol.

Great pictures waddi, i'm surprised at the one in liscard.
Never knew that

You know where the Avenue pub is right know on Bidston avenue.. There was a cinema there called "The Avenue" it was bombed in the war

the capitol and the liscard palace (shoe market) were both in liscard, very very close to one enougher

another* - great pics, i never knew the apollo had been knocked down lol, was still standing when i came up here i believe... used to pass it every thrusday as my dad bowled in the league down at new brighton and that was along the route lol

Clicky for more

Good find Joe. How did these cinemas make a profit with all the compatition around.

good fine joe

as promised, picures of the Apollo cimema, after closure but before demolition, taken by wikiwirral member "4737carlin"

used to go there all the time, i thought it was a great place, does ant one remember the phoenix cinema in wallasey village, used to be next to the farmers arms pub opposite St Marys College...

the last time i went to the apollo was to see titanic lol

I have posted about the phoenix here

and also posted this pic

I miss the apollo 6 as it had 6 Screens .. I went to watch Independence Day there as well as StarGate.. Its the only cinema i ever went to as the Nearest one then was the Odeon Liverpool as Brombourgh one was a Bitch to get to back then..

The one at the Tunnel end of Conway Street was called The Classic in the 70s and 80s. Think the last film I saw there was Crocodile Dundee.

I also went to The Plaza just once that I can remember to see 101 Dalmations. Must've been around '69 or '70. It became a bingo hall later on. Used to see loads of women piling out of there and onto the bus at lunchtimes.

The ABC in Liscard used to have a Minors' Club on Saturday mornings in the 60s. It even had its own song. They used to show old b/w films such as Flash Gordon.

Nice pics matey.
In your pic of the "Capitol" in Liscard, if you look at the to the right of the boarding up, there is a green door, used to be a night club years ago! Think if my drunken hazed memory is correct, was called Christies!!
Har a long flight of stairs just on the other side of the door, thrown down them many a time!!
Ahhh, the good old bad old times eh?

I know its not a cinema but where was the Argyle Theatre in these pictures located on Argyle Road. It's a shame it was bombed looked a good place for shows.

More about the Argyle Theater Click Me

Thanks for sharing

there was a cinema on old chester road in rock ferry was a tyre house until recent years . next to the old car auctions but been knocked down now.

Quite correct hoseman it was christies and i too have experienced the forced stairs exit lol

The appollo in Wallasey used to be known as the Unit Six before that it was the Unit Four and before that it was the Gaumont

Just thought I'd post in a couple of things for this.

When Furniture World was Roller World I worked behind the scenes and the layout of it was most definitely that of a cinema. The entrance is relatively unchanged and as you'd enter you'd be in the lobby/foyer with a staircase either side. At the side of these staircases it still had the original lights with CIRCLE on each piece of plastic or glass. Anyway, these lights lead to another upper foyer which in turn lead onto the balcony seating (which still existed when I was there, some still burnt out and VERY creepy.) Back downstairs there were two sets of double doors, one on each side and to the right side was the boot room which must have been the cloakroom. As you made your way to the skating rink it was hard to see where the seating would have been as that had totally gone but where the screen would have been was obvious, the stage was still there with doors flanking each side. Otherwise the building was semi-unremarkable, though it did have the creepiest basement I've ever been in!

Also, just on the Capitol in Liscard, I wandered down the back of it today and took a snap, I don't think I've ever been so gutted about something in all my life (though sadly, not as gutted as the building was.

See More Pictures Click Me

Does anyone have an idea what may be planned for The Liscard Capitol site? Looks to me from the pic and from personal inspection that they are intent on preserving the outer brickwork shell - meaning they would be planning to re-build within.

There should be SOMETHING about it in the Wirral Council planning permissions website - which has a reasonable search system so if I have time I will look there

Snod

It is very sad to see another Cinema in that state and on it's way to total destruction!!

Where is this? Google map link anyone?

It's behind that boarded up fascia at the junction by the barclays, Wellington pub, Lloyds TSB and this is the fourth.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=53.420812,-3.045101&spn=0.000761,0.002511&t=h&z=19

It's a massive personal blow to me because I have plans for it myself, albeit in the very very early planning stage. There's zero on the Wirral planning section however the rumour is that it'll be turned into a Yates' wine bar. Yeah, just what we need, another pub, especially when Turnberry's (The Boot) gets hardly anyone in there any more and the Wellington's getting sold off.

A bit more about the Phoenix taken from a local history book with some bits added by mum.

