Cheshire County Cinemas was formed in March 1922, and their prospectus mentions this site in Witton(sic) Street, along with the architects who designed the cinema.
7 years seems a very long time to open what would have been their (C.C.C.) first purpose-built cinema.
It was a conversion of a factory which made carriages.
Plenty of bricked up windows were down the side of the building.
The address was 166 London Road, not 50.
The Waterloo was definitely Blackpool’s first purpose-built cinema, and it did indeed open on Boxing Day, 1912.
However, I can find no evidence that it was ever called the Favourite.
Runcorn Guardian - Tuesday 13 December 1910
NEW PAVILION AT NORTHWICH.
DISTINGUISHED COMPANY AT OPENING.
MR. JERSEY DE KNOOP AND PARTY PRESENT.
Northwich is now well catered for in the matter of amusements, thanks to the enterprise of Messrs. Hamilton and Hughes of Widnes and Runcorn, the town can boast of an entertainment pavilion built on the most modern lines. The structure is situate in Hayhurst-street, on land adjacent to Messrs. Burgess Bros’ implement depot, and both externally and internallyit reflects great credit upon the architect. The front is most imposing whilst inside every possible arrangement has been made for the comfort and convenience of patrons. The building is well ventilated, the seating accommodation for 1,000, is admirable, and the lighting by electricity, made on the premises, is on most elaborate lines.
For the formal opening on Thursday evening,………etc.
Curiously, just to confuse the issue. The Pavilion, Northwich was open by 10th October 1910, and the Lessees were Hamilton and Hughes.
By 19th February 1910 Hamilton and Hughes said they had carried on a “variety entertainment and cinematograph show” at the Co-op hall in Widnes “for the last twelve months”, and wanted to renew their licence which had first been granted in 1906.
Robert Hamilton said he had 12 years’ experience “of some of the best music halls in the country”, but the Co-op Hall would not be “a music hall performance”.
The licence was granted on the condition the gallery was closed.
Hamilton and Hughes created Cheshire County Cinemas in 1922.
Runcorn Guardian - Friday 24 January 1913
MESSRS. HAMILTON AND HUGHES AT CREWE.
Messrs. Hamilton and Hughes are extending their enterprise to Crewe. They have secured the Co-operative Hall in the town on a lease, and will shortly open it with an entertainment on the lines of their Widnes, Runcorn and Northwich successes.
Incidentally, Hamilton & Hughes would form Cheshire County Cinemas in 1922.
Ken, please leave this separate from your description, then I can take the blame for any mistakes.
The correct spelling is COLOSSEUM.
It was the Colosseum Rink some time before 9 April 1909.
I can’t confirm that W. Morris was the owner, but he was the “Proprietor” of the newly opened Royal Pavilion. (“Proprietor” is an ambiguous word that can have more than one meaning, and may not always indicate the actual owner. In fact, it was said that the business of the Royal Pavilion was bought by Arthur Dewhurst from William Osbaldstone.)
It reopened as the Colosseum Picturedrome on 1 August 1911.
(Source: Gazette-News for Blackpool, 1 August 1911).
It’s not clear how long that lasted, but it was reported in the Blackpool Gazette (4 Feb., 1913) that it had been taken over by the C.W.S. (Co-operative Wholesale Society) to become an exhibition hall called the Coliseum (sic), which was opened on 29 June 1913.
I’m afraid that’s as far as I got, because I was only photocopying the entertainment pages while I was in Blackpool Library.
The Clifton Palace opened on 24 March 1910 with Kinemacolor Pictures.
The proprietors were Manchester Electric Theatres, Ltd.
(Source: Gazette-News for Blackpool, etc. 25 March 1910).
Hi, Rick57.
Thanks for telling us that there’s still things worth photographing, including the front, which is usually all that us cinema enthusiasts can see to photograph anyway.
Therefore I wouldn’t call it “Demolished”.
Regards from Philip.
31 July 2020. It’s been announced that the Woolton has closed permanently. Coronavirus has been blamed, but no mention was made of the competition from the newish Cineworld at Speke, only 5 minutes away by car. It has to be admitted that the Woolton only lasted so long because the nearest cinemas were either in Liverpool city centre or Runcorn. Still, it’s very sad, and the end of an era for Liverpool’s oldest cinema.
