Hippodrome Cinema
13a Corporation Street,
Stalybridge,
SK15 2JL
13a Corporation Street,
Stalybridge,
SK15 2JL
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Additional Info
Previously operated by: H.D. Moorhouse Circuit, MacNaghten Vaudeville Circuit
Previous Names: Grand Theatre, Hippodrome Theatre
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Located in Stalybridge, Cheshire. The Grand Theatre was opened in 1890. In 1911, it was taken over by the MacNaghten Vaudeville Circuit and was re-named Hippodrome Theatre. Films were screened as part of the variety programme from 1912.
By 1934, it had become a full-time cinema operated by the H.D. Moorhouse chain of Manchester.
The Hippodrome Cinema was closed on 22nd March 1954 with the Edgar Lustgarten featurette in the Scotland Yard series “The Candlelight Murder” on the screen when the cinema was forced to close immediately due to the lease having expired and not renewed. It was converted into a bingo club, by 1964 only the façade remained.
Contributed by
Ken Roe
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Recent comments (view all 3 comments)
There is additional historical detail about this theatre here.
This is the facade of the Grand Theatre, later the Hippodrome as it is today. The first performance of the song, its a long way to tiperary took place here. The cinema closed abruptly in 1954 when the expired lease was served halfway through a film and that was all folks.
I have unearthed a bit more.Stalybridge Hippodrome was one of the first cinemas to open in the area, but it was originally called The Grand Theatre and in 1912 changed to The Grand Theatre and Hippodrome as films were shown on three days of the week. Jack Judge who wrote the song ‘It’s a long way to Tipperary’ performed at The Grand Theatre in January 1912. He was challenged to write and perform a song in twenty-four hours which he succeeded in doing. A blue plaque and statue commemorate the man in the town. During the 1930’s The Hippodrome was leased by the H. D. Moorhouse Circuit and in 1938 the live shows ceased, the stage which was reputed to be the largest in the North was left intact. The cinema closed halfway through a film ‘The Candlelight Murder’ on 22nd March 1954, when bosses from the Moorhouse Circuit went into the projection office and told them to stop the film and play the National Anthem. Everyone was completely shocked, and they were all moved to the Alhambera in Openshaw, it appeared the lease had not been renewed and never reopened.