I personally remember the Phoenix being built in early 1950s and went there often through the late 50s- early 60s - girlfriend time !

It was being built because the earlier place on the site had been bombed in 1941, that was the Coliseum Theatre. Hence the Phoenix was "rising from the ashes". The original picture house there was the Cosmo, opened in 1913 and then re-opened as the Coliseum Theatre in 1924. The Phoenix closed in 1983

Snod

Been back there today, felt a touch more adventurous (although not so I went truly inside, maybe another day though another day soon it looks like it'll have to be and took a fair few snaps, I'll put them up once i've resized them, they're nearly 3MB per picture! Being underneath the balcony is some really dodgy stuff. I'm sure it's safe but you heard little noises every now and again which left you weary.

Ive been reccomended to create a new Urban Exploration Topic
with more pictures...

To See more pictures Click Me

i remember going past the in rock ferry on the bus and my dad told me he remembers seeing ghostbusters there and you could see palace on the roof of it, best viewed from a double decker bus which we don't have in canberra

Great Pictures.

Just a quick note : If anyone has large files they need to
upload, just drop me a pm and i can send you a link
to upload your files

I will sort your pictures from the zip file a little later.
And post them on your behalf.
Thanks for sharing

meant to be a yates pub from what iv heard.

the appolo six (unit 4) closed down when the manager died.


He put his heart and soul into that place, sadly when he died the builing died too

such a shame that..... i used to love the phoenix in wallasey village, saw 'star trek wrath of khan' and 'E.T.' there too...

Reminder: purchase new batteries for the torch. I'll try and get into the Capitol again soon, it doesn't look like much work's been done on it bar the world's crappiest fencing at the back.

Update: bar one column that leads onto the entrance onto Seaview Rd the building's just now rubble. I have a couple of camera-phone pictures, I'll put them in the UE thread about it.

Here's Pic of the Classic where the old flyover stood. That was the first cinema I was allowed to go to by myself, I went to see Ghostbusters!! Went to watch it a few time then!

think i remember going to that one

spot on pic i rember you could bunk in throug the side door

My father was chief projectionist at ABC in Argyle St for over 20 years if you need any info let me know, he's the man to ask. Also he remembers other cinemas in the area, including Hoylake, tranmere, and New Brighton.

BIG AL ROBBO

The Classic was previously the Empire or the Super (can't remember which). They were both on the same block, almost opposite the Ritz where I was a projectionist in 1955. The ABC was called the Savoy then & was one of the largest in town. Here's an extract from a map from 1954-55 which shows them all.

Cheers, Chris.

If you go into the Shoemarket in Liscard, just next to the desk above a doorway is a lot of information on the Palace and how it looked originally (and the design was a LOT better than the faux Art Deco cack on offer now) but it was a photocopy and I forgot to ask what the book it was from was. Damn.

the one that was next to sherlocks as is now, maybe the fever bar, used to be known as the flea pit because you used to come out of there scratching

Missed the New Brighton one's out chaps and chapesses. The Court a tiny cinema where I watched most of my films. Saw Dr No there and Zulu for the first time. That was the sister cinema to the Royal in Egremont now a snooker hall. Once the Court had shown its films for three days they were then sent to the Royal for another three days.

Also in Victoria road New Brighton was the Trocedero. I went to see the last film ever shown there "Reach for the Sky". That became some kind of cheapo supermarket after closure.

The Winter Gardens in Atherton street near New Brighton station was another I used to go to occasionally. Once they celebrated some sort of anniversary and all the kids were given a goody bag with a donut, sweets and free lolly ice. It was brilliant. Became a bingo hall for a long time and then knocked down. Now sheltered housing.

Used to go to the Saturday morning one at the ABC in Liscard and sang the minors song. "We are the ABC minors, minors of the ABC and every Saturday we line up, to see the films we laugh and shout about with glee".

Well it went something like that

Been to the Phoenix, Gaumont (refuse to call it Unit four or Apollo. It was always the Gaumont to us. There was another one at the bottom end of Liscard road but I can't remember the name of it and never went there myself,

I think the very first picture house in New Brighton if not Wallasey was in Virginia road, maybe the palace itself? Well before my time of course.

Re the ABC/Capitol, someone suggested that it was going to be a mosque? I flipping hope not!

It's just landscaped at the minute, it half-looks like they're going to be a car park, I've not seen much in the way of plans on the council planning website anyway but apparently there's not a single plan for it out there. It's just the facade and the side exit that's been retained, otherwise it's just freshly-tarmacked open air.

