Cinedrome
27 Fore Street,
Liskeard,
PL14 3GZ
27 Fore Street,
Liskeard,
PL14 3GZ
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Additional Info
Previous Names: Electric Theatre
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In Liskeard, a small town in south-east Cornwall, it is not known when the Electric Theatre opened. The first known advertisement appeared in the Cornish Times on 16th July 1915. However, this was for a special occasion - the screening of a Naval recruitment film on 21st and 22nd July, supported by a full programme of drama and comedy - so the Electric Theatre presumably opened some time beforehand. (However, it was not listed in the 1914 Kinematograph Year book.)
(As a postscript to those special screenings, it was reported a week later that, despite packed houses, only two recruits came forward.)
In an interesting aside, Mr Hicks, licensee of the Fountain Hotel had protested to the opening of the Electric Theatre, saying that “it was shocking that people should be robbed of hard earned cash to see such rubbish”. However, supporters of the cinema, and the Temperance movement, quickly countered by maintaining that “publicans rob the poor people, who usually wreck their homes afterwards”!
The Electric Theatre was situated on the top floor of the Market House. Its small generator was situated in the adjacent fish market. Seating was on basic forms, apart from the back two rows, which had padded seats, with armrests.
William Pickles was the manager. Presumably the cinema supporters came out on top, as, on 27th August 1915, “crowded houses” were being reported. Piano accompaniment was provided initially by the unfortunately named Mrs Screech, then by “Madame Fisher”.
A Mihaly sound system was installed in October 1931, the first ‘talkie’ being “The Love Parade”, starring Maurice Chevalier and Jeanette MacDonald. At some point of time it was renamed Cinedrome
However, the final advertisement for the Cinedrome appeared on 26th January 1934 and it is assumed it closed around that time. (Presumably not coincidentally, the Carlton Cinema - see separate Cinema Treasures entry - opened on 16th February 1934.)
In 1990 new brick building was added to the front of the building it became home to Boots the Chemists. That company is now in Bay Tree Hill, which appears to be a different area of the town centre. The former Electric Theatre is cnow in retail use, with housing above.
Contributed by
David Simpson
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Recent comments (view all 2 comments)
The old market building still stands at 27 Fore Street, the Boots the Chemists having built a single floor extension outwards with the curved end and doorways, which had been open-space for market stalls. My grandmother went to the cinema in the early 30’s as a child, it was called the Cinedrome then, and owned by E.J. & W. E. Pope who opened the Cinedrome, later called the Carlton Cinema, hence one closing and the other opening at the same time. The Pope’s also operated the Carlton in Okehampton.
The first film was as per the text a navy recruitment film, it’s title was ‘The Royal Navy Division at Work and Play’. The first Market House was built in 1574. A replacement was built on the same sight at a cost of £800 in 1821/22 designed by John Foulston, his fee was 15 guineas.
Mr Pickle’s purchased an organ from a chapel that was in nearby Pensilva village for 30 shillings to accompany the silent films.
My thanks to the Liskeard Old Cornwall Society (and my mum!) for obtaining this extra detail/information for me to add to here.