CINEMAS IN THE NEWHAM AREA 1950S

[GEORGIAN]

HI TO ALL,   CAN YOU REMEMBER IN THE 1950S  HOW  MANY CINEMAS THERE WERE  IN THE NEWHAM AREA , INCLUDING STRATFORD, ETC,
I CAN REMEMBER STARTING AT CANNING TOWN THERE WAS THE REX, AND GOING ALONG THE BARKING ROAD TOWARDS EAST HAM THERE WAS ONE NEAR TO THE FREEMASONS ROAD, ANOTHER AT GREEN GATE  THEN  I THINK THE ODEON NEAR THE BOLYNE, AND THE GRANADA NEAR TOWARDS EAST HAM , TO START WITH,
OF COURSE THERE WERE OTHERS IN  STRATFORD TOO, BUT ALL IN ALL THERE WAS QUITE A NUMBER WHEN I THINK BACK AND
OF COURSE MANY OF YOU MOST LIKELY WILL HAVE BETTER RECOLLECTIONS  THAN ME OF THE NAMES AND NUMBERS  OF CINEMAS ETC, BUT THERE WERE CERTAINLY QUITE A FEW, AND THAT
IT WILL BE INTERESTING WHEN THE TALLY IS ADDED UP.
MANY REGARDS TO YOU ALL
GEORGIAN

[DougT]

Georgian
Can't really help with the names and locations of cinemas in West Ham and Stratford but the following will give you are start for the eastern side of Newham.

Romford Road - The Essoldo (near Grantham Road) and Forest Gate Odeon (Princess Alice)
High Street North - Coronation (Manor Park0 and The Gaumont (East Ham opp Woolworth)
High Street South - The Broadway? (near Central Park)
Barking Road -  The Granada and The Odeon (near the Boleyn)
Green Street - Carlton (Near Plashet Road)

Doug

[Phil S]

You can have hours of fun exploring this site.  Most of the old Newham cinemas are here, you've just got to find them.

http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/united-kingdom/england/london?page=1

[GEORGIAN]

MANY THANKS TO YOU DOUG T
AND ALSO TO PHIL S 
YES YOUR RIGHT ,
ITS AMAZING TO FIND THAT EVEN IN THE REST OF THE LONDON AREA THE AMOUNT OF CINEMAS THAT HAVE SINCE CLOSED AND
WHAT AN INDUSTRY IT MUST HAVE BEEN IN ITS HEY DAY,.  LONG BEFORE DVDS  VIDEOS AN RECORDING MACHINES WHICH HAVE SINCE BEEN THE NORM AND TO WHICH  HAVE NOW TAKEN OVER ( SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE PICTURES USED TO BE THE WEEKEND TREAT)   SADLY THOSE TIMES HAVE GONE ALMOST FOREVER,
   
MANY REGARDS TO YOU BOTH ; GEORGIAN

[neddychat]

What was the cinema at Stratford Broadway called,then there was one at the top of West Ham Lane and another at the west end of Romford road towards Yardleys!
Ed C

[Brenda B.]

STRATFORD AREA - Cinemas 50s.
There was the Century Cinema in West Ham Lane, opp. the Registry Office & Baptist Church area.  The Century cinema closed and later became a bingo hall.  Would imagine that's now gone.  I recall the Century also did the Saturday morning films for kids - 6p. entrance. 

There was the Rex on the corner of Bridge Road and Stratford High Street which in the late 90's (so my daughter told me) became a dance club or something. 

Then there was the Gaumont in Stratford Broadway, Tramway Avenue which much later became Arco Rewinds, an engineering company (?).  I remember being taken there by my brother, packed off with our jam sandwiches (substitute for sweets I suppose).

[nellanhoj]

I remember the "RIO" in Woodgrange Road, near the Railway Station. I'm sure I see "Swamplands" starring Walter Brennen in there way back in the war years.

There was also a bombed out cinema debri of the "Splendid" cinema in Forest Lane just around the corner to Forest Gate Station. Never actually seen a picture of it though!

[nelliesgirl]

Good Morning!

I remember going to the cinema, at the top of Bridge road, Stratford, my brother Gerald worked there for a time until he went in the Navy, to do his National Service. As children we would usually go to the cinema in West Ham Lane, by the recreation gardens,  Saturday Mornings, and if we were very lucky a afternoon show! Sometime I must admit, if there was a good film showing, and Mum had given us all a penny or two, we would club it together, buy one ticket, Dan the eldest would go in, and when the lights went down, go to the fire exit and open the door, near to the toilets, to let us all in, we would have to be very careful, as not to show day light, and be caught!  I am sure the ushers knew we did it, as many did it! but I don't think they bother about it, if there were empty seats, as we were never thrown out, I had seen some who were. I also remember the ushers coming round to check your ticket's, a nerve racking time! if you didn't have one, time to go to the loo!. Sometime we would sit through to the late showing, I can remember Dad coming to look for us! Things were so different after the war, I feel sure that our elders, had seen so much,and money was very tight, they just wanted us children, to have a little fun! but needed, us to be kept in check, and would throw you out from time to time.

Today! if the children would to do this, they would be in trouble I sure.