The Trocadero became a Co-Op before going.

Here's the Gaumont Palace: http://flickr.com/photos/4737carlin/1224507314/
I remember it as the Apollo 6. I think I saw Terminator 2 there about 3 times lol Saw other films there with my cheapskate b@stard boyfriend of the time. I think he preferred that sh*thole to the new and shiny Odeon in Bromborough. (what was I thinking???)
Anyway. I also found this for people who feel the need to go looking for cinemas of yore:
http://cinematreasures.org/

No Co-Op was on the other side further up. http://www.newbrightonwalrus.org.uk/photos/index.php?display=photocd%2FMiscellaneous%2F185a_%27Trocadero%27.jpg

memory fails me know, but what was the name of the massive cinema at Hoylake , down a side road from the main drag, leading off to the beach. I can just about remember it from going there as a kid...

Phill

I guess you mean the "Winter Gardens" in Alderley Road.

There was also the Kingsway on Market Street and there was a "Classic" at one time.

I keep remembering bits of when I went into the Shoemarket, I remember hearing that a lot of the old tilework and fittings still exist in the store room, including the original curve of the roof. They seemed quite friendly in there so maybe it's worth asking one day if they'd mind some photos being taken? Maybe for a comparison of now and then, I really want to know what book the information that was above that door next to the till was from too, I may have to head up to the library some day and go through the reference books there, I couldn't read it (I'm short) but it looked interesting.

Wallasey - Cinemas

[youtube]yIkGIJdUmnc[/youtube]

Jase fantastic great to see some old houses..

thanks too (parapiranha) a Member on hear

Good that Jase. Marina, where was that? I used to work with a bloke in the 60's who went on about the Marina.

Hi Chris

If you want more info on old cinemas get in touch. My dad worked at various cinemas throughout Wirral and Liverpool for over 35 years and has many stories. Worked at ABC Argyle St for over 15 years, ended his years as Chief Projectionist at Forum, Liverpool. By the way, do you remeber the cinema that was across the road to were Mc Donalds is now. Was a bingo for a while and a social club before closing in the 70's. Can't remeber what it was called .Gigged their a few times in various bands. Also was the Haige Club in Moreton once a cinema?

big al robbo

Do you mean the Astor which was on the corner of Claughton Road and Atherton Street? The Astor was Birkenhead's first music hall, it opened on 21st January 1862. The music hall became a cinema in 1914, first called the Claughton Picture House and then the Astor. In 1957 it became Birkenhead's first major bingo club. It closed in 1981 and was demolished in March 1982, because the building was 'unsafe'. It was, therefore, also the last of Birkenhead's music halls to be demolished.

anyone have any info on the avenue cinema that was bombed duuring the war and never re-opened

Here's a map of Charing Cross from 1936. I've marked the position of Mc.Donald's & the Astor & Roxy cinemas. I don't remember ever going to the Astor, but went to the Roxy a couple of times; it was one of those where you came out itching.

Cheers, Chris.

I remember the Roxy, I used to go there for Sat matinee. Flash Gordon or Hopalong Cassidy. And yes it was called the FleaPit, it was the best. That would have been late fifties, mid sixties it was a supermarket.
The Astor did turn into a dance hall/night club thingy. Many a great night in there. I think. Thigs get a bit hazy after 40years. Oh well.....

There is also an old cinema in Heswall, it is now the Lloyd's pharmacy. they use the old screen area as a store room.

Was it the "King's Cinema" in Heswall?

I'm far too young to young to know that, but I'll have a look about next time I'm over that way and see if I can see anything on the brick work.

Here is a list and maps showing dates opened and closed,
seating capacity of various cinemas on the Wirral

more cinemas

great, really enjoyed all thet, do you have any history on what I knew as the Classic on Conway street, or what is now the Chinees buffet bar ? I think was a cinema, and I believe at some point the Beatles played there.....
Cheers

The Empire became the Classic

The chinese buffet place was originally Picture House then
renamed as the Super cinema then it became a dance hall called
the Majestic
I was there when the Beatles played there and tv were there with cameras
No alcohol was allowed or sold there
A case of having a few jars in the Conway Arms that was just over the road

Your close,the classic is now a night club called slices and was called fever befor that.

The Roxy had the same fleas in the early 50s as well. Had the name of the flea pit then also.

The Empire Cinema opened on the 26th May 1917 and had about 700 seats, it was modernised in the 1930s and by 1941 it was owned by Super Cinema Ltd. In 1954 it was sold to Essoldo (but still retained its Empire name).

