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Tower cinema, West Brom

Virusman26

Virusman26

master brummie
Hi all.

After digging around, my dad managed to lay his hands on the following couple of pictures of the old Tower cinema in West brom. WHAT A PLACE!!!! Real Art Deco cinema, Gala bingo would have had a field day with this one!!!

Quote from his email "Attached are a couple of photos of the cinema that I was telling you about I went to as a child and right up to the time I started going out with your Mum in the 1960's.
Went there three times in a week in about 1958 to see Elvis Presley in Jailhouse Rock.

Gorgeous Art Deco building pulled down by the usual misguided town planners and replaced with rubbish. In one photo is the Clock Tower which is still standing and a lovely old church which is not."

Towercinema.jpg


Towercinema2.jpg


Anyone else got any memories of this place?:)
 
What a brilliant building thanks for the photo's Virusman. Do you know when it was built. I bet my Mom and Dad went there as my Mom lived in West Brom before she married Dad in 1939.
 
I used to go there in the 50s to the Saturday morning Minors, it was 6d downstairs and 9d up stairs, like most kids around the country it was somewhere go to at the weekend where you could yell your head off at the picture and not told by adults to "SHUT UP"!!! In later years it was a Bingo Hall and then demolished and a drive through Pharmasy built on the site, the clock tower was known as The pepper pot.
 
Wendy said:
What a brilliant building thanks for the photo's Virusman. Do you know when it was built. I bet my Mom and Dad went there as my Mom lived in West Brom before she married Dad in 1939.
Click to expand...

Built 1935 and opened on December 9th of that year. Not clear just yet as to the opening presentation. Seating was a total of 1922.
Became part of the ABC chain in July 1961, and closed as an unaltered cinema (no sub-divisions) on the 28th December 1968 to hand over to bingo. Much more likely to find out the closing film by this time next week along with a few more photos if anyone interested.
 
chucka said:
I used to go there in the 50s to the Saturday morning Minors, it was 6d downstairs and 9d up stairs, like most kids around the country it was somewhere go to at the weekend where you could yell your head off at the picture and not told by adults to "SHUT UP"!!! In later years it was a Bingo Hall and then demolished and a drive through Pharmasy built on the site, the clock tower was known as The pepper pot.
Click to expand...



Me too Chucka! Many a Saturday morning I spent at the Tower (ABC) during the late fifties, to the mid-sixties .....I've still got my ABC MINORS badge! Looking back, it was more than a bit like the 'Muppet Show' - hundreds of kids singing-along, bouncing up and down on the seats - frenetic at times! All those ancient cow-boy films/Dr. Fu Manchu et al ....did you ever take your cap-pistols with you??? I recall that the organist used to play the giant Wurlitzer-type organ until the advent of 'pop' music; then it was Cliff Richards and the Shadows; and Helen Shapiro singing ''Walking Back to Happiness'' - which sticks in my memory as the beginnings of 'modern music' etc.

I first went to the Tower when I was taken by my three elder sisters to see the ''The Forbidden Planet'' in 1956 (possibly '57) ... it was my first EVER visit to a cinema and the film terrified me! I was in such a state on our return home that my father gave my much older sisters a severe 'ticking-off' .... apparently he'd recently seen the film too, and it had frightened him! Clearly we were all more innocent, and much more easily shocked in those days.

To pay for my ticket I used to collect & return pop/beer bottles for the deposit; I was forever up-ended in some dustbin looking for stray bottles!

When I became too old for the Saturday Morning ABC Minors I used to go during the week-day, afternoon matinée shows ... occasionally 'bunking-off' school to watch Elvis Presley films : Blue Hawaii, Fun in Acapulco, Viva Las Vegas, Live a Little, Love a Little, the Trouble With Girls etc. Often I watched the films through twice, staying throughout the afternoon. Such happy memories of a much simpler, gentle time. I had nothing except what I could earn for myself, but so richer in many ways, than to day. These days you need to take-out a mortgage to even get into a cinema!

Bravo the Tower Cinema!
 
