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Empress Picture House Witton Road
- Thread starter robb128
- Start date
Rob,
I lived around the corner in The Broadway from 1946 on, and I don't recall The Empress ever being open as a picture-house. My guess is that it closed either before or during the War. I can remember my old man referring to it as a real 'flea-pit', though....
Big Gee
Di.Poppitt
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
I lived round the corner from the Empress, it was always called the Bug and Flea. The chidren's matinee was Saturday afternoon, I think it was 3d. In those days 1940's it wasn't cleaned regularly, the floor was deep in litter, old ice cream tubs, cigarette ends and packets. yuk. But I loved the 'pictures' and if I could get the 3d I was there. During the holidays we kids would stand on the steps and accost any adult going in, 'Take us in please' because most of the films were A certificate and unles you were with an adult you didn't get in. Our children have had to miss out on all the fun we had doing that.
G G Jean
Brummy Wench.
Lovely photo Dave. Was it demolished or what was it used for afterwards?. If it's like anything else, a warehouse say no more. Pete lived at the top of Witton road but can't remember it as being a cinema. He was born in 1953 so maybe he wouldn't have. Was it half way up on the right going towards six ways?. Jean.
jennyann
Gone but not forgotten. R.I.P.
My father and his brothers and sisters used to go there. I would imagine my Mother went as well since she lived in Brantley Road. I remember going past the building after it closed. Didn't it become a Billiard Hall?
Di, it wasn't easy to get 3d was it? We were always looking for pop bottles to return.
Di, it wasn't easy to get 3d was it? We were always looking for pop bottles to return.
Hi Jean,
The Empress was between The Broadway and Trinity Road, about half way along on the right-hand side looking towards Six Ways. The building is still there. It became some kind of factory, I think. Maybe it's empty and derelict now, I haven't been past it for ages so can't really say. My mother did most of her grocery shopping at Sam Bevan's shop a few doors away.
Jean, if Pete lived at the top of Witton Road, does he remember the old dance-hall? The building is still there, I think.
Big Gee
G G Jean
Brummy Wench.
Pete said would that be the Albert Hall Big Gee?. I am still with my old doctors health center even though Dr Pike died they still let me stay on their books. Don't like the area much but the doctors are VG. Have to have blood tests again soon so will get Pete to do a detour down Witton road. His house no 51 is still there and Pete thinks the hall is a warehouse?. Bye. Jean.
Jean,
Yes, the Albert Hall. I was married in 1971 and our first house was in Woodridge, off Trinity Road. Around that time the Albert Hall was a cut-price furniture warehouse, but even though my wife and I were skint we wouldn't sink so low as to buying any of the rubbish they had there! I also have a (very) vague memory that at some point it became a religious meeting-place. My dad used to relate how he took my mother to a dance at the Albert Hall (pre-war, this would be) and was picked on by a couple of drunks. Sad to say (for them) they were not to know that my old man was a former champion amateur middleweight...ooops!
I hope things go well for you, health-wise.
Big Gee
Yes, the Albert Hall. I was married in 1971 and our first house was in Woodridge, off Trinity Road. Around that time the Albert Hall was a cut-price furniture warehouse, but even though my wife and I were skint we wouldn't sink so low as to buying any of the rubbish they had there! I also have a (very) vague memory that at some point it became a religious meeting-place. My dad used to relate how he took my mother to a dance at the Albert Hall (pre-war, this would be) and was picked on by a couple of drunks. Sad to say (for them) they were not to know that my old man was a former champion amateur middleweight...ooops!
I hope things go well for you, health-wise.
Big Gee
jennyann
Gone but not forgotten. R.I.P.
Good story Big Gee. My mother used to tell me lots of stories about going dancing at the Albert Hall. I think it was empty for many years and then as you say a furniture warehouse. Such a shame but then the area has changed a lot over the years. I always look out for it as I have done for years and think of all the good times my Mom had there.
This would be in the late l920's. Mom often went to town and looked at the dance dresses she couldn't afford and then she would rush home design her own pattern based on what she had seen....run the dress up on her Singer and wear it to the Albert Hall as soon as she could. She was great at sewing.
This would be in the late l920's. Mom often went to town and looked at the dance dresses she couldn't afford and then she would rush home design her own pattern based on what she had seen....run the dress up on her Singer and wear it to the Albert Hall as soon as she could. She was great at sewing.
I too remember Amies Dance Academy, which was still going until the early 1960's, but never had the nerve to actually go in. We used to go to Goodwin-Harding's School of Dance in Westminster Road, without the slightest intention of actually dancing. Which was just as well in my case, because I never could, cannot, and never will be able to dance..
Big Gee
Big Gee
Hi Jean,
My old man is long gone, so I can't ask him, but I think he boxed at the old Dyson Hall, and also a gym somewhere on the Lichfield Road. This would be in the very early 1930's. He could lift me up by the scruff of my neck with one hand and tap my head against the ceiling...and that was when I was 43.
Big Gee