In 1969 it was modernised and re-opened on the 14th February as the Essoldo Cinema, about a week earlier, the old Essoldo Cinema (the old Ritz Building on the other side of the road) became the Essoldo Bingo Club.

In 1972 it was sold, for £40,000 to Classic and it was re-named on 2nd April 1972.

It was then sold to Cannon and re-named on 14th March 1990.

It finally closed as a cinema on 23rd November 1990.

Since closing, it has been a carpet warehouse, a Quasar and a couple of nightclubs.

I've just bought a copy of "The Silver Screens of Wirral-Birkenhead & Bebington". It really brings back memories of my time as a projectionist; several pages on the Plaza & the Ritz where I worked. BTW, does anyone know if Bill Boht, manager of the Ritz is related to Jean Boht (Bread)? It's an unusual name.

Sorry ive only just seen your question mate.
Yeah Jean Boht was married to Bill Boht and she was from Birkenhead too.

She divorced Bill in 1970.

Chris do you remember the avenue pub,on the corner of Bidston ave.That used to be a picture house,during the war it was so badly hit they had to bring it down,can not remember it`s name at the time.

I borrowed that book from the library - amazing pic of the avenue cinema in it - it was huge!

Yeah,it took up the whole triangle at the bottom of Bidston ave,but can not still remember the name.Doh.

I think it was just called The Avenue Cinema dava...

No,it had a different name.... for gods sake,this is not the time of nigt to try to remember things.lol.

The Avenue Super Cinema (go to pubs)

Click me

the royal

the odeon

kingsway cinema

unit 4

the regal

No, I don't remember this one; it wasn't an area I went into often.

It looks big, but in fact only seated 1200. (Ritz 2000, Plaza 2500). From Silver Screens of Wirral.

Here is the Electric Theatre just after 1910 which was located by Birkenhead Park entrance. M Saronie ran this and the Coliseum in Old Chester Road. I don't know his relationship with James Roberts Saronie (born James Roberts) who ran the Scala in Prestatyn, both came from Liverpool and were apparently pioneers of cinemas - they may have been one and the same?

I've been scratching my head on this one, the cinema on Park Road West was ....

The Royal Pavillion
The Picture Theatre
Saronies Picture Play House AKA Electric Theatre
The Park - Skating Rink
The Gaumont
Quasar
Roller World

I guess it had bingo in the middle of there somewhere, also it must have been rebuilt before it became the Gaumont.
Furniture World.

Was The Park ever a cinema?

That above picture if you had the queens pub next to it would like they where all interlinked cause the outside looks like the Queens on the park road east side I went in the gaumont (furniture world) a couple of months ago to look for a table.. Tell you something "ghost hunt would be nice in there"

DD are you sure you mean park road WEST?

MissG - Probably not, I never could find my way round the park, I keep on tripping over my raincoat and getting lost. I'm not Lysdexic, I just don't have a memory.

park rd east

I miss wallaseys apollo 6 i lived in there ahh well

yerrr, me n the missus seen our 1st movie there, Dangerous minds!
also used to be the unit four

Don't start me on cinemas!
My faves were the Ritz, Regal, Plaza and Rialto.
We used to duck out of Wednesday sports afternoon and go to the Ritz instead. This was the pre-tv late '40s when the show was continuous from 2pm till 10.30pm and you could sit in the warmth for as long as you liked.
The full show would be the adverts,a 'short', the newsreel, a cartoon and the main feature but the Ritz was famous for its stage shows, included with the films. There were famous bands, such as Billy Cotton's, singers, variety acts, and not forgetting the famous organists. That really was value for money!
Here are some pictures from the Cinema Theatre Association's magazine (date unknown):

Does anybody remember the resurant in the Ritz. As a child I was taken there once for a meal by my mother and father, it must have been in 1947 or 1948 after the place was refurbished from the bombing. The meal was what I now know as Gammon and chips.

Here's the restaurant as built pre-war but I don't remember it at all.
Gammon and chips....mmmmmmmmmm!

Bri

Good pics Bri

Thanks. Here's another of the Ritz.

bloody hell bet you they prodcued some heat

nice photos seemed like money was no object back then, very lavish too.

Yes, they did, but there was a good extraction system, which you can see in the pic, to remove the fumes from the carbon arcs. This helped to keep the temperature down.

Is the ritz the one that turned into a rollerskate place and is a furniture shop now by birkenhead park?

