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Birmingham Cinemas

Hi Mike,
All the time I worked with Ray he never said anything about being Alf Mays son in law, but I did think it was strange the way he used to be with old Clarkey, it didn't seem the usual owner / manager relationship
 
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Another couple of "cinema" prints. 1) Bristol. 2)Victoria Playhouse. Both about 1937. I don't know any of the people in the pictures. Anyone any ideas?
 
Hi Both pictures are of the Victoria Playhouse.... The Bristol Road was an Art Deco Theatre.... designed by Archibald Hurley Robinson[ QUOTE=devonjim;546586]View attachment 97357View attachment 97358Another couple of "cinema" prints. 1) Bristol. 2)Victoria Playhouse. Both about 1937. I don't know any of the people in the pictures. Anyone any ideas?[/QUOTE]
 
Loved your photos devonjim and the uniforms of the girls. Both my Mom and Dad worked in cinemas, so I have a connection. I'll try and post some of mine when I get chance. Dad was Manager of the Clifton, Great Barr and was Area Manager for the Clifton Group. Mom worked as a Cashier and Usherette at the Tudor in Kings Heath and that is where they met. He was Manager there at the time.

Judy
 
Hi Judy
I used to go to the Victoria regular and every sat morning matinees and I used to go down to the Astoria my aunty Maud was cashier there
And I used to get in free and get my free pop corn and ices
Right up until 1954 and it was after leaving the Victoria and dashing down to the Astoria got in free to see Roy rogers
Came out and got my self knocked down and almost ended up dead transfusion all night touch and go and had to have a big metal plate in my leg
Which I still have today never ever went again as they sold it and became ATV studios
 
Hi Astonian Sorry I have to correct your final sentence about the Astoria The ABC Astoria was never sold until it became BRMB.This was one of the many oddities of the ABC Chain/ It was owned in association with Sidney Clift & the Salberg Family.. The Studio was set up for ABC Television Ltd.,.. Alpha television Studios. Alpha being am ABC trade name and used it Saturday and Sunday. They then rented out the facility Monday to Friday The ATV company which was owned by the old Moss Empire Theatre Chain They had very little money and could not afford to set up one.. another point of interest the ABC Television offices were on the right hand side of the Regal Handsworth Hmm and there are tales I could tell of I did management relief there. and met Eric Morley of Mecca (the owner of the Come Dancing programme)and gave him the guided tour.
Hi Judy I used to go to the Victoria regular and every sat morning matinees and I used to go down to the Astoria my aunty Maud was cashier there And I used to get in free and get my free pop corn and ices Right up until 1954 and it was after leaving the Victoria and dashing down to the Astoria got in free to see Roy rogers Came out and got my self knocked down and almost ended up dead transfusion all night touch and go and had to have a big metal plate in my leg Which I still have today never ever went again as they sold it and became ATV studios
 
View attachment 97090

Found this among my mother in law's photos. She worked at "The Bristol" just before WW2. A Christmas "do" perhaps, certainly a pro photo. Anyone know where, event etc?

Hi All,

I find this photo very interesting. At first I thought perhaps a Masonic 'Do' but now I do not hink so. Far more younger people than older. I would date it as just after WW11. All the men in evening dress but none of the ladies. Perhaps it is a Rotary or Round Table event Has anyone else any ideas?

Old Boy.
 
Thanks for the interest, by zooming in on the computer I have been able to pick out my mother in law she is standing with other young ladies, by post WW2 she was married with two daughters so unlikely to be out "on the town". I would have thought more mid 30's by the knee length dresses.
 
Devonjim,

I tend to agree with you. After WW11 most of the young men were away on National Service,
Hopefully someone will come up with an answer.

Old Boy
 
Looks 1930s to me. Clue might be in the hairstyles of many of the young ladies at the front of the photograph i.e. very tight wavy curls. Are these finger-wave curls, which were in fashion in the 1930s? Need a female hairstyle expert to have a look. Dave.
 
The dresses look like 20s/30s rather than the more austere/formal wear of the 40s. The event is probably a dance of some sort which might mean people are in costume which might change the date. I say this is a dance because of the wide wooden floor and the sign at the right of frame that says "Quick Step". If that was just the available hall and the sign was a left-over that might not be true but I would have expected to see tables in the background or to the side if it wasn't. I have the feeling I've seen those shield designs on the wall in a local hotel at some point (Grand? Imperial?) although the blank shield could mean it was just a generic decoration. If this was late 40s and a costume event, the National Service problem could be avoided if it was Christmas/New Year when many of those on service would be on leave. The best way of figuring out when it was is by the apparent age of your mother-in-law in the picture. There could be some effect that makes her look younger (flash photography/deliberate softening of the image) but we're talking about a 30 year range here.
 
The only News Theatre I knew till 1960 was at 56 High Street near the corner of Albert Street with a Pub on the corner and was owned by Movietone News from 1932 and run by Joseph Cohen (Jacey) before then it was the Oxford.

If anyone knows the name of the Pub it would fill a gap in the old memory bank.

I know we use to get there on the No6 Tram which ran up Dale End.

Sorry I do not know the name of the Pub, but this cinema (amongst others) was owned by my family business Jacey Cinemas Ltd. that no longer exists. Anyone interested in learning more can find my webpage devoted to the 'History of the Jacey Group' that included Jacey Cinemas, this was created by my late Grandfather Joseph Cohen (I am the last surviving Director) Please have a look at my website: -
https://www.jncohen.net/JaceyGroup/JosephCohen.htm
 
Seeing the name Jacey in a recent post reminded me of Jacey Road in Shirley. I had relatives that lived there. Reading the Jacey web site I noted that in fact the road was named after the founding gentleman.
 
I think we where involved with two early companies that Joseph Cohen involved with Cinema Proprietors Ltd., and CD Cinemas Ltd., We supplied the pipework for the central heating and building supplies and got part paid in shares and money. Later we had share concerted to ABPC shares... We had same arrangements with Clifton and a Number of Odeon sites Our main interests where the Walsall Theatre Co.,.. I had shares in The Capitol Cinema (Ward End) Ltd which owned 4 cinemas. I was BT Davis's last General manger. I liked the Cinephone's design and the Fabulous chandeliers in the café lounge area.
Sorry I do not know the name of the Pub, but this cinema (amongst others) was owned by my family business Jacey Cinemas Ltd. that no longer exists. Anyone interested in learning more can find my webpage devoted to the 'History of the Jacey Group' that included Jacey Cinemas, this was created by my late Grandfather Joseph Cohen (I am the last surviving Director) Please have a look at my website: - https://www.jncohen.net/JaceyGroup/JosephCohen.htm
 
The Era on the corner of Churchill Rd and Bordesley Green, opened in 1914 had a seating capacity of 700 and it closed in 1959.
 

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