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.

Souvenir Brochures from Cinemas (1)

Souvenir Film Brochures were widely sold at cinemas during the initial release of what at the time were described as film “Epics” they helped promote the film and usually contained details of the cast, how the film was made and also assorted stills from the film.

Picture Show and Film Pictorial

The film magazine Picture Show was first published in 1919, and gave readers an insight into films that were showing at their local cinemas but more importantly it gave readers the opportunity to learn more […]

The cinema as a community venue.

The Cinema’s of the 1930′s to the 1960′s were often seen as being a quite luxurious venue for the public to go. They were an important part of the community for socialising and magnificent places of entertainment

The New Picture Hall – The Waterloo Playhouse – The Winter Garden’s – Church Road Waterloo

The Winter Gardens cinema was a popular place for showing ‘X’ certificate films and memories have been shared

The role of cinema during the wars

The cinema during the war years played an important role in keeping up morale and finding out news and information. It also was a place to escape for a few hours and get lost in the land of film.