I herd that up stairs is till the same

its the Gaumont that you're talking about

The Ritz was by the market next to the multi storey carpark
behind Argos
Now been demolished and now just a wasteland
If you know where the Firemans Arms is that used to be at the back end of the Ritz

No, that was the Gaumont. The Ritz became the Essoldo Cinema, then Bingo Club then Top Rank Bingo and closed when the new Top Rank opened. The building was demolished for no reason following a protest and an attempt to have it spot listed. (English Heritage turned down the request as there was too little of the original interior remaining.

and Derek beat me to it.

Worked at what was the Gaumont about 10 years ago, last time I was in there it was pretty eerie as all the seats in the top deck were still there, some still with residual fire damage, never got to see what was the projection room but when it was Roller World a lot of the area was unchanged, on either side of the stairs leading upstairs it still had "Circle" lighting. The cellars were terrifying, it looked like some funfair that'd gone wrong!

Cool, love to have a look at that place.

Pics of the Gaumont, opened May 1938, Park Rd. East.
From 'The Silver Screens of Wirral', 1989. Essential if you're interested in local cinema history!

wow, thanks bri
Looks huge

Have you got any of the unit 4/appolo 6 on king st before it was butchered into a multiplex?
Demolished now.

I've got these. Scanned from the silver screens of Wirral book. It was absolutely stunning. All photos where taken in 1933.

And another.

Wow, awesome, i only seen it when it was the unit four
Shame it was butchered.
The old guy that ran it used to save all the horror posters for me

Bring back neon lighting! How it reflected in the wet streets!
If only these were in colour.
The Ritz and Gaumont, Park Road East, postwar:

Want to see something extremely creepy? Look at Ste's first picture of the Wallasey Gaumont and keep an eye on the street corner...

oh ya man spooky girl!

WHOA! didn't see that coming a ghost of a little girl excellent find.

Looks like there is a man on the second picture in that set too. Tall, with his hands behind his back, wearing a black peaked hat.

o ya mad

nope i dont see it. it might be the way the shadows have fallen from the light near the exit sign but i'm guessing on that part.

He must have jusr snuffed it then as he's wearing the attire of that age! (1933)

actually on closer inspection i can make him out. wow!

These apparent ‘ghosts’ are often seen on old photographs and are a result of the very long exposures needed in those days. The girl in the Gaumont picture will have been standing on the corner for part of the exposure, she will either have walked into the picture during the exposure, or was there at the start and walked out before the end of the exposure. There are also ‘ghosts’ in front of the doors in bri445’s picture of the Ritz at night.

That's just spooky upton, but thank you for the explanation

where the"tall" guy is is where the steps were to go onto the stage so not so tall

Here are some pics of the Lyceum on New Chester Rd, Iceland is there now.



I remember my dad would take us here,and he would make us stand at the end of the film while they played God save the Queen,he took us there to see Lawrence of Arabia, i was bored stiff!!the only good thing about was the ice cream in the interval!!well.....i wanted to see Cliff Richard in The Young Ones but my brother wanted to see Lawrence of Arabia,so that's what we saw!!!!

It used to be called the flea pit! i never got any fleas from there!!!
Chris.

We also knew it as the 'Licebox'!!... Kids!..

Bri

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!!

Cheers
Bri

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.

the Plaza

There was one who frightened the living daylights out of me and i don't know why... Mr Pastry

Probably the moustache!

oh...i liked Mr Pastry! and another one i liked was Old mother Riley.

Oh kitty

they were man and wife were'nt they!

Yes, Arthur Lucan and Kitty McShane

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!

Bri

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.

Thanks for that link mrallen. That would be 5 years before I was a projectionist there.

This is an excellent find! I remember it. The streets were jammed, since we were glad of something to brighten up our lives then. The searchlights were dazzling! I think they were on the canopy of the Empire across the road.

The Ritz was definitely my favourite Wirral cinema, with its stage shows and organists, not forgetting the good British films of those days from Ealing Studios, Gainsborough Films and Associated British Pictures.

Bri

Another one of Wirrals old cinemas is about to face the wrecking ball.

The building formerly known as the Tudor cinema is being demolished to make way for a new Aldi store. The mechanics garage and the small buildings next to it on the site where demolished this week, the petrol station next door is next then probably the first week of 2010 the Tudor will be demolished.