I’ll make a post on my Flickr page (in the next few days) showing the news clippings, which prove there wasn’t enough time to build a purpose-built cinema.
I didn’t say the building was originally the Kings Hall. It was the Kings Hall Garage. (I’ve no idea where the name Kings Hall came from.)
It initially opened in 1909 (for a very short while) as the Kings Hall cinema.
I don’t like posting to Cinematreasures, because the descriptions end up being too confusing, with different people making contributions, but only one person claiming credit.
Here’s a link to my Flickr page:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/44435674@N00/
Regards from Philip.
The Royal Pavilion was a conversion of the Kings Hall Garage, and was intially called the Kings Hall. See The Lancashire Evening Post for 8 March 1909.
Despite what is said in the current CTA Bulletin, the Royal Pavilion was not purpose-built.
It was a conversion of a garage.
Blackpool’s first purpose-built cinema was the Waterloo in 1912.
Architect: Henry Liversage Goldsmith.
The Premier Picture Palace (a converted billiard hall) had opened in Smithdown Road in 1912, which accounts for this being called the New Premier.
As far as is known, there was no other connection between the two cinemas.
I was wondering if you would alter it from 1917.
And you did.
No source mentioned, as usual.
How do you know I’m not lying?
Cheshire County Cinemas was formed in March 1922, and their prospectus mentions this site in Witton(sic) Street, along with the architects who designed the cinema. 7 years seems a very long time to open what would have been their (C.C.C.) first purpose-built cinema.
The architects were Campbell & Fairhurst of Southport.
This was the last former cinema in Liverpool to be a bingo hall.
This was another conversion of a garage.
It was a conversion of a factory which made carriages. Plenty of bricked up windows were down the side of the building. The address was 166 London Road, not 50.
I see that the mention of the Favourite has been deleted.
Quite right.
The Waterloo was definitely Blackpool’s first purpose-built cinema, and it did indeed open on Boxing Day, 1912. However, I can find no evidence that it was ever called the Favourite.
The Princess was a conversion of the Swiss Roller Rink.
The Palace was re-named Scala in 1919 in common with other Scalas in the Levy Circuit.
Alfred Levy was the managing director of Palace, Runcorn, Ltd., from the earliest days, certainly by 1915
Runcorn Guardian - Tuesday 13 December 1910 NEW PAVILION AT NORTHWICH. DISTINGUISHED COMPANY AT OPENING. MR. JERSEY DE KNOOP AND PARTY PRESENT. Northwich is now well catered for in the matter of amusements, thanks to the enterprise of Messrs. Hamilton and Hughes of Widnes and Runcorn, the town can boast of an entertainment pavilion built on the most modern lines. The structure is situate in Hayhurst-street, on land adjacent to Messrs. Burgess Bros’ implement depot, and both externally and internallyit reflects great credit upon the architect. The front is most imposing whilst inside every possible arrangement has been made for the comfort and convenience of patrons. The building is well ventilated, the seating accommodation for 1,000, is admirable, and the lighting by electricity, made on the premises, is on most elaborate lines.
For the formal opening on Thursday evening,………etc.
Curiously, just to confuse the issue. The Pavilion, Northwich was open by 10th October 1910, and the Lessees were Hamilton and Hughes.
By 19th February 1910 Hamilton and Hughes said they had carried on a “variety entertainment and cinematograph show” at the Co-op hall in Widnes “for the last twelve months”, and wanted to renew their licence which had first been granted in 1906. Robert Hamilton said he had 12 years’ experience “of some of the best music halls in the country”, but the Co-op Hall would not be “a music hall performance”.
The licence was granted on the condition the gallery was closed.
Hamilton and Hughes created Cheshire County Cinemas in 1922.
