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.
Some young cinema goers were given the responsibility of being a monitor – providing help and assistance to the cinema staff
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.
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.
Opening in the roaring 20′s The Coliseum was a large 1400 seat cinema which had balcony and cafe lounge upstairs for cinema goers to socialise and wait for the silent film screenings to begin
I remember watching ‘The Night of the Living Dead’ with my wife, who hid throughout the whole film.
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.
The cinema has provided a popular venue for dating and through the 30’s to the 60’s was the first choice for many first dates and courting couples who would often head for the back row.