The 1100 seat cinema was built in 1933 on the site of the old queens cinema which was destroyed by fire in 1932.
It was a very popular cinema. The house full sign was used regularly especially during the 1940s where the audiences reached their peak, not just watching films but also visiting orchestras would perform there.
By 1965 the audiences had dwindled and it closed its doors as cinema for the last time. It was used as a bingo hall for a few years then a casino club then was sold again in 1974.

I remember going in there in the mid to late 80s when it was called bridge walk business centre. It contained small business and had a small shopping arcade in the middle. It later became council offices until it was closed recently to make way for Aldi.

I will try to get photos of the demolition but it is most likely to happen during the week when I am back in work.



Historic photos and information took from the silver screens or Wirral book by P.A Carson and C.R Garner and then shortened drastically by myself.

The Lyceum cinema in New Ferry was on the corner of New Chester Rd and Grove St.We kids called it the 'lice box'
Anyone remember the Coliseum in Tranmere?

the Coliseum on Old chester road, Lower Tranmere. I use to go there on a Saturday afternoon, 6d {a tanner} was the name for 6d {old money}That was in the late 40s. If I was loaded {plenty of pocket money} I would go to the Regent on church road {higher tranmere} it was 9d to get in there on a Saturday afternoon.

Hi, does anyone know what year the Gaumont Cinema on Park Road East closed down?

Also, is there any known pictures of the building in it's former glory?

Page 1

And bottom of page 6, says it closed in 1964.

Pics, at its best, on pages 8 ( link to post) and 9.

Bri

i used to sell the echo outside the ritz,essoldo when i was a boy happy days

inside the Gaumont Birkenhead 2010

Nice photos. It looks as though it would not be too difficult to convert back. Pretty unlikely!

Can't easily read the wording in the cement but the Gaumont was opened 30th May 1938 by actress Nova Pilbeam. You can see hand prints and 'Nova' at the bottom but any guess as to what the two depressions are in the middle? Surely not!! Well, not in those days!

Bri

They're shoe prints Bri

Now you mention it, I can see the heels!

I went to see "The student Prince" at the Rialto, New Ferry at least six times in mid fifties. Your photo revived many memories of long lost youth for me. Thanks Ruth

Just picked up on this wonderful thread

After my band 'The Vampires' broke up around August 1964 i returned to my former life as a Projectionist at the Gaumont in King Street Wallasey i was there for about one year before going away to sea as a Projectionist with P & O

I recall it was a wonderful cinema and it was kept in first class condition by the staff ...some who had been there since it had opened !

It was the first Cinema that i worked in that had a female projectionist ...and i had worked in many since leaving school xmas 1957.....does anyone here remember here and what happened to her ....she was still there at the end of 1965

They look like her bum cheeks

Funny shaped bum!

lol, it`s her knees, whereabouts was that photo taken derek?
Is it the sidewalk at the front of the building?

You've lowered the tone, I was thinking higher than that!!

to the right of the building

The PALACE was he name of the cinema on NEW Chester Road , Rock Ferry .
It started life as an Ice Rink-Yes-Amazing isn,t it ! Then became The Electric Palace owned by Mr, Saronie . We lived just around the corner from it and the Sat
morning Matinees were very popular . It became PALACE MOTORS after closing . Now the
Doorstore is on the site.There are 2 or 3 good books on the old cinemas of Wirral showing
interior and exterior shots of them all . Clive Garner contributed to most of them but the poor
old boy is now suffering with dementia in a home somewhere in Wallasey.

Sorry to hear about Clive Garner's condition. If any one needed information and history on Merseyside's cinemas he was the man, writing the books, contributing to tv programmes and collecting memorabilia. He had a cinema in his house and a film collection.
I wonder what will happen to his valuable collection of Merseyside cine nostalgia.
Bri

clive garner has recently passed away rip

I remember the Gaumont by Birkenhead Park, and the Roxy near Charing Cross that shows my age lol

the roxy(i think thats what it was called) on bebington road where tescos is now ,used to go there on a saturday afternoon for the kids matinees,the man on the door was called cyril he looked a bit like benny hill.

That was the Regal. I used to go there too.

ah the regal, me memory aint what it used to be.

Join the club.

The Continental in Wallasey had been adapted from the original old Wallasey Magistrates Courts ( not the later Manor Road one as described in a local picture history book).

Other Wallasey cinemas were:

1.The Royal, King Street, a former army drill hall, then a cinema and now Rocket Ronnie's snooker club.

2.The Marina , Brighton Street now gone.

3.The Gaumont (later Unit 4) King Street now gone.

4.The Queens Poulton Road, later a garage, then a supermarket now gone.

