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.
The Regal was built as a purpose built cinema and opened 1939. With a white frontage, the sail shape building was a very popular venue especially with courting couples who remember the double ‘Love Seats’
Like cinema itself, the way women have been represented on the big screen has changed through the decades
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.
Photoplay film magazine not only had articles about new film releases it also had articles about the film stars themselves and their private lives.
The original building of what was the Palladium Cinema in Seaforth still stands today and has been part of the community for 100 years, having several changes of use. It is currently used as a gymnasium.
My first memory of the pictures is coming to the Plaza to see ‘Oliver’.
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 […]