The best cinema in Bootle.

Your place to talk about your Bootle memories
maureen howell
Posts: 454
Joined: Sat May 09, 2009 3:53 pm
Location: lydiate

Hi Folks
I don't know if the Princess was in Bootle ......but it was very close to Bootle if it wasn't.The Princess changed films on a Monday and Thursday.It was a great cinema because it changed again on a Sunday when it went on to show "THe Bowery Boys"films.My mother took my brother and me to the Princess on a Monday and Thursday....she rushed us to get there before 6.30 as the priced went up after that.We kids took comics for the interval while my mother talked to women.Despite constant pleading my mother would not take us to see the Bowery Boys on Sundays.....she always said "That Leo Gorcey is 40 if he is a day!"Did any other cinema change it's programme as often?
Take Care
Maureen
maureen howell
Shelagh
Posts: 1873
Joined: Sun Apr 05, 2015 4:40 pm

Maureen, good story, must have been a bit of a rush to make the six thirty, but well worth it I would imagine.. two different pictures a week, good going, you must have seen them all... no wonder you didn't get to see the Bowery Boys, you're poor mother must have been all pictured out:)
Have never been in that Cinema Maureen, but think it would have come under Kirkdale rather than Bootle..
Not sure if all cinemas showed two different films during the week, then another on a Sunday..
But imagine it was the same all over..
Consider yourself lucky Maureen,, don't know any kids who got to go to the flicks so often!!
One of the last films shown on The Princess was "Our Man Flint" James Coburn!!
(Sort of inferior James Bond))
Shelagh K.
sheila
Posts: 304
Joined: Tue Mar 21, 2006 8:08 pm

the Gainy did that Monday and Thursdays different film and on a Sunday usually an old black and white film.
My family tree is full of nuts
Elaine Goulding
Posts: 871
Joined: Tue Mar 03, 2009 11:51 pm
Location: Canada

Maureen I can remember going to the Princess, cannot remember what was showing and yes it was as Sheelagh says in Kirkdale. You certainly were very lucky going to the pictures as often as you did. I used to go Saturday mornings and the odd time with Mum and Dad to the Commodore on Stanley Road.
Elaine

Bianca Street, Bootle - moved to Canada 1982
Patricia
Posts: 4576
Joined: Sun Aug 30, 2009 10:00 pm
Location: Virginia

A group of us girls always went on a Saturday afternoon to the Regal or
the Stella in Litherland then in the evening, we would reenact the movie in the
house of one girl whose parents always went out on a Saturday. It took ages
for us to get started, as we were always arguing about who was going to wear
the Mother's high heeled shoes (she had a particular polka dotted pair that were
a favorite of us all and if each of us got hold of one of the shoes we had to toss a
coin to see who could claim them) which dress and of course, which part.

Those parents never knew what a rich part they played in our growing up. They
always opened their house up to us and the Dad built a Playhouse in the
back garden where we had our own "Club" and used to play paper dolls for
hours on end. Very happy childhood memories indeed.
peter c
Posts: 45
Joined: Sat Dec 12, 2009 6:21 pm

[quote="Patricia"]A group of us girls always went on a Saturday afternoon to the Regal or
the Stella in Litherland then in the evening, we would reenact the movie in the
house of one girl whose parents always went out on a Saturday. It took ages
for us to get started, as we were always arguing about who was going to wear
the Mother's high heeled shoes (she had a particular polka dotted pair that were
a favorite of us all and if each of us got hold of one of the shoes we had to toss a
coin to see who could claim them) which dress and of course, which part.

Those parents never knew what a rich part they played in our growing up. They
always opened their house up to us and the Dad built a Playhouse in the
back garden where we had our own "Club" and used to play paper dolls for
hours on end. Very happy childhood memories indeed.[/quote]


How about the "Sun Hall" on Stanley Road?
I lived on Park Street and the Sun Hall was my picture place.
Anybody remember?

Peter
Matt
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Joined: Tue Oct 08, 2013 6:02 pm
Location: vancouver island

Hi are you the Peter that used to be on the forum quite some time ago from Park Street and lived next door to my
uncle Sid and aunt Carrie Smith in front of the jam works and just down from the 40th Tank Depot :?:
Matt
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ALAMO2008
Posts: 1011
Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2015 2:31 pm
Location: Aberystwyth

My Love of Movies started in the ABC Minors at Litherland Regal where my Mum and Dad went on their first date in 1943
My first Job on leaving school in July 1967 was Trainee Manager based in Birkenhead at first except for Saturday daytimes when I ran the ABC Minors club at the Commodore Stanley Road on Saturday morning,
then to the Astoria Walton ABC Minors club in the afternoon,
then over to Birkenhead Carlton for the Evening Main Feature,
then last Ferry home to Pier Head and Last 56 bus home to Sterrix Lane.

On my days off I lived in Bootle Gaumont watching Rank/Odeon chain Films, it was my second home.
Loved this place and the staff, who were very friendly.

