Going To The Pictures

MAIN MENU

EXPLORE BY THEME

EXPLORE BY TYPE

EXPLORE BY CINEMA

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.

Film cards, magazines and photographs of the stars became valuable prized possessions which were collected and exchanged by the cinema goers and would be a talking point in society.

Collecting and copying the film stars

Film cards, magazines and photographs of the stars became valuable prized possessions which were collected and exchanged by the cinema goers and would be a talking point in society.

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

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

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

Cinema poster screen print workshop

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

Tommy remembers exchanging jam jars and doing odd jobs to earn money to go to the pictures.

Exchanging jam jars and running errands

Tommy remembers exchanging jam jars and doing odd jobs to earn money to go to the pictures.

We come along on a Saturday morning, greeting everybody with a smile.... Children’s Matinees Saturday morning, hundreds of unsupervised rowdy children. What could it be?

“We come along on a Saturday morning, greeting everybody with a smile…”

We come along on a Saturday morning, greeting everybody with a smile….
Children’s Matinees
Saturday morning, hundreds of unsupervised rowdy children. What could it be?

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

Female roles

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

Cinema program from Boole Gaumont February 1962. Films showing at the cinema at that time included two 'abridged versions' this means that the films had been edited into shorter versions often in order to fit around the main feature

Cinema Programme Bootle Gaumont February 1962

Cinema program from Boole Gaumont February 1962. Films showing at the cinema at that time included two ‘abridged versions’ this means that the films had been edited into shorter versions often in order to fit around the main feature

Gender roles portrayed in the cinema where sometimes untrue to life but helped to reinforce stereotypes

Gender roles portrayed in cinema

Gender roles portrayed in the cinema where sometimes untrue to life but helped to reinforce stereotypes

National Lottery Heritage Fund Plaza Cinema