Empress closed doors with screening of Kubrick classic
THE Empress cinema, which stood on Lowlands Road, Runcorn was the head office of Cheshire County Cinemas, run by a family named Godfrey.
They operated several picture houses in Cheshire and Lancashire.
In Runcorn they also ran the Scala and King’s. Other cinemas on the small circuit included the Woolton, Liverpool, Regal, Northwich and the Plaza, Widnes.
The Empress opened on December 26, 1913 as the Empress Assembly Hall with a flat floor and no balcony.
At that time the building was used for a number of uses, including film.
An advertisement from December 1914 mentions it as the Empress cinema showing the films Hearts Adrift and A Lady of Quality.
It was, at that time, still known as the Empress Assembly Hall and was put up for sale in March 1915. On June 11 that year it closed for alterations. The floor was raked and a stage and balcony were added.
The re-opening took place on August 16, 1915 and run by Robert Godfrey, also known as Robert Hamilton. Later, Cheshire County Cinemas were formed.
The foyer of the cinema was small with a paybox on the right as you entered. Next to the paybox was a door, which took you to a staircase leading to the small operating box.
Projectors called Westar projected the images and the sound was by Western
Electric. Along from the paybox was the staircase leading to the small balcony area.
At one stage the hall was known as the Empress Theatre and live performances were staged as well as films.
Talkies arrived at the Empress on December 2, 1929 when a Western Electric sound system provided the sound. The opening attraction was Fox Movietone Follies of 1929.
Cinemascope arrived on November 16, 1954 with the screening of The Robe. In 1955 The Empress fitted four track magnetic sound for screening stereophonic versions. Some scope releases were released in mono and stereo sound versions.
For many years the manager was John Darlington. He was there in the silent days as an operator and would stand behind the screen, creating various sound effects. After his retirement Eric Horton took the helm.
There was a children’s matinee on a Saturday afternoon with the usual fare including a cliff hanging serial. Films were only shown in the evening with the main feature shown twice and second once.
Percy Mallinson was the chief operator for a number of years. Later, John Forster would also screen the images. His services were required in the company’s other cinemas, covering time off.
On June 23, 1973 the popular Empress closed for road development. The last film was A Clockwork Orange. Twin cinemas opened in the new shopping area called Runcorn Shopping City.