• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team

Birmingham Cinemas

I ONLYWENT TO THE PALY ONCE, AND THAT,S
WHEN IT CLOSED DOWN .
AND THEY CHANGED IT TO A BINGO HALL.
ON THE NIGHT I WENT THERE WAS A COUPLE IN FRONT
OF ME, WHOM JUST WON A HOUSE FOR 2OO HUNDRED QUID
WHEN THEY GAVE HIM THE PRIZE MONEY
HE STUCK IT IN HIS BACK TROUSER POCKET
LITTLE DID HE KNEW IT FELL OUT .
I TAPPED HIM ON THE SHOULDER, AND TOLD HIM ,
HE DID,NT SAY THANK YOU, AND I THOUGHT YOU
OLD MISERABLE SO AND SO,
DURING THE INTERVILLE, I GOT A PASS OUT TO POP
ALONG TO THE LITTLE PUB ,THATWAS THERE
FOR A SWIFT PINT ,
IT WAS A DARK WINDY NIGHTAND ON MY WAY THERE
WHAT WAS BLOWING IN THE WIND TOWARDS ME
WAS A FIVE POUND NOTE ,
SO BEING HONEST I THOUGHT SOMBODY UPSTAIRS
HIS WATCHING OVER ME , AND REWARDED ME FOR MY HONESTIE
NEVER FORGOT THAT PLACE, SO HOESTIE PAYS OFF YEH.
 
in my pics ,i try to get a pic of a local passing by ,it says more tha a 1000 words :knuppel2:
 
Rowan, do you mean the Tivoli at Yardley, if so, I'm sorry to say it was demolished many years ago to build the Swan Centre, on the Coventry Road, this now in turn is to be demolished to make way for yet another TESCO Hypermarket.
 
My..........how things come and go :o

I have been passed the Swan Centre, many years ago when I paid a visit to Yardley
cemetery and never noticed that the Tivoli had gone :-[


Well I suppose there REALLY is a need for ANOTHER Tesco's :tickedoff:
 
John I remember going to the Scala in the mid 1950s to see "The Girl on the Red Velvet Swing", starring Joan Collins. It was just before the area was redeveloped and we lost another landmark, I believe it was a theatre before becoming a cinema.
 
Sylvie, I was there, doing that too too. On my own, that time. It was Thursday 9 February 1956.
Who knows, I might have sat next to you.
Ain't it a small world!
Peter
 
Peter, oh my what a coincidence, I'm afraid I can't remember what date I went to the Scala, I didn't keep a diary like you have, you wasn't the chap who felt my knee were you??? lol
 
JUST PICKED UP ON THIS ONE.I WAS BORN ARKLEY ROAD HALL GREEN SO MY CINEMAS OVER THE YEARS BECAME THE ROBIN HOOD FOR MINORS, THE RIALTO I SAW THE ORIGINAL LADY AND THE TRAMP AND BAMBI IN THAT ONE . AND AS I STARTED COURTING THE BACK ROW OF THE ODEON IN SHIRLEY AND THE PICCADILLY IN SPARKBROOK. HAPPY DAYS THEY ARE MOST LIKELY ALL GONE NOW.I KNOW THE ROBIN HOOD HAS BUT I CAN STILL PICTURE THE INSIDE OF THAT PLACE WITH ALL THE VELVET CURTAINS AND SETTEES ON THE WAY INTO THE THEATRE TO SEE THE FILM AND IT HAD A SMELL OF ITS OWN LIKE A MUSTY SMELL
JOHN
 
Apparently my husband has many happy memories of this cinema! I am sure I don't know what he means. Anyway I was talking to a lady last week who,s father was the manager of the Baufort for about 20 years!
 
Moma leave him to his memories you have yours, the Pics leave us with so much of our early years, just love him for what he is :smitten:
 
My hubby has just said "who remembers Hawtins record shop" opposite the Capital cinema Ward End.
 
Record Shop

I do, my wife and I bought an LP by Glenn Cambell from the shop. Walking in that shop was like stepping back in time. We lived at 828 Alum Rock road, our first home, a flat above Hilliers Sports and Toy shop, this was in 1975ish. Hawtins shop seemed to be very old fashioned to my wife and I but the records were cheap. :rolleyes:
 
Last edited by a moderator:
A internal view of the Villa Cross.......spent many happy hours in here in the late 1960's........
 
Another picture house close to my heart is The Jacey....in Station Street... 6 old pence for a all day viewing of cartoons....again I spent many hours in there during the school week instead of attending school, is it still there ?...I haven't been to that part of Brum in 20 years plus.....
 
Mom and dad took me to the Villa Cross to see The Wizard of Oz. I never forgot the film, although I have no memory of the cinema. We would have walked from Witton, and I would only have been about three. I hope I got a picky up.:)
 
Mine was The Odeon in Sutton Coldfield, Blue Hawii Elvis Presly with my Mom she was a big fan I loved it I think I was about 5.
 
Just few more within a tram ride:
Palace & Picture House Erdington,
Star Slade Road,
Empress & Odeon Sutton Coldfield,
Apollo Pype Hayes,
Odeon Kingstanding,
Pavilion Wylde Green,
All the cinemas you recalled sylvia and the above I visited at least one, the Globe sticks out more than any other, I remember paying 6d and having to walk down the side of the cinema and in though the side exit door to be told we could only sit in the first two rows, there was a red rope across the gangway to stop you going further back, when we looked at the screen it had a wire mesh infront of it to stop I was later told the kid throwing thing at the villan!
Ido hope that story was true as why the mesh screen?
ASTON
 
A couple more Aston, don't forget the Plaza, Stockland Green and the Mayfair, Kingstanding. Mr. Riago, the manager of the Plaza in the l940's and 50's lived down the road from us. He used to walk his three huge Alsatian dogs in the field behind our house when I was cutting through on my way to school. He kept the dogs in his back garden which was mostly one big area for them to live in. Have great memories of Saturday afternoons at the Plaza and many special films over the years.

I remember the Star in Slade Road. It was cheaper for the matinee than the Plaza. I went to all those you mention at some time. We didn't think anything about hopping on the bus if we wanted to see a certain film and it wasn't playing locally.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top