Garden Cinema
Warrenpoint,
BT34
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Early in April 1926 the Newry Reporter announced that a social evening was to be held in the Garden Cinema on Easter Monday, 5th April 1926. An opening date for this cinema is still to be determined as is identifying the location. Using some recollections seen on social media, Queen Street might be the most likely candidate for the site. That said, Church Street (a continuation of Queen Street) is an alternative possibility as is Best’s Row (off Queen Street).
The Kine Year Book (1927) lists the proprietors of the Garden Cinema and Palais de Dance as J. Leicester Jackson and T. H. Richardson. On Thursday 9th October 1929 a fire broke out during a performance but fortunately no one was injured. The entries continued more or less along the same lines until the 1933 edition in which Jackson was shown as sole proprietor and mention was made of a Morrison sound system. J. Leicester Jackson was director and general manager of the Alexandra Theatre in Belfast when it opened in 1911 (see entry for Coliseum Cinema on Cinema Treasures).
The programme for June 1934 showed new lessees, Wilton and Barry (cinema operators in Strabane, Co. Tyrone and film bookers). Screenings were twice nightly, once on Sunday and an RCA sound system had been installed; the Palais de Dance seems to have closed.
Barely two years on and there’s another change of proprietor – it’s the Cinemas & General Finance Corporation, 29 Donegall Street, Belfast (K.Y.B. 1936). Last entry for the Garden Cinema was seen in the 1944 edition when it had been equipped with a RCA sound system. On oldwarrenpointforum.com, a contributor said that the Garden Cinema (a wooden building) was burned to the ground in the mid-1940’s. Another online comment seen said films were subsequently shown in the British Legion Hall for a time.
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Torchlight
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