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.

Gender roles portrayed in cinema

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

Photoplay Film Magazine

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 National Anthem was played at the end of the film shows

Patriotic Cinema goers would stand for the National Anthem which was played at the end of the film screenings.

Visit to the North West Sound Archive

The memories of Going to the Pictures we have recorded for the project will be stored within the North West Sound Archive so that part of our local cinema heritage is preserved for future generations

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 Sun Hall / Imperial Cinema – Stanley Road Bootle

The Sun Hall was one of the earliest venues in the borough to show moving images to patrons back in 1906 when it showed animated pictures with a man behind the scenes providing sound effects. […]