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 Picturegoer film magazine is probably one of the oldest film magazines having first been published in 1913, it was a typical fan magazine not only telling readers about new films but also carried stories about the film stars and their private lives.
Original Cinema program from the Bootle Gaumont 1962. Although by this time television had drew audiences away from the cinemas, film programs continued to show re released films
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
The Stella Cinema a 1920′s gem which accommodated seating for 1200 patrons
Cinema programs were freely available within cinemas and used to promote forth coming films and local buisinesses. Here we have an original copy of a program from the Bootle Odeon for June 1963
Children’s Cinema shows and matinees hoped to develop young cinema goers into life long film and cinema fans
In 1933/34 I went to “The Pictures” for the first time, but I was not impressed. The black and white film was very old and scratched; it looked like driving rain to me. A few years later I went again and paid a penny to get in with a penny for ice cream in the interval.