Found this out just for you John. It was given to all the kids for the Queens Coronation, it's a bit battered as its been chucked into different draw's over the years. :D
View attachment 54361
 
Ta! Yes, you have the rare 'Coronation' badge....mine is a much plainer version ( I must find it out) ... I bet your's is rarer than a hen's teeth! Well-done that man!

Chucka - what school did you go to???
 
I went to Christ Church infants & junior then Spon Lane Sec Mod, started work on my 15th birthday. How about you ?
 
Cheers Chucka - I went to Hateley Heath, and then to HillTop School - and I beat ya :p as I left whilst still fourteen ....being an August birthday I'd started secondary school a year earlier than I should have. A point which the headmaster mentioned to me about an hour before I was due to leave school! He told me to ''keep your head down for a few weeks'' ! Oh for the days before stifling regulations!
 
Richie said:
Built 1935 and opened on December 9th of that year. Not clear just yet as to the opening presentation. Seating was a total of 1922.
Became part of the ABC chain in July 1961, and closed as an unaltered cinema (no sub-divisions) on the 28th December 1968 to hand over to bingo. Much more likely to find out the closing film by this time next week along with a few more photos if anyone interested.
Click to expand...

Thanks Richie the date confirms my Mom and Dad must have gone there in their courting days!
 
Hmm This has bought back memories........
This was a very unusual Cinema. This was designed by the Weeden Practice (The Odean Architect) For the Oliver Ciruit (Regal Darliston Group) Was later sold to Assocated Brirish Cinemas.. The manager after the war on demob was Frank W. Attoe (Later moved to ABC (Savoy) Walsall ..
Then Arthur Talor became Manager.. The Last Manager was Ray Adams in April 1968 the then District Manager had the place total redecorated and i think new Screen tabs. (Curtains). For that time I was the Relief Manager until it became a Bingo Hall...
Projection Equipment from Memory was ROSS GC3 Picture Heads... RCA Sound.. Peerless Magnarcs Last Chief Projectionist was Jimmy Knott.

The 2nd Projectionist was Albert Timins who shown me how to project films.. which later I found usful when I had my own Cinemas...

The organist was named Wifred Gregory and They had a Compton

I was very sad to see it closed as a cinema...
 
Last edited:
Mike Blakemore, just on the off-chance, you didn't have a relative who was a maths teacher in West Brom'?
 
Anyone, know what happened to that beautiful Organ? It mostly seemed to play ''Moonlight Serenade'' when I was in one of those lovely seats for two, at the back. !!! dontheturner
 
I believe the Compton Organ ended up in a Church or chapel in Devon. I think the last full time organist was Wilfred Gregory... At the Manager at the time was Frank W. Attoe, when it was last used. He moved to the ABC Savoy Walsall in around 59-60. He later then trained me in Cinema Management

When I was Relief Manager..The Organ had been removed and the spot were it came out of the floor was turned into a more profitable Ice cream sales point...

Regal Handsworth ABC Forum New Street had been done at the same time...
 
Thanks Mike - It is nice to know, that it found another home.
Money is the prime mover, in every action, I suppose. As it is, with my return in a week or so, back to the Midlands.
I am a Walsall Lad by birth, and moved to W.B in 46, then National Service in the RAF, then on demob, Went home to Parents, who had retired to Oakengates Shropshire - now that was a shock, I can tell you.
However, Walsall, West Brom, and Birmingham, have been destroyed by planners, so Shropshire, or most of it, is a haven the bulldozers, never found! Take Care dontheturner
 
Alf,
Thanks so much - A very good read, also found the Bugle link, most enlightening.
I am here in Thailand for a little longer than one week, then I shall be back to my old stomping ground. miss the Mercury, and the Bugle, as they were always getting lost in the post, so I stopped them

Ah well! Again Thanks. dontheturner
 
dontheturner said:
Alf,
Thanks so much - A very good read, also found the Bugle link, most enlightening.
I am here in Thailand for a little longer than one week, then I shall be back to my old stomping ground. miss the Mercury, and the Bugle, as they were always getting lost in the post, so I stopped them

Ah well! Again Thanks. dontheturner
Click to expand...
Mike Blakemore said:
Hi Have found this picture in my files Of The Tower Cinema West Bromwich I worked with Jimmy Knot in 1968 When Tower closed (ABC) He went to the Coventry Theatre finished at the Futurist at Birmingham..

