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 Winter Gardens cinema was a popular place for showing ‘X’ certificate films and memories have been shared
At the project launch event memories from cinema goers were collected in a number of ways. view some of the old style film bill posters created at the launch event
Dot Sharp (now living in Canada!) contacted us to share her memories of cinema: “My brother and I would run as fast as we could on our 5 and 6yr old legs from Bark Road […]
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
If you got in for the ‘Penny Rush’ you had extra money for sweets – Toms early 1930′s matinee memories
Things sold within the cinema during the 1930′s to the 1960′s were limited in terms of the refreshments and snacks sold within modern cinemas.
Typical program from Gaumont Cinema Bootle 1962, advertising films that where to be shown at the cinema during the month of August.
Fashions from the films have always been emulated by people in society right from the days of early cinema up until today