Went to nearly every cinema in Liverpool over the years to watch movies but never went to the Princess
which was my Mum's childhood favourite
before on 22 Dec 1940 she was blitzed out of her home in Malcolm Grove off Marsh Street, Kirkdale and rehoused to Spooner Ave, Litherland.
Because of that event she met my Dad at the Bus stop there and here I am,
So I have forgiven the Germans for bombing our chippies.

P.S. The Ringtone of the Hotline to the President in "Our Man Flint" which was the first ever digital sound heard in movie history, is now my Ring tone on my Mobile.
The Karate/Kung Fu Flint did in that movie, was taught to James Coburn by Bruce Lee and they became great friends and Coburn was a Pollbearer for Bruce.
"Not a lot of people know that ! "
Patricia
Posts: 4576
Joined: Sun Aug 30, 2009 10:00 pm
Location: Virginia

Alan - Interesting to read that your Mum lived in Spooner Avenue as I had an
Aunt Marie that lived there too for many years. I recall a Parrot perched on the high wall when
you first entered into Spooner Avenue, don't know how he stayed there but it was
always a treat to hear him talking when you walked past.
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filsgreen
Posts: 3392
Joined: Sun May 12, 2013 8:28 am

Thanks for your story Alamo. :D
awelfryn34
Posts: 82
Joined: Tue Nov 01, 2011 7:56 pm

Princess was in Kirkdale went there as a lad, watched a Hard Days Night every night for a week in the 60's, paid to get in Saterday morning with jam jars, we use to club our money together and one of the gang would get in and then open the fire escape doors by the toilet and we would all rush in in the dark.
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filsgreen
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That's a coincidence, Alwyn, my friends and I used to do the very same thing in the Odeon. :D :D
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efc46
Posts: 416
Joined: Fri Oct 28, 2011 4:40 am

the Palace Marsh lane great mad house on Saturday Affo
Davey Rowlands Bootle
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Dan
Posts: 4730
Joined: Sat Jul 07, 2018 6:24 pm

Some of the old cinema listings from 1921.

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Regards

Dan
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Invicta
Posts: 2749
Joined: Wed Sep 02, 2015 6:46 pm
Location: Garden of England

The Regal in Litherland ( what became Allisons ). I saw my first ever evening film there, The Vikings with Kirk Douglas.
:D Ken
Matt
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Joined: Tue Oct 08, 2013 6:02 pm
Location: vancouver island

Hi Ken,that film is the reason I have a tattoo of a Viking on each leg.Ragnar (the King) on the right and Erik
on the left.The whole of the engineering dept. on the destroyer HMS Cavendish went to see the S.East Asia premiere
in Singapore then off to the nearest tattooist(Johnny Ghurka) in Sembawang :lol: You used to be able to get beer (Tiger)
served to your seat in the cinema :D so by the time the film was over we were not feeling very much pain in fact we were
not feeling very much of anything.At least I did not get a whole Viking battle scene tattooed on my back(took 2 days to finish) like a couple of my
messmates.
Matt
tudno boy
Posts: 20
Joined: Sat Jan 16, 2016 1:02 am

The Sun Hall, Saturday matinee, hundreds of screaming kids, great stuff.
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fatboyjoe90
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Joined: Tue Sep 15, 2009 6:29 pm
Location: merseyside

Don’t forget Ben-hur was on the Regal around about the same time. :wink: :)
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Cheers Joe.
Bill fawcett
Posts: 1558
Joined: Wed Apr 22, 2015 3:27 pm

I know it is off topic, but there was a thread in 2007 which talked about a house in Breeze Hill called 'Markfield'

[Posted by LadyD » Tue Aug 07, 2007 7:22 am
Looking at a map dated about 1906, it looks like there were 2 large houses on the site.
One called Breeze Hill House and the other called Markfield.
Behind them was something called "Old Clay Pit"

When I started Infants School in 1950, I went to Quarry Bank which was on the corner of Hawthorne Rd and Breeze Hill.It was a big old house.
I see from this map that it was indeed Bootle Quarry.
It seems to have been operating in 1881 and at Quarry Bank next door lived a Timber Merchants sister in law!!!

Just found Markfield in 1881---it was owned by a John Philips Mather age 84 Retired Merchant, with wife and family, plus maids, housekeepers, ladys maid etc.
Christ Church Bootle was built by Mr Mather of Bootle Hall as a memorial to his daughter.
Apparently,Breeze Hill used to be called Clayfield Lane??

Dorothy]

I have just noticed on the cinema adverts is an advert for a Garden Fete in the grounds of 'Markfield' in 1921. Am I right in assuming this is where Hillside High School is now?

Bill
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Dan
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Joined: Sat Jul 07, 2018 6:24 pm

Good spot Bill, and right on all counts.

The old map is the 1892-1914 Ordnance Survey map. Noticed there is no sign of Southport Road; and on a personal note, the Electric Bakery(to the right) was Taylor's Bakery on Buchanan Road where my dad had me working nights when I was a student. That was hard work.

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Regards

