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McGuffin's
Film Society |
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| Arcadia Electric Theatre AKA Arcadia Picture Palace AKA Arcadia, Wood Street |
Opened in 1912. At one time the screen was put in the middle of the audience so that the occupants of the cheaper seats saw the films back to front! It closed in May 1924 and remained empty, becoming derelict in the 1930s. Later is became a clothing factory. |
| Baths Hall Cinema High Street |
From 1900 until around 1912 films were shown at the Walthamstow Baths Hall. Edward Turner, founder of Britain's first film rental company, ran the programme for seven years. The baths were demolished in 1968. |
| Carlton Cinema Theatre AKA Carlton Cinema High Street |
Opened November 13, 1913, as a 1,400 seater cinema. In the 1920s it hat its own orchestra and organ. It closed on August 14, 1959, but had a brief new life as part of the Victor Cinema Ltd group until March 28, 1964. It was then converted into a supermarket until it was demolished in 1986. |
| Dominion Buxton Road |
Opened on December 22, 1930, as a 1,685 seater designed by Clifford Aish. It had a Wurlitzer organ, stage facilities and two dressing rooms. It was taken over by Associated British Cinemas and remained as the ABC Dominion until March 4, 1961. It was used for events including wrestling until 1964 when it became the ABC Bingo Club. |
| Empire AKA Cameo AKA Tatler Hoe Street, Bell Corner |
Opened on February 21, 1913, with a resident orchestra. It had seating for 860. It closed on August 31, 1963, and re-opened as a bingo club. Then on April 12, 1970, it became the Tatler Film Club showing mainly blue movies. On August 16, 1981, the Tatler closed and the building became a snooker club and amusement arcade. |
| Palace Theatre High Street |
A variety theatre opened in December 1903, it sometimes showed films. Continued as live theatre until 1954. Demolished in 1960. |
| Prince's Pavilion AKA Prince's 89 High Street |
Originally opened in 1910. To get to it you had to use a passageway between shops but in September 1912 it was enlarged to seat 1,000 people. Demolished in May 1930 to make way for the Dominion. |
| Queen's Hoe Street |
Had 606 seats when it was opened in 1911. Originally the entrance was through a house. Between May 1933 and April 1934 it was refurbished and the seating capacity increased to 800. It closed as a cinema in 1940, in 1959 it became a billiard and snooker hall and it is now used for receptions. |
| Royal Cinema 203 High Street |
Opened December 1911 and closed in March 1912. |
| St James Electric Theatre AKA Super AKA Regent 25 St James Street |
Built in 1911 as a 480 seater. Had various ownerships and closures until 1939. Now a health club. |
| Victoria HallAKA Victoria Theatre AKA Victoria Picture Theatre Hoe Street |
A public hall opened in May 1887 with 1,000 seats.Refurbished and re-opened as the Victoria Theatre in August 1896. In August 1907 changed its name to the Victoria Hall and became a cinema. Cecil Bernstein, founder of the Granada circuit, took over in the 1920s and demolished it to make way for the Granada Cinema, currently the EMD. |
| Wood Street Picture Palace AKA Crown Picture PalaceAKA New Crown AKARio Wood Street |
This 800 seater was opened in 1912 and continued under various ownerships until July 8, 1950, when it closed. Re-opened in 1953 as the Rio, a 573 seat cinema, but closed again in 1955. Now the Wood Street Market. |
| McGuffin note |
If anyone has any pictures of these buildings please send them to McGuffin's Film Society. We'd like to put them on the web site.The Email address is web@McGuffin.co.uk
or send by post to 519 Lea Bridge Road, London E10 7EB. |
| For further information see The Cinemas of Essex by Bob Grimwood (ISBN 0 946406 3 67). There is a copy in the reference section of the Walthamstow Central Library. |
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