Jessica Irene Sexton was born in 1917; her family then lived in a small cottage in Vale Road, Crosby, opposite St. Luke’s Church. In the 1930s Rene, as she liked to be known, went into domestic service. She worked for a family in a house called ‘Graigmin’, situated on the corner of Mariners Road, Crosby. This house is still there and is now a Doctor’s surgery. On her days off, Rene used to meet friends at the bottom of South Road, Waterloo.

One day Rene met a young man, who was on leave from the Merchant Navy. He invited her to the pictures next evening. There was great local excitement, as a new cinema was opening that night. That cinema was the Plaza, on Crosby Road North, Waterloo. It was a Gala Night, the Lord Mayor was present and the audience were given souvenir programmes. The film shown was ‘South Riding, the star was Ralph Richardson. The young couple decided to meet again the next week. The date was 2nd September 1939! Sadly, war was declared next day and the Plaza closed.

Rene never saw her sailor friend again. It was assumed he had been recalled to the Navy. Rene later joined the A.T.S. and due to her skills at cooking she became a cook to the officers’ mess, made many friends and enjoyed service life

Memories of Jessica Irene Sexton – submitted by Alice Molloy.

The Plaza made history by being the only cinema to open and close on the same day September 2nd 1939 – this was due to war time regulations regarding the closure of public entertainment venues. The Plaza re-opened two weeks later and has had an illustrious history ever since.

The cinema opening was a grand occasion attended by several local dignitaries. Mr. Phillip M. Hanmer who was managing director of the cinema pulled of a fantastic piece off showmanship enjoyed by the Plaza Cinema audience at the opening ceremony, by having a film of congratulations made in Hollywood by American Film Producer, Warren Williams which was made possible by M. J. Friedman of Columbia Picture Corporation. The film was shot in Hollywood , flown by Yankee Clipper to New York, crossed the Atlantic on the ‘Queen Mary’, was then processed in London before travelling to Waterloo in time for the opening ceremony on 2nd September 1939.

The entire proceeds of £102, 10s, 6d from the opening ceremony were donated to Waterloo Hospital.

When the Plaza Cinema opened it had a Compton organ which would accompany film screenings and provide entertainment when the cinema hosted variety shows and events. The original organ is still in existence although the Plaza is no longer its home, it is now in Derbyshire where it has been lovingly restored and refurbished. Further details about the organ can be found from the Cinema Organ Society website.

As well as showing the popular films of the day, the Plaza has always been “More Than a Cinema”. In the heart of the comunity from the early years right through to today, providing entertainment for young and old.

Many happy memories have been shared with the project about the popular children’s cinema matinees, the family entertainment and additional attractions provided through the venue such as variety acts and talent shows.

Several popular variety acts and entertainers have apeared at the cinema over the years including Arthur Askey, Hilda Baker, Ted Ray, Charlie Chester and Tommy Handley.

The cinema today retains many of its art deco features but the structural lay out of the building was changed in 1976 when it was changed from a single screen cinema to having three screens.

The cinema has had several name changes including The Odeon, The Classic, The Cannon, and The Apollo, and over the years has had a turbulent and rocky history facing closure on several occasions. But due to the effort of volunteers and the support from the local community, the Plaza is still here, now named The Plaza Community Cinema it is the only original picture house in the area which has survived life as a cinema, and one of only two in the whole of Liverpool which remain from the 130+ cinemas of that time of the ‘Golden Age’ of cinema, when going to the pictures was such an important and popular thing to do.

In 2012 the cinema underwent change again when it went from showing films on reels to that of digital film shows. New plush seating was installed in the main auditorium downstairs and much on going refurbishment has taken place.

EXPLORE MORE POSTS ABOUT THIS CINEMA

The day was 2nd September 1939 and due to the onset and declaration of World War II the government ordered all cinemas and places of entertainment to be closed due to fear of bombing. Calls were quickly raised to re-open the cinemas and within two weeks the restrictions were lifted.

The cinema was a place where the public could be entertained, to take their mind away from rationing and the harsh realities of war as well as an escape for a few hours into the magical world of film.

It provided a way of helping keep up spirits and would later be used as a useful tool in providing information about the war efforts and a way of communicating public information to large audiences through films and government announcements.

The newsreels and public information films made for the cinema gave the government a means of controlling what and how information was given to its audience as tighter controls of film censorship took hold.

Film makers such as Humphrey Jennings, David Lean and Carol Reed produced British films to rival Hollywood. These gave accounts of British life through the war and served as a purpose to boost morale, giving a reflection of war all be it with a certain slant which could now be deemed as propaganda to a cynical eye. Films such as ‘Listen to Britain’ 1942 directed by Humphrey Jennings and Stewart McAlister.’ ‘The True Glory’ 1945 directed by Carol Reed and ‘A Diary for Timothy’ also directed by Jennings in 1945.

Of course not all cinema goers would want to watch films about the war, they wanted to go to the pictures to escape into the comforts and luxurious surrounding which the cinema provided.

Unfortunately a few of our local picture houses were damaged and destroyed during the war years. The area was hit quite badly due to its close proximity to the docks. Old Picture Houses such as The Broadway, The Imperial and the Metropole were hit in strikes and closed. Bombing during the May blitz caused devastation not only to buildings and businesses but also to families, around the corner from where the Metropole stood a memorial stone has been erected in memory of those who lost their lives.

“The Plaza opening was on 2^nd September 1939 and closed by the 3^rd September 1939, owing to the war. I had a ticket for the opening, I can’t remember what the film was.

My favourite memory is the organ on the stage.”

John Roberts