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.
Some students from Crosby High School have helped to create the Cinema Heritage Trail Map depicting the sites of the 21 Cinemas
In the early days of cinema films for children would often be of American origin and sometimes just be adult films which had been edited until British films especially made for the child audience came along following concerns about the effects of film on the young audience.
Explore this map of 21 local cinemas within a 3 mile radius of the Plaza, from 1930 to 1960.
Films came to the cinema on large reels which would be projected onto the screen, the reels would sometimes break and get mixed up
The lives and views of the stars were big news and the film stars would become as much as a draw to the cinema as the films themselves
The Gainsborough, opened in 1922 and was named after the famous painter Thomas Gainsborough. It was built almost directly opposite The Picture House of Bootle and helped bring about its closure.
Jean’s cinema memories of dating at the Pictures and the influence of music and not being able to stay in your seat for wanting to dance.