View attachment 58746
Click to expand...
 
Hi

Im looking for information on the Towers Cinema my grandad William James Love played the organ to the films and im looking for any information.

Kind regards

Nickie Greensill
Decendant
 
Alf said:
dotheturner

Have a look here

https://www.west-bromwich-photos.co.uk/apps/forums/topics/show/898314-tower-cinema
Click to expand...
Virusman26 said:
Hi all.

After digging around, my dad managed to lay his hands on the following couple of pictures of the old Tower cinema in West brom. WHAT A PLACE!!!! Real Art Deco cinema, Gala bingo would have had a field day with this one!!!

Quote from his email "Attached are a couple of photos of the cinema that I was telling you about I went to as a child and right up to the time I started going out with your Mum in the 1960's.
Went there three times in a week in about 1958 to see Elvis Presley in Jailhouse Rock.

Gorgeous Art Deco building pulled down by the usual misguided town planners and replaced with rubbish. In one photo is the Clock Tower which is still standing and a lovely old church which is not."

Towercinema.jpg


Towercinema2.jpg


Anyone else got any memories of this place?:)
Click to expand...
 
Hi

Im looking for information on the Towers Cinema my grandad William James Love played the organ to the films and im looking for any information.

Kind regards

Nickie Greensill
Decendant
 
Mike Blakemore said:
Hmm This has bought back memories........
This was a very unusual Cinema. This was designed by the Weeden Practice (The Odean Architect) For the Oliver Ciruit (Regal Darliston Group) Was later sold to Assocated Brirish Cinemas.. The manager after the war on demob was Frank W. Attoe (Later moved to ABC (Savoy) Walsall ..
Then Arthur Talor became Manager.. The Last Manager was Ray Adams in April 1968 the then District Manager had the place total redecorated and i think new Screen tabs. (Curtains). For that time I was the Relief Manager until it became a Bingo Hall...
Projection Equipment from Memory was ROSS GC3 Picture Heads... RCA Sound.. Peerless Magnarcs Last Chief Projectionist was Jimmy Knott.

The 2nd Projectionist was Albert Timins who shown me how to project films.. which later I found usful when I had my own Cinemas...

The organist was named Wifred Gregory and They had a Compton

I was very sad to see it closed as a cinema...
Click to expand...
 
Hi

Im looking for information on the Towers Cinema my grandad William James Love played the organ to the films and im looking for any information.

Kind regards

Nickie Greensill
Decendant
 
Virusman26 said:
Hi all.

After digging around, my dad managed to lay his hands on the following couple of pictures of the old Tower cinema in West brom. WHAT A PLACE!!!! Real Art Deco cinema, Gala bingo would have had a field day with this one!!!

Quote from his email "Attached are a couple of photos of the cinema that I was telling you about I went to as a child and right up to the time I started going out with your Mum in the 1960's.
Went there three times in a week in about 1958 to see Elvis Presley in Jailhouse Rock.

Gorgeous Art Deco building pulled down by the usual misguided town planners and replaced with rubbish. In one photo is the Clock Tower which is still standing and a lovely old church which is not."

Towercinema.jpg


Towercinema2.jpg


Anyone else got any memories of this place?:)
Click to expand...
 
Hi

Im looking for information on the Towers Cinema my grandad William James Love played the organ to the films and im looking for any information.

Kind regards

Nickie Greensill
Decendant
 
Nickie,

Welcome to the Forum. Did your granddad play anywhere else apart from that cinema. If so, he might warrant an appearance in either The Stage or The Era, both of which are now online, but not free. However, I've had a quick search through both, and have not managed to turn anything up. Perhaps one of our cinema or West Brom buffs might know his name.

Maurice
 
I could not remember the Tower West Bromwich as I thought I knew most of the West Brom cinemas and unfortunately we have lost the photos that were on this thread. So I have looked it up and found this video, the first half of which relates to the Tower.


from this I see that the cinema was down at Carters Green, an area i did not know so well but remember a few trips that way on my bike

Another video which is about West Brom generally but does have a shot of the Tower at the end.

 
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