Runcorn Guardian - Friday 24 January 1913 MESSRS. HAMILTON AND HUGHES AT CREWE. Messrs. Hamilton and Hughes are extending their enterprise to Crewe. They have secured the Co-operative Hall in the town on a lease, and will shortly open it with an entertainment on the lines of their Widnes, Runcorn and Northwich successes. Incidentally, Hamilton & Hughes would form Cheshire County Cinemas in 1922.
City Cinemas 1 & 2 opened in Runcorn Shopping City on 24 June 1973 by Cheshire County Cinemas to replace the Empress.
Rare postcard. https://www.flickr.com/photos/44435674@N00/50881466262/in/dateposted/
The original architects (in 1910) were Gilbert and Constanduros who designed others for Montague Pyke.
Ken, please leave this separate from your description, then I can take the blame for any mistakes.
The correct spelling is COLOSSEUM.
It was the Colosseum Rink some time before 9 April 1909. I can’t confirm that W. Morris was the owner, but he was the “Proprietor” of the newly opened Royal Pavilion. (“Proprietor” is an ambiguous word that can have more than one meaning, and may not always indicate the actual owner. In fact, it was said that the business of the Royal Pavilion was bought by Arthur Dewhurst from William Osbaldstone.) It reopened as the Colosseum Picturedrome on 1 August 1911. (Source: Gazette-News for Blackpool, 1 August 1911). It’s not clear how long that lasted, but it was reported in the Blackpool Gazette (4 Feb., 1913) that it had been taken over by the C.W.S. (Co-operative Wholesale Society) to become an exhibition hall called the Coliseum (sic), which was opened on 29 June 1913. I’m afraid that’s as far as I got, because I was only photocopying the entertainment pages while I was in Blackpool Library.
The Clifton Palace opened on 24 March 1910 with Kinemacolor Pictures. The proprietors were Manchester Electric Theatres, Ltd. (Source: Gazette-News for Blackpool, etc. 25 March 1910).
Hi, Rick57. Thanks for telling us that there’s still things worth photographing, including the front, which is usually all that us cinema enthusiasts can see to photograph anyway. Therefore I wouldn’t call it “Demolished”. Regards from Philip.
31 July 2020. It’s been announced that the Woolton has closed permanently. Coronavirus has been blamed, but no mention was made of the competition from the newish Cineworld at Speke, only 5 minutes away by car. It has to be admitted that the Woolton only lasted so long because the nearest cinemas were either in Liverpool city centre or Runcorn. Still, it’s very sad, and the end of an era for Liverpool’s oldest cinema.
I’ll make a post on my Flickr page (in the next few days) showing the news clippings, which prove there wasn’t enough time to build a purpose-built cinema. I didn’t say the building was originally the Kings Hall. It was the Kings Hall Garage. (I’ve no idea where the name Kings Hall came from.) It initially opened in 1909 (for a very short while) as the Kings Hall cinema. I don’t like posting to Cinematreasures, because the descriptions end up being too confusing, with different people making contributions, but only one person claiming credit. Here’s a link to my Flickr page: https://www.flickr.com/photos/44435674@N00/ Regards from Philip.
The Royal Pavilion was a conversion of the Kings Hall Garage, and was intially called the Kings Hall.
See The Lancashire Evening Post for 8 March 1909.
Despite what is said in the current CTA Bulletin, the Royal Pavilion was not purpose-built. It was a conversion of a garage. Blackpool’s first purpose-built cinema was the Waterloo in 1912.
Architect: Henry Liversage Goldsmith. The Premier Picture Palace (a converted billiard hall) had opened in Smithdown Road in 1912, which accounts for this being called the New Premier. As far as is known, there was no other connection between the two cinemas.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/44435674@N00/456349749/in/photolist-2hUWrdk-2ftMz2V-2eVQ8jD-VihAms-FWCA8G-sYes5u-r7TnXW-goQyHa-c7UAE3-azgQYX-8rFxQP-4iK2wf-4iJUs1-4iJTNA-4iJE1A-4iEAev-4iEzUP-4iEzS4-4iJE8G-4iJEg5-4iEA1T-4iEAhZ-27qK4t-27qHsD-4iF4jv-4iKb8W-GjVXU-GjUT8
Designed by Lionel A. G. Prichard.