Going To The Pictures

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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.

Memories are made of this… Project overview

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.

Cinema Heritage Interactive Map

Explore this map of 21 local cinemas within a 3 mile radius of the Plaza, from 1930 to 1960.

"I remember the club song which went like this: “To the Ode – Odeon we have come..."

Odeon Saturday Club song

“I remember the club song which went like this: “To the Ode – Odeon we have come…”

My first memory of the pictures is coming to the Plaza to see ‘Oliver’.

Seeing ‘Oliver’ at the Plaza

My first memory of the pictures is coming to the Plaza to see ‘Oliver’.

To research and collect memories of Going to the Pictures we have worked with several community groups, organisations and individuals and would like to thank them all.

Community involvement in the project

To research and collect memories of Going to the Pictures we have worked with several community groups, organisations and individuals and would like to thank them all.

Film cards, magazines and photographs of the stars became valuable prized possessions which were collected and exchanged by the cinema goers and would be a talking point in society.

Collecting and copying the film stars

Film cards, magazines and photographs of the stars became valuable prized possessions which were collected and exchanged by the cinema goers and would be a talking point in society.

Crosby High Students at Sefton Records Office viewing old maps and photographs to see how the area and community has changed over the years and where the Picture Houses in the area once stood.

Crosby High Visit to Sefton Records Office

Crosby High Students at Sefton Records Office viewing old maps and photographs to see how the area and community has changed over the years and where the Picture Houses in the area once stood.

Cinemas accommodated for different audiences by holding film programs which catered and entertained many tastes.

Cinema audiences

Cinemas accommodated for different audiences by holding film programs which catered and entertained many tastes.

Typical program from Gaumont Cinema Bootle 1962, advertising films that where to be shown at the cinema during the month of August.

Programme from the Gaumont Cinema, Bootle – August 1962

Typical program from Gaumont Cinema Bootle 1962, advertising films that where to be shown at the cinema during the month of August.

Showtime was first published in 1964 by the Rank Organisation as a competitor to ABC's Film Review, it had similar content but ceased publication by the late 1960's.

Showtime

Showtime was first published in 1964 by the Rank Organisation as a competitor to ABC’s Film Review, it had similar content but ceased publication by the late 1960′s.

National Lottery Heritage Fund Plaza Cinema