Going To The Pictures

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.

Cinema Heritage Interactive Map

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

Female roles

The role of women portrayed on the screen often fell within the stereotypical roles amplified and made up by Hollywood

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.

Programme for Bootle Odeon June 1963

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

Influence of film stars on fashion and lifestyle

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

Cinema Programme for Bootle Gaumont 1962

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

The Winter Gardens Theatre / Apollo Theatre – Pembroke Road Bootle

Another early cinema was on Pembroke Road in Bootle it was called The Winter Gardens Theatre and also Apollo Theatre. The building which stood was built in the 1890’s and was originally known as Beaconsfield […]