I believe our office number 25 was the cinema called the Cosy.Judy
I believe the B&W photo was to early before ABC took it on and the Colour one was then a Mecca Bingo and ABC could have sold it on.
I also notice the photo you and Colin posted is in my Book as the Tudor Haunch Lane Yardley
This is the only Cinema in Kings Heath was the Kingsway High Street closed 1980 I knew and the last time I went was 1970s to see Lady Sings the Blues Diana Ross
There was one other called the Kings Heath Picture House Institute Road which opened 1911 changed to the Cosy 1914 closed in1915
I believe our office number 25 was the cinema called the Cosy.
Has anybody got any fither information please
.films were being shown in The Institute, until the Ideal Cinema opened by the Hare and Hounds pub just before the war
When I was evacuated to Billesley in '44 during the flying bomb era we used to play on the common and often went to the cinema which I think was called The Tudor.Now, now boys!! Be niceGuess you were both right, and so was I
Thanks to you both for your input into my question. I think I will have to get the Victor J Price book on Birmingham Cinemas as it sounds as though there would a lot in there of interest Phil.
And Alf, what is the book that you refer to, as that sounds good as well?
At one time I lived with my mom and dad and gran in the prefabs near the Tudor (Marked red on the map) We moved out around 1952 but gran lived there for many years after. I recall a time in the early 50's when there was a freezing winter and fuel was difficult to obtain. Dad, his brother and I went to visit gran and I was told to follow dad and his brother. Dad had a shovel and his brother had a sack. We walked round and entered Billesley common by the pathway mentioned by pjmburns, and then we all clambered over the fence at the rear of the Tudor and found ourselves near a big pile of coke used to fire the cinema boilers. Dad and his brother filled the sack quickly and and swiftly backtracked into the common, me with shovel the two men carrying the sack of coke. Across the common to the wire fence surrounding gran's garden and whilst I held the bottom of the fence up, the men, with the shovel and sack of coke shuffled under quickly followed by myself and then the stolen fuel was dumped into the coal shed and gran had her winter fuel.The Tudor would have backed on to Billesley Common. There is still a pathway which comes off the common nearby.
Hope Gran got the coke to ignite, usually coke supplied for commercial use takes forever to ignite with wood and paper as it it is blast fed in commercial boilers.At one time I lived with my mom and dad and gran in the prefabs near the Tudor (Marked red on the map) We moved out around 1952 but gran lived there for many years after. I recall a time in the early 50's when there was a freezing winter and fuel was difficult to obtain. Dad, his brother and I went to visit gran and I was told to follow dad and his brother. Dad had a shovel and his brother had a sack. We walked round and entered Billesley common by the pathway mentioned by pjmburns, and then we all clambered over the fence at the rear of the Tudor and found ourselves near a big pile of coke used to fire the cinema boilers. Dad and his brother filled the sack quickly and and swiftly backtracked into the common, me with shovel the two men carrying the sack of coke. Across the common to the wire fence surrounding gran's garden and whilst I held the bottom of the fence up, the men, with the shovel and sack of coke shuffled under quickly followed by myself and then the stolen fuel was dumped into the coal shed and gran had her winter fuel.
I wouldn't dream of considering such a thing now but at the time I was only about 5 or 6 and as far as I know it was dad's only venture into crime
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I'm sure a way was found knowing my granHope Gran got the coke to ignite, usually coke supplied for commercial use takes forever to ignite with wood and paper as it it is blast fed in commercial boilers.
THE TUDOR CINEMA, Located in Haunch Lane Yardley Wood area in the south of Birmingham. The Tudor Cinema Theatre was opened on 30th March 1929. It was designed by architect Harold Seymour Scott, and was built by W.T. Whittall & Sons Ltd. The exterior of the building was in a Jacobean style, while the interior continued the Tudor theme. Seating in the auditorium was in stalls and circle levels.
The Tudor Cinema Theatre was taken over by the Associated British Cinemas(ABC) chain in 1934. It was closed on 17th March 1962 with Charlie Drake in “Petticoat Pirates” and the documentary “Drums for a Queen”.
It was converted into the independent Tudor Bingo Club and later became a Mecca Bingo Club. The building was demolished in July 1990. A block of flats known as Home Meadow Court was built on the site.View attachment 159729View attachment 159730
The claims for this very early sound equipment were rather exaggerated, but back then you could get away with it. People would still have been amazed as the talking picture show had arrived and did away with the man and his piano.The cinema using Birmingham produced sound equipment. Viv.
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Thanks for that Phil but I was just questioning Judy's Thread Title, if it had been Tudor Yardley Wood I'd have got that right as its in my book.
I think we will have to give her 50 Lines Phil
Nice photo of the Ritz where was the Pub Hare & Hounds on the High Street. I only went to one Pub and that was HQ for a Football Team Kings Heath Utd think Sunday
Billesley was in Birmingham B14 in those days I used to live in Beauchamp Rd garden backed onto Bromwall / the Grove’s that came off it.Yes Haunch Lane was inbetween Kings Heath and Yardley Wood, so I suppose either address would be correct. Haunch Lane was/is? near Billesley Common. My Mom lived in Bromwall Road which ran off Yardley Wood Road and was very near to the Common. Her address was Bromwall Road, Billesley.