Salford Cinemas
..... the cinemas in Salford played a vital part in the lives of many people before, during and after the war and for some it was their only entertainment during those sombre years. They were probably frequented more by women as the men could always go to the pub for their social needs. I personally loved going to the pictures and still love to watch old films on television. I used to go on my own, mainly to the Boro, the Dominion or the Carlton and when I was old enough I worked as an usherette and ice-cream sales girl after I had finished my office job at 5 o'clock. I also spent many a Saturday afternoon as a youngster at the Empire on Trafford Road watching my special hero Flash Gordon do battle with Ming the Merciless. I remember going through curtains at the top of each aisle to get into the cinema itself
My favourite was The Boro in Halliwell Street which was opened from 1925 to 1958. There was a fireman called Jack and he used to watch everyone going in. At that time if you were not old enough to go in on your own you could ask an adult to take you in and then you could go and sit on your own. There would be a B movie, trailers, news and then the main film. What value for money we got in those days. Usually the Sunday film was only on for that day. In 1950 a new sound system was installed, the first of its kind to be fitted in a Salford cinema. In 1958 the cinema closed, became a bingo hall and was eventually demolished in 1974. Happy days ( for me anyway).
The Carlton was the last cinema to be built in Salford and it opened on May 5th 1937 and remained open until 1962 when it became a casino and club with bingo and roulette. In 1963 the top part of the cinema re-opened and in 1970 it became a twin cinema ( was it the first in Salford?)
The Dominion ( later renamed The Essoldo) was on the corner of Ordsall Lane and Regent Road and opened in 1930. This was where I did most of my work as an usherette and Saturday night was always a full house with people dressing up for the balcony. In 1953 the first 3D film to be seen in Salford was shown there. Sadly the cinema closed in 1968
The Palace on Cross Lane opened as a theatre in September 1895 and from 1901 animated films were shown. In 1929 the Palace Theatre became two cinemas known as the Salford Palace and the Palace Cinema and the Salford Palace was the first cinema in Salford to show talking films. I have memories of being taken to the pictures there by my Uncle Charlie and sitting in ' the gods'
The first rock and roll film shown in Salford was seen at The Cromwell, Littleton Road in 1957
The Rex on Chapel Street still stands and is the only cinema in Salford officially listed as a building of some architectural interest. The last film was shown there in 1958, it became a bingo hall in 1967 and is now a church. Ex policeman Bob Dale, now living in Suffolk ( see The Kings Cinema below) remembers that it had pedestrian railings outside which were demolished when a police cart, driven by PC Harry Reckless, crashed into them during the pursuit of a stolen car
When the Ambassador on Langworthy Road opened in 1928 it was classed as the most luxurious in Salford and had seating for 1800 people. It's decor was of the highest standard and all seats had an uninterrupted view of the screen. As well as films there were variety shows and charity concerts. As is well known by now, Violet Carson ( later Ena Sharples of the television soap Coronation Street) regularly played the organ there. During the war many wedding receptions were held in the cafe and concerts were held there on Sunday. After the war it became a cinema again and in 1957 Cinemascope was introduced. I would think that this would be for the film The Robe. In 1961 Sunday bingo was introduced and by 1965 the cinema was closed and taken over for daily bingo sessions. After many attempts to get the building listed it is now, sadly, in the process of being pulled down
Other cinemas of note were
..... April 8th 1913 ..... Empire Electric Theatre, corner of Gt Cheetham Street and Bury New Road
..... May 2nd 1913 ..... the Royal Picture Theatre, Fitzwarren Street and Highfield Road - claimed to be the only theatre with two entrances and two exits in two public thoroughfares
..... May 12th 1913 ..... the Langworthy on Langworthy Road which later became a bingo hall and then a cash and carry wine store
..... February 20th 1913 ..... the Scala opened on Ford Lane behind Pendleton Church. The cinema could seat 1200 people and the first programme shown was Nemesis, a drama. In 1923 Sunday concerts also started and patrons could enjoy music and poetry readings. The Scala had two dressing rooms for variety artists. On 24th May 1930 the talkies arrived when Behind The Curtain was shown and an electric sound system costing £5000 had been installed. In September 1948 the cinema was taken over by the Essoldo group and its name changed but when the new owners applied to turn it into a bingo hall in 1966 the application was turned down. The cinema closed in the mid-1970s and was eventually demolished
..... May 26th 1913 ..... Seedley Cinema, Langworthy Road
..... August 18th 1913 ..... the Alexandra, Rumford Street off Cross Lane
..... the Olympia, West Street, Irlams O'Th' Height, closed in 1957, and said to be the first one in Salford to close due to the increasing popularity of television
..... the Central in Gardner Street was probably the first cinema in Salford, at least the first to just show films. In 1910 World On Wings was shown and a year later a cinematographic licence was issued to a Mr Whiteley who gave free admission to Salford Workhouse inmates, organised free children's picnics and did charity matinees for striking mineworkers. The cinema closed in 1959, stood empty for several years, became the Georgian Club and then was demolished in the mid-1970s
..... the Weaste Picture Hall, Eccles New Road opened in 1913. As well as films, music performances featured prominently. In 1923 a Mr Louis Blattner and a full orchestra appeared for a week and in September of that year Mikel Arenstein, a Russian violinist and cellist played at each evening performance. In 1929 talkies were introduced and the Western Electric system was installed at a cost of £5,000 ( a huge amount in those days). The cinema was popular with the bus drivers from Weaste Depot and management always knew where to look if a driver was missing and his number would be flashed up on screen asking him to report for duty. The cinema closed on May 17th 1957, was demolished in 1964 and a petrol station built on the site
..... on Monday 13th February 1911 the Kings Cinema on Regent Road opened after certain alterations had been made by Mr Hemsworth Linley, the licensee. One of these was the installation of illuminated exit signs. The cinema could hold 500 people and on this first night a local comedian, Will Norman, entertained the audience in the interval. In its early years the Kings was a grand cinema with benefit performances, film shows and several guest artists appearing. During the First World War a matinee was held every Thursday and proceeds went to the Salford Troops Comforts Fund. Many cowboy films were shown and eventually the cinema was given the nickname "Ranch House". In later years the Kings gained a reputation for showing horror films and also became known as the "flea pit" by the locals. One of these was Bob Evans from Doddington Street who now lives in Canada. He e-mailed me to ask about this cinema and then I realised that it wasn't included although it was one of the more well known cinemas in the Salford area. Another e-mail was received from ex-Salfordian Bob Dale now living in rural Suffolk who remembers his time as a policeman with Salford City Police. He recalls that as a very young and nervous police constable he stepped out into Regent Road, gave the appropriate hand signal for a bus to stop and to his amazement it did. Lots of children then trooped across the road to the matinee. In 1966 the cinema closed for decoration and reseating but in September 1968 fire caused the roof to cave and a wall to collapse. The cinema had to be pulled down
The History of Salford Cinemas by Tony Flynn gives lots more detailed information on the many cinemas in our area during the 1920s, 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s and is well worth reading
If you have memories of any particular ones please e-mail me at mgdockers@yahoo.com