Movie dramas of the first picture shows
SIMILAR TO many areas up and down the UK, Leeds suburbs embraced the cinema craze at the dawn of the 20th century. Listed amongst these locations were Kirkstall, Hunslet, Bramley, Armley, Meanwood and Harehills.
An important piece of legislation, the Cinematograph Act, was passed in 1909 ( coming into effect in early 1910) to regulate the film industry. Until this time, films were mainly shown in a variety of buildings, even converted shops. The Act empowered local authority officers to inspect a building before a licence was given to allow films to be screened.
Film material in use at the time was composed from the highly flammable cellulose nitrate base. Combined with limelight illumination, a significant safety hazard was created and this, sadly, had resulted in a number of fatal fires. One aspect of the act stipulated that a projector should be enclosed within a fire resistant booth.
Purpose- built cinemas in Leeds suburbs did not occur immediately after the 1909 Act as a handful were established in a variety of buildings converted from other uses. An early example was Pictureland ( or Armley Picture Hall) in Branch Road, Armley, which underwent alterations from a Primitive Methodist Chapel, dating from 1856. The cinema welcomed patrons on Monday, April 25, 1910 with 439 seats. Other venues opened in 1910 included the Golden Cross Electric Theatre in Meanwood Road; the Miners Institute, York Road; the Leasowe
Picture Palace, Leasowe Road, Hunslet Carr; and The Electric Picture Palace and Varieties, Lowtown, Pudsey. Early shows were made up of short films – travelogues and news items, lasting about an hour to 90 minutes; feature films were shown from about 1914.
Although only a few cinemas were noted in 1910, by the following year no fewer than 12 were in existence and about the same number opened in 1912. One of these, the Bramley Picture Palace at 203 Lower Town Street, Bramley, designed by G Frederick Bowman of Greek Street, Leeds, seated 520 and was granted a licence on September 5, 1912.
Another 1912 addition was the
Malvern Picture Palace in Beeston Road, Beeston Hill. Designed by WE Beevers of Bond Street, Leeds, the cinema boasted 850 seats and opened with A Girl’s Bravery, which told the story of a lockkeeper’s daughter rescuing her sweetheart from drowning.
Many of the early cinemas featured ‘‘ Electric’’ in their titles; the interiors having sloping floors, barrel vault ceilings, tiny foyers and minimal toilet facilities.
In 1913 there were at least another 10 new cinemas added to the Leeds suburbs and in spite of the war a stylish, large cinema, was opened in Headingley on October 2, 1916. The Era, noted for its entertainment content, commented nine days later: ‘‘ A notable addition to the picture houses of Leeds was made last Monday, when the Picture Lounge, North Lane, Headingley, was opened. This splendid building holds ( 782, 614 stalls, 168 circle), and is everything that a picture house should be – the last word in taste and comfort. The excellent lighting and ventilating effects, the well- chosen music by a good orchestra, and the carefully selected films, all show experienced handiwork, and promise a successful future’’. Admission prices were 3d, 6d and 1/-; the first film shown was Cynthia in the Wilderness.
The 1920s saw some of the Leeds suburb picture houses close, becoming unsuitable to the new trend for larger venues offering warmth and luxurious surroundings. Among those that fell by the wayside were the Dewsbury Road Picture Hall in
Alpha Street, Beeston, existing from February 1911 to March 1923; Golden Cross Electric theatre, Meanwood Road, December 1910 to October 1925; Grosvenor Picture Theatre, Woodhouse, December 1912 to April 1924; and the King’s Picture Theatre, Holbeck, September 1911 to April 1925.
A major development in the film industry occurred when the sound revolution arrived in Britain in September 1928 when the part talkie film The Jazz Singer was presented in London. Talking pictures were not fully established until two months later when The Singing Fool was shown.
Large corporations were involved in the film industry – picture making, exhibition and distribution – by the late 1920s and throughout the 1930s. Leeds suburbs saw the benefits of this when a number super cinemas were built. One of the earliest was the Strand Cinema in Jack Lane, Hunslet. Designed by JP Crawford of Wormold Row, Leeds, the premises offered 1,166 seats and was opened by the Lord Mayor of Leeds ( Alderman FB Simpson) on Friday, November 13, 1931. Noted architects were involved with 1930s cinemas and William Illingworth, designer of Bradford’s twin towered New Victoria, created designs for the Dominion Cinema in Montreal Avenue, Chapel Allerton. Opening on January 4, 1934, the building was equipped with full theatre stage with dressing rooms either side and seated
The Victoria Picture Hall, at Glenthorpe Crescent, York Road,
which had opened in October 1912, was demolished in 1937 and a new cinema – the Star Super cinema – erected on the site to the designs of James Brodie of Pudsey. Welcoming patrons on February 21, 1938, the venue provided seating for 1,286 ( ground 870, gallery 416). The opening film was Lost Horizon.
Other suburban cinemas opening before the Second World War included: the Corner House, November 1938; the Clifton , January 1939; the Rex, February 1939; and Clock, November 1939. In Leeds Cinemas Remembered
( 1980), Robert Preedy recalls there were 68 screens in Leeds and its suburbs in 1939.
At the outset of war on Sunday, September 3, all UK cinemas closed their doors though reopened a week later as it was considered entertainment was needed to raise the nation’s spirits.
While there was an alltime peak of 1,635 million UK admissions in 1946, several factors contributed to the decline in audiences throughout the 1950s: the rise in people watching BBC Television and a little later, ITV, a serious shortage of American films and the revival of other forms of leisure.
In the 1960s many cinemas across the UK were either demolished, turned into bingo halls, bowling alleys, supermarkets, carpet stores, bedding stores or whatever could be imagined. In 1964, the Odeon Cinema in the Merrion Centre was the first Leeds cinema to be built since the late 1930s though only lasted until Saturday, October 1, 1977.
The super cinemas in Leeds suburbs were put to a variety of uses immediately after closure: The Clifton, Bramley became a DIY centre; the Clock, Roundhay was used for Mecca Bingo; the Corner House, Moortown became a casino; the Dominion, Chapel Allerton was turned over for bingo; and the Kingsway, Moortown was converted and reopened as ‘‘ New Vilna synagogue’’.
Thanks to Susan Stepan and Leeds Library Service for help with this piece.
Further reading: Robert E. Preedy
Many early cinemas had sloping floors, tiny foyers and minimal toilet facilities.
( 2005)