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.

Penny rush and Roy Rogers

If you got in for the ‘Penny Rush’ you had extra money for sweets – Toms early 1930′s matinee memories

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

Confessions of bunking in at the Pictures

Common themes remembered by cinema goers of the 30’s to the 60’s is that of ‘bunking in’ or not paying to get into the cinema. Also young cinema goers from the period of the 30′s to the 60′s would often ask strangers if they could go into the cinema with them so they could watch films that maybe they shouldn’t due to censorship and film classifications.

No catapults in the Cinema

Boys could get into all kinds of trouble with a catapult in a cinema.

Twicer ice lollies and the National Anthem

Dot Sharp (now living in Canada!) contacted us to share her memories of cinema: “My brother and I would run as fast as we could on our 5 and 6yr old legs from Bark Road […]

The Advance of Television

The increased popularity in televisions in the home helped bring about the demise of regular cinema going.

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.