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.

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.

J. Arthur Rank and Children’s Entertainment Films

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.

The ABC Film Review magazine was available in all ABC Cinemas from 1950 onwards. This magazine told cinema goers of forth coming film attractions

The ABC Film Review

The ABC Film Review magazine was available in all ABC Cinemas from 1950 onwards. This magazine told cinema goers of forth coming film attractions

I remember watching ‘The Night of the Living Dead’ with my wife, who hid throughout the whole film.

Watching the horror film ‘The Night of the Living Dead, with my wife.

I remember watching ‘The Night of the Living Dead’ with my wife, who hid throughout the whole film.

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’.

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.

The fantastic five storey building was built in 1911 as a theatre and described as “artistic throughout”

The Metropole Stanley Road Bootle

The fantastic five storey building was built in 1911 as a theatre and described as “artistic throughout”

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.

Common themes remembered by cinema goers of the 30’s to the 60’s is that of ‘bunking in’ or not paying to get into the cinema. Also young cinema goers from the period of the 30's to the 60's would often ask strangers if they could go into the cinema with them so they could watch films that maybe they shouldn't due to censorship and film classifications.

Confessions of bunking in at the Pictures

Common themes remembered by cinema goers of the 30’s to the 60’s is that of ‘bunking in’ or not paying to get into the cinema. Also young cinema goers from the period of the 30′s to the 60′s would often ask strangers if they could go into the cinema with them so they could watch films that maybe they shouldn’t due to censorship and film classifications.

National Lottery Heritage Fund Plaza Cinema