Cinemas in Shields

Local History for Tyne & Wear
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baldy.smith

Cinemas in Shields

Post by baldy.smith »

I can remember there were at least twelve cinemas operating in South Shields at one time. That was quite a few years ago. I can remember the names of ten and the locations of the two whose names I forget. Can anyone name them all?
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memor
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Post by memor »

Gaumont, Mile end road

Odeon King street

ABC Savoy, ocean road

The Regent. Westoe

Picture House in Chi Road

Palladium at the Nook.

can anyone help me out here ?
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Post by captain beefheart »

there was one in frederick street, the palace i think, also one at the nook
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Post by malrap »

The Palace was on Frederick St
The Pavillion(down past the Fifty shilling Tailors)
The Imperial,just off Stanhope Rd
Cannot remember the name of the one at Chi,next door to the Pub
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Post by baldy.smith »

Well out of the names given there is only one more that I do not remember the name of and that was at tyne dock; just behind the station.

The names I remember are, starting from the Pier head.
The Picture House, Ocean Road
The Savoy, Ocean Road
The Plaza, just off Ocean Road
The Scala, which I believe changed to the Gaumont
The Odeon, King Street
The Pavilion, on the junctin of Derby Street & Western App.
The Palace, Frederick Street next to the Adam & Eve
The Chichester Picture House, Chichester Road
The Regent, Westoe
The Palladium, The Nook
The Imperial, just off Stanhope Road

I believe the one at Tyne Dock was called the Electric something or other.
There also used to be on above T G Allen at Laygate where you could gain admission by handing over a jam jar as payment. This was just before my time but I was assured that it was true.
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Post by jimmywizz »

funny that this message should turn up as i have just bought something connected with the opening of one cinema/ theatre not mentioned here, more later when i have time
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Post by baldy.smith »

There are bound to be a few others come up. I remember one on Mile End Road on the same side as the Station; it was a cinema come theatre and also another just near Barrington Street Registry Office, it stood derelict for many years before finally being demolished. Anyone got any more they know of; or have heard of. The ones I listed earlier were all operating at the same time. I'm not to sure if the Scala and the Gaumont were the same or two diferent cinemas, I know you entered the Scala from Ocean Road and The Gaumont from Mile End Road. All of this was when I was young and had hair :lol: :lol: :lol:
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Post by memor »

I think that one was called "Queens"

It was bombed in WW 2
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Post by Jerry »

The cinema near Tyne Dock station was the Crown. It had wooden forms at the front of the 'dog end', with chewing gum to be found underneath.
By comparison the Imperial off Stanhope Road was quite plush.

No one has mentioned the little Essoldo opposite the Savoy on Ocean Road, the Regal was also off Ocean Road closer to the Library.

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Cinemas

Post by baldy.smith »

Welcome Jerry. The cinema opposite the Savoy in my time was called The Picture House and the small one just off Ocean Road was known as the Plaza. The Crown was I believe at one time known as The Electric Picture House. A lot of the Cinemas in Shields changed their names several times, so one has to think hard to remember the old names. I used to get into the Savoy free of charge as an old friend of mine used to be doorman, he was there for years; some ancient people may remember him as his English was terrible even though he had lived in Shields for more than forty years (he was Spanish).
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Post by urfa »

I remember all of those cinema's mentioned and visited them all over a period of time, The scala entrance was in Ocean road, another entrance was in Queen street off Mile end rd. It was orinally called the Scala but became the Gaumont, I remember the ques to get in and in the interval the ice cream girls comming around sell ing their choc bars.
I liked the double seats in the Picture house in the best end at the back of the cinema. I used to get sixpence of my mother on Saturday morning to go to the Chichester in Chichester road to go and see the kids programs, three pence to get in, a penny each way for the bus and a penny for a stick of Liqourice, I walked there and back from Maxwell St. and had the three pence for sweets. I did the same with the sixpence I got on a Monday morning for the wekly bus ticket to and from Mortimer road School, I spent that sixpence and ran both ways to and from school my aim was to beat the bus. The memories are flooding back, Happy days. you all take care now. Urfa
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Post by baldy.smith »

Urfa, it is incredible, I could have written your post above myself word for word; your experiences are the same as mine and I too went to Mortimer Road School. Chi on Saturday mornings to see Herman Brix as Tarzam, or Hopalong Cassidy and Johny Mac Brown but most of all Mighty Mouse.
Geat times eh :!:
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Post by Jim_in_France »

Urfa & Baldy. You probably bought your choc ices from my mam.
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Post by baldy.smith »

I was more into tubs of ice cream rather than choc bars. Did you have to pay for yours Jim :?:

Eldorado ice creams, what happened to Eldorado :?:
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Post by Jim_in_France »

It was a bit before my time baldy. I think she was an usherette in the early 40s.
"The world is a stage, but the play is badly cast."

"We are each our own devil, and we make this world our hell."

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Post by Jerry »

I was always puzzled by the spelling on the outside of the Chi cinema

- PICTURE HOVSE-

I hope the manager realised the joy he provided week in week out to his little charges.

Next door was the Cypress pub. When my dad was abroad in the war he, like other soldiers, had a signature code to indicate his whereabouts, despite the censorship. Unfortunately he was sent to Cyprus, which nobody had foreseen. He wrote that he missed the pub next to the Chi. My mother didn't catch on, though she was as sharp as a tack - and still is at 95.
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Post by urfa »

Hi baldy, it is interesting that you went to Mortimer Road School, I was there from end of 1943 and left in 1946, was that your era? if so who was your teacher, mine was Mr. Hutton, bless his little cotton socks, Regards urfa.
G,day from down under, I am an expat from s.s. many years ago, this is a great site keep the good work up Matt
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Post by baldy.smith »

Hi Urfa, I also had Mr. Hutton but a few years after you; I went to Mortimer from 1949 to early 1953. Mr Hutton seems to have had quite a long spell at Mortimer as most people of diferent ages seem to remember him. I was in the same year as Mr Hutton's twin grandsons/nephews? David and Jonathan Purvis.
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