5.The Capitol Liscard, later the ABC just the facade remains.

6.The Winter Gardens Atherton Street New Brighton, now gone.

7.The Phoenix Wallasey Village (earlier the Cosmo?) now gone.

8.The Court Victoria Road , New Brighton, now gone.

9. The Trocadera Victoria Road New Brighton later a supermarket now gone.

10. And one in Seaview Road whose name I cannot remember but happily remains even though it's a show shop. I think it began with an R.

Has anyone seen the former cinema in Llangollen? It's used as a huge second hand book shop. I didn't know it had been a cinema until looking around I noticed a large brass letter screwed into the floor. I knew this was an aisle letter an looking up saw the projection room windows and the remains of the stage. Don't know what it was called.

(The Palace) Then it was Lennons supermarket and now its the Shoemarket..

I remember it opening as Lennon's. My elder sister dragged me there to get the 'free gift' a tiny paper cup of diluted lime juice. People queued for that. Just like when the Trocadera opened as a Lo Cost supermarket and the first 100 or so people were givena frozen chicken ...the police had to keep the crowd in control. Different days.

Lol

Llangollen cinema/ second-hand bookshop - yes, been there, never knew it was a cinema though! Thanks for the info,t-t.

I think I had been there three times before I noticed. Most people come to look at the books!

I've been in to the old Llangollen cinema a couple of times. How they manage to keep tabs on what they have is a mystery to me.

I could spend a fortune (that I don't have) on old books in there.

That musty smell !!!

Yes it's brilliant with nice friendly staff too.

I know I posted almost a year ago saying this place was going to be demolished but Its still there.



The plan to build the Aldi has fallen through. Appaently Wirral borough council where making stupid demands. Aldi would have to make loads of alterations to the road and junction at their cost so they told WBC to shove it. The site now is the same but with a wasteland to the left of it where the petrol station was.

Not the first time the Germans have made a mess of Wirral.

Regarding the marina i remember this place when it was derelict when i was about 8-10 years old around 1968-70..It was on brighton street by guinea gap baths and where the modern riverside school is now.We used to go in there to strip lead and you could get up on to the roof or down in the basement.It was allegedly haunted and i remember being terrified going in there cos it was pitch black.Wish i had a camera back then.

Thought i would repost this in case anyone can remember what
happened to any of the staff that were there in 1965 !

Projectionist on a liner....That sounds like a good job. The projector would have been well bolted to the floor/deck! Probably gone digital now.
Bri

I remember seint he Marina closed and it had closed in the 50's but in 1966 it was pasted all over with the posters of the film they made after the world cup called GOAL! Anyone else remember that?

Here is a link for pics of the inside of the savoy in Birkenhead
English Heritage/Viewfinder/Birkenhead/photos BB87/03822

Great collection. Takes me back!

The cinema you are asking about was the Gaumont Ex Projectionist

Its Nora Pilbean

No, it's definitely Nova. Look her up on Wikipedia.

Hi, isaac; if you're going to refer to a post from 2 pages back, it helps if you use 'quote' as I've done here.

You are so right, I only worked there from 1957-1963 must be the memory going or gone

I recall going with my wife to the Regal in Bebington Road (now Tesco) just before it closed in the mid 1960s. I think it was the Essoldo by then, but there were only six people in the audience. The projectionist had not turned up and the manager was going to return our money, but an old lady said her brother used to show films during the war and would probably be able to do the job.

He was sent for, and the manager made us all a cup of tea whilst we waited. Eventually a very old man appeared and disappeared into the projection room. In due course the film appeared, and he evidently hadn't forgotten much because it all went well enough.

A week or two later and they were knocking it down. Sad really!

haha me too....i remember coming out the side exit crying my eyes out

The Theatre Royal, which I have an old programme for if anyone is interested, was by Beatties in Birkenhead I think. Not 100% sure of that though. Maybe someone knows?

The Theatre Royal programme pics are in the Old Colonial post in the pubs, past and present section

http://www.arthurlloyd.co.uk/BirkenheadTheatres.htm

The link to the Argyle Theatre can be found with this link. It was also called 'The Scala'. The actual location of the theatre was on the corner of Argyle Street and Conway Street, roughly where Mario's kebab shop is now.

The article on the internet says that it was demolished in 1937 to make way for a new theatre, presumably the scale. The programme I have is dated in 1912, and has advertisments for different types of shops on Argyle Street.

