Original
Architects Concept for
The Leiston Picture House
The Film Theatre with retail
outlets Circa 1930
The interior
during the First major Re-furbishment
Leiston Observer Advert
Saturday May 5th 1934
Peter Free
Longest serving General
Manager at
The Film Theatre
lacing up the projector.
Film Programme from June 1968
(Click on either image to see
full size)
Film Theatre with
a previous Clock
The interior prior to the 2001
refurbishment
Our state of the art Projection
Equipment
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Suffolk's
oldest purpose built cinema
Just after the turn of the last century, a steam
engine built by Leistons Garrett Works would tour local towns around the Mid Suffolk Area,
this engine powered one of the first Cinematography projectors, in effect a small mobile
cinema. So popular were these shows that Frank Walker proposed the idea of a permanent
Picture House in Leiston to two of his colleagues one from the local Garrett Works and one
from Sibton (a neighbouring Village). Together Mr. Walker,
Mr. Schmach, Mr. Harrison and
Captain Levett-Scrivenor formed ‘The Leiston Picture House co. ltd’ syndicate.
Title Page from the original
Articles of Association -
May 1914
(Click on image to see
full size)
Funds were then raised, and
a paddock in the High Street was purchased and on 27th October 1914 the Leiston Picture House
opened its doors for the first time. The original Picture House had a capacity for 700
people; it had a small stage and a pit for the then ubiquitous organ.
The first major change to the Picture
House came in 1933 with the introduction of talking pictures and at a grand re-opening
with film stars Anna Neagal and Herbert Wilcox in attendance Leiston Picture House showed
its first talkie ‘Sunny Side Up’.
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THE LEISTON PICTURE
HOUSE
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STAFF OUTING
The Staff of the
Leiston Picture House held their annual outing on Wednesday last when
Yarmouth was visited.
The party travelled in Garrod’s well
appointed chara’, under the charge of the general manager. En route
excitement was provided in trying to spot “Lobbie Lud” at Lowestoft,
some being sure they spotted him. Arriving at Yarmouth the company split
up, some to go shopping, others to the Amusement park, while others
spent a “busman’s holiday” in going over the New Regal Picture House,
when they enjoyed a splendid organ recital on the new cinema organ
there. Lunch was much enjoyed at Hill’s. In the afternoon some visited
the circus at the Hippodrome, others had another “busman’s holiday” at
the pictures. Tea was taken at Arnold’s where Mr. Harry Millar, who is
pianist in the orchestra there, was recognised. He will be remembered
as being pianist at Leiston in the silent picture days. The whole party
assembled at the Wellington Pier for a grand variety show in the
evening. Supper at the Savoy was the end of a perfect day. All were in
agreement on a lovely day’s outing with much appreciation to the
Directors of the Picture House.
Article from "The Leiston
Observer"
May 1934 |
That the Picture House has managed to
survive for such a long time is mainly due to it’s capacity for re-inventing itself
on a regular basis with re-refurbishments to the auditorium, projection equipment, and the
stage area all have contributed to the longevity of what is now the Leiston Film Theatre,
a title adopted in the mid 1970’s to reflect the re-furbished auditorium, dressing
rooms and expanded stage. At this time the whole aspect of the Film Theatre changed
with a greater emphasis on live entertainment, something the Film Theatre and before it
the Picture House has always prided itself on.
In July 2001,
the Film theatre embarked on yet another phase of refurbishment and included all new
flooring, seating and foyer being introduced to take the Film Theatre steaming into the
21st Century
Our
latest refurbishment project called 'Set the Stage' got under way with the
installation of a giant stage frame, with all new curtain tracks motorised
main curtains and 'masking tabs' plus an LCD projector Set the Stage
will continue to enhance the stage area of the Film Theatre for years to
come, 'Set the Stage' will also provide an out building
which can be used as a storeroom/ workshop/ overflow dressing room.
Also in 2007 the Film Theatre installed
the very latest in high quality 7.1 surround sound, giving our customers
the very latest in sound reproduction with the introduction of a 'DOLBY
DIGITAL EX sound system' it was premiered with the world wide release of
Pirates of
the Caribbean: At Worlds End.
The newly refurbished interior
and General Manager Wayne Burns
The exterior
before the new clock was installed
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Memories
of Leiston Picture House
Sixpence was all I
begged for, “Just let me have 6d. I’ll pay you back – please”.
Uncle Frank my Dad’s
cousin lived with us as I grew up. He was a bachelor with a limited
knowledge of children, but he was the target of my pleadings. You see, I
wanted to go to the Saturday Afternoon matinee at the Picture House.
Every Saturday
there was a Tarzan or Cowboy picture for children to see other times Bud
Abbot and Lou Costello made us laugh until or sides hurt.
On the Saturdays my
cries for sixpence were successful I’d be off in a world of my own.
Knowing that when the film was over that my way home to St Margaret’s
Crescent via Church Fields, would be transformed, Dunn’s Hole became a
canyon in the American West and bullocks in Emsden’s Yard, next door to
the pictures were always the ‘Stock yards’ if a Cowboy movie starring
Gene Autry had played or if it was a Tarzan movie the way home became an
African Jungle I even learned to yodel, just in case Tarzan called me, what
imagination we had back then!
Anyway at the
Picture House it was Mrs. Barker, from Buller Road, who took our tickets
ushered us into our seats and it was she who sold us the ice creams between
features. During the week the ‘Newsreel’ was also played between
features, showing us in film, the news we had heard on the radio over the
last seven days, although the newsreel was not normally showed during the
Saturday Morning shows, - young children were shielded from life’s harsh
realities then.
The Film programmes
back then was changed at least three times a week and always had two
features, but there were no shows on a Sunday.
Then as a teenager
in the early 50’s, 2/6 would get you a back row seat, where, with your
boyfriend or girlfriend, you could sit and hold hands without being seen.
But that was a treat as it was a lot of money to pay for a film show in
those days. Happy Times !
Jill Siner Nee
Peck.
I was introduced to your web
page by Colin White a regular patron of your theatre. Reading the history of the Picture House as it was in the old days, remind me of my
schooldays. I was born in Aldeburgh in 1921 moved to Aldringham in 1928.The two front rows at the
picture house were dual plank type seats. The cost tuppence halfpenny old money. Now where
in those days did I get that money.
As I attended Aldeburgh school on a bike my mother used to give me three pence to get a
fish and chip dinner at Youngmans in the High Street. Instead of buying the fish and chips
I visited the cake shop at the bottom of Choppings Hill and purchased two and a half pence
of stale buns, they were only the day before and the folks that could afford buns would
not eat stale buns. Five days without fish and chips and I had the money for the cinema.
I didn't do it every week but even black and white films were something of a real treat.
Although we lived in a brand new house we had no electricity, water from a well, no
TV or
radio so cinema was quite a luxury.
My mother always wondered where a got the money for the pictures.
K. W. Ash Kenwood,
Aldringham.
My grandfather,
Charles Hardy was also one of the proprietors of Leiston Picture House. He
was also Leiston's only chemist for a number of years. I remember being
ushered to the one and nines by the gentleman who was the manager at that
time (1950's) and being very embarrassed by the attention, especially since I
knew I had to behave, or my grandmother, who was formidable to say the least
would hear about it
Margaret Walker
Jacobson.
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