The aim of the Going to the Pictures Project has been to help preserve a part of our local cinema heritage by collecting and recording memories from people who used and worked in the local picture houses from the 1930′s to the 1960′s.
Explore this map of 21 local cinemas within a 3 mile radius of the Plaza, from 1930 to 1960.
The Picture Palace of Bootle held film show matinees for children on Saturdays at 1pm and 3pm with prices of 1d and 2 d.
The films watched at the childrens cinema matinees would absorb and excite many children watching from the 1930′s to 60′s and would influence the games that the children played
Cinema was very much a part of Derek’s life, becoming a manager and meeting his wife at the cinema. One memory was when Fulham Football team visited one of the cinemas he managed, before playing Liverpool the next day.
Through the project we have invited people into the Plaza Community Cinema to share their cinema memories on camera
The Going to the Pictures Launch Event gave guests an opportunity to reminisce and take a nostalgic look back at Going to the Pictures.
In 1933/34 I went to “The Pictures” for the first time, but I was not impressed. The black and white film was very old and scratched; it looked like driving rain to me. A few years later I went again and paid a penny to get in with a penny for ice cream in the interval.
From 1930 through to 1960’s the main influence in films came from America and showed many glamorous beautiful film stars gracing the screen, not only through the films but also through the news reels