Relistically, I think not. There’s the multiscreen cine-world a couple of miles away, which would make it uneconomical, and as Pontefract is a small town, I don’t see a market for a small art-house cinema. However, my wife has promised me a cinema to run as a hobby when she wins the lottery, so watch this space!
I knew dave riby. Jimmy Gold was the District manager in my day (before he went off to manage the ABC Leeds). Ken Pickering I knew of (I think at one point he was at Ardwick). There was also Bill Williamson, Dave Stirzaker, Dave Moss, Harry Ellams and a host of others whose names have gotten lost in the mists of time. If you ever come across Dave Stirzaker ask him when I’m finally going to get my cufflinks back.
I often wonder what became of Derek. He was at the studios on Oxford Road manchester in 1979 but I lost track of him after that. Strange you sghould have come from the ABC Huddersfield, that’s where I was before i moved to Eccles.
That picture brought back memories, unfortunately by the timne I arrived, the Art Deco chandeliers, the curtains, and , unfortunately, the Organ had been removed. The chandeliers had been relaced by standard ABC ‘starburst’ type chandeliers, and the curtains by a Gold coloured Festoon, with a set of Tabs behind them for stage shows. But apart from being repainted, the auditorium itself was still pretty much the same.
I have fond memories of Bill Roberts as a projectionist at the New Star castleford. I also remember geoff ward and Geoff johnson at the Crescent in the 60s. Bill ended up working for me atthe ABC Huddersfield in the late 60s.
I knew most of the ABC Manchester circuit (misnamed as it covered an area from Liverpool to Hull and from Carlisle to Chester, as I was the manchester Area relief manager, as well as nominal assistant at Eccles. I’ve just been looking at the CTA site, and was amused by the concept of being knighted using a Carbon (wass it positive or negative) to the tune of the ABC minors song.
I remeber the Queens closing, it’s last show was The Lone Ranger and the lost city of Gold doubled with The Flame barier, in I think, 1959. The building became the Queens Supermarket, later taken over by Associated Dairies to become the first ever Asda supermarket. I was a projectionist at the New Star from 1965 to 1967 when I moved to the ABC Wakefield. My mother worked first at the Albion (1954 to 1956), then the Picture House (1956 to 1962) then the New Star until 1965 when my brother was born. You missed out the Empire Airedale and the Cosy Glasshoughton.
That’s right I started as kevin’s Assistant, then he left to join the Insurance Industry, and derek, a local lad who had gone down to manage the ABC Banbury came up and took over. Last I heard of derek, he was managing the Unit 4 at Hyde.
The company which owned this cinema was Rowley Townsend and Atkinson (RTA pictures) until 1962 when it was taken over by the Star group and promptly closed for Bingo. It was the only cinema in Castleford with 4 channel magnetic sound. (Super Simplex projectors, Westrex sound, Peerless magnarcs).
Relistically, I think not. There’s the multiscreen cine-world a couple of miles away, which would make it uneconomical, and as Pontefract is a small town, I don’t see a market for a small art-house cinema. However, my wife has promised me a cinema to run as a hobby when she wins the lottery, so watch this space!
I knew dave riby. Jimmy Gold was the District manager in my day (before he went off to manage the ABC Leeds). Ken Pickering I knew of (I think at one point he was at Ardwick). There was also Bill Williamson, Dave Stirzaker, Dave Moss, Harry Ellams and a host of others whose names have gotten lost in the mists of time. If you ever come across Dave Stirzaker ask him when I’m finally going to get my cufflinks back.
Anybody else I might know as well as Roger? I knew most managers on the Manchester and Yorkshire districts from the late 60s.
I used to relieve him regularly in 68/69. He and his wife also ran a B&B just down the road at the other side of Washway Road.
Was that the same Roger Newcombe who was at The Savoy Sale a few years earlier?
No. My ABC career was Wakefield (porjectionist), Huddersfield (Trainee Manager), Eccles (Assistant manager) Manchester District (relief manager).
Was Fred vere still at Huddersfield when you were there?
I often wonder what became of Derek. He was at the studios on Oxford Road manchester in 1979 but I lost track of him after that. Strange you sghould have come from the ABC Huddersfield, that’s where I was before i moved to Eccles.
Hi Howard
That picture brought back memories, unfortunately by the timne I arrived, the Art Deco chandeliers, the curtains, and , unfortunately, the Organ had been removed. The chandeliers had been relaced by standard ABC ‘starburst’ type chandeliers, and the curtains by a Gold coloured Festoon, with a set of Tabs behind them for stage shows. But apart from being repainted, the auditorium itself was still pretty much the same.
I have fond memories of Bill Roberts as a projectionist at the New Star castleford. I also remember geoff ward and Geoff johnson at the Crescent in the 60s. Bill ended up working for me atthe ABC Huddersfield in the late 60s.
I knew most of the ABC Manchester circuit (misnamed as it covered an area from Liverpool to Hull and from Carlisle to Chester, as I was the manchester Area relief manager, as well as nominal assistant at Eccles. I’ve just been looking at the CTA site, and was amused by the concept of being knighted using a Carbon (wass it positive or negative) to the tune of the ABC minors song.
I remeber the Queens closing, it’s last show was The Lone Ranger and the lost city of Gold doubled with The Flame barier, in I think, 1959. The building became the Queens Supermarket, later taken over by Associated Dairies to become the first ever Asda supermarket. I was a projectionist at the New Star from 1965 to 1967 when I moved to the ABC Wakefield. My mother worked first at the Albion (1954 to 1956), then the Picture House (1956 to 1962) then the New Star until 1965 when my brother was born. You missed out the Empire Airedale and the Cosy Glasshoughton.
That’s right I started as kevin’s Assistant, then he left to join the Insurance Industry, and derek, a local lad who had gone down to manage the ABC Banbury came up and took over. Last I heard of derek, he was managing the Unit 4 at Hyde.
I was assistant manager of this cinema in the late 60s, it was a magnificent building and a wonderful cinema.
The company which owned this cinema was Rowley Townsend and Atkinson (RTA pictures) until 1962 when it was taken over by the Star group and promptly closed for Bingo. It was the only cinema in Castleford with 4 channel magnetic sound. (Super Simplex projectors, Westrex sound, Peerless magnarcs).