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.
Children’s Cinema shows and matinees hoped to develop young cinema goers into life long film and cinema fans
Souvenir Film Brochures were widely sold at cinemas during the initial release of what at the time were described as film “Epics” they helped promote the film and usually contained details of the cast, how the film was made and also assorted stills from the film.
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.
Flyer for the ‘X’ rated film ‘A Guide for the Married Man’
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.
Tommy remembers exchanging jam jars and doing odd jobs to earn money to go to the pictures.