Also found this:
http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=27321

Very interesting video of the ritz cinema birkenhead. I think this was located at the bottom of Claughton Road, roughyl were the Wilkinsons and bus station.

The picture of it is here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stagedoor/333996478/lightbox/

Bennyboy The New Theatre Royal was a bit further along almost opposite Lorn Street. 1911 Is it the same one?? Will try and have a pint in The Old Colonial tomorrow, was in the Blue Bell week before last and forgot about TOC

You'll struggle to get a pint in the Old Colonial surely?

We said we would call in the Blue Bell again so it's a bit of window licking instead.

Dads cousin used to have that pub, closed now isn't it?

Looks that way!! when did he have it??

Hi it is closed now,offices i think.
My mum had the pub when it was called The Grapes.

When I was kid maybe 15 years ago possibly longer

Eddy Hughes used to work behind the bar RIP. I was working on the IOM King Orry and used to go in the Grapes.It never seemed to close.

Yep open all hours,great times!

There are pictures and information on the Ritz earlier in this thread here.

Couple of maps showing the location of the New Theatre Royal.

Yeh thats the one, the Theatre Royal. Or the Scala as it was later known.

Is that the Rileys snooker place? I thought that that was another theatre?

Riley's was the ABC cinema (1961) & before that, the Savoy (1938). Before that, it was the Scala & before that, the Theatre Royal.

I never knew that. Interesting

My cousin worked at the Continental. When we were quite small my twin and I would go on a Saturday afternoon and we thought we were very important when we had coffee brought to us.
I think this is where I got my love of Art House and foreign films.Was only about age nine when we saw there 'Macbeth' in Japanese with subtitles, and even now I remember him dying in the snow-perhaps hari kari-It was along time ago!

We both used to go on Saturday mornings to The Liscard Palace in Seaview Road and when we got an autograph book each it was a must to get the autograph of the Manager, as to us he was God.
When the film went off we loved to stamp our feet.The Cisco Kid and Tonto, and Flash Gordon were my favourites.

The ABC at The Liscard roundabout (now removed) had the ABC Minors Club, and we got badges and had fancy dress and other competitions. It seemed a bit more sofisticated but both cinema's were good in their own way.

I pretended to be age sixteen and saw 'The Long the short and the tall' at age 12, and did the same with schoolfriends to see 'Psyco'which scared the living daylights out of us, when Anthony Perkins was creeping around about to stab the girl in the shower. This was at the Gaumont in King Street.

We also liked to go to the cinema in Victoria road in New Brighton and one by the station, and also one by the Salvation Army in Poulton Road.

When older the Hoylake Cinema was ok.

Very sad those days are gone because we did have great times there.

My parents bought the old Gaumont Cinema park road east Birkenhead about 14 years ago and turned it into a furniture shop.
over the past few years there has been alot of strange things going on in and around the building but none so strange as the little girl the staff have now seen on several occasions, there was a customer that came in some time ago who worked there while it was a bingo hall an said when she was there their were some strange goings on back then she mentioned a little girl who wanders the ground floor but also a women that is in the dress circle.
Does anybody know who these people are or of any accident or incidents that might have happened to make these lost spirits roam the old place.
I myself have never seen anything and have often been down in the old cellars and up in the top projection rooms alone, and although they were very eerie i just always put it down to the dimness and dankness of the old building.
We know at some time there was a fire as the back stairwell walls are still very smoke damaged and when we brought the building the dress circle and top circle seats were still in place but burnt. can anybody help. thanks

My parents bought the old Gaumont Cinema park road east Birkenhead about 14 years ago and turned it into a furniture shop.
over the past few years there has been alot of strange things going on in and around the building but none so strange as the little girl the staff have now seen on several occasions, there was a customer that came in some time ago who worked there while it was a bingo hall an said when she was there their were some strange goings on back then she mentioned a little girl who wanders the ground floor but also a women that is in the dress circle.
Does anybody know who these people are or of any accident or incidents that might have happened to make these lost spirits roam the old place.
I myself have never seen anything and have often been down in the old cellars and up in the top projection rooms alone, and although they were very eerie i just always put it down to the dimness and dankness of the old building.
We know at some time there was a fire as the back stairwell walls are still very smoke damaged and when we brought the building the dress circle and top circle seats were still in place but burnt. can anybody help. thanks

Does anyone remember the cinema on Bebington rd. Rock ferry. They built a tesco on the site. Can anyone tell me what it was called.

The Regal

The back of the Gaumont suffered bomb damage during the blitz and was closed for a time , this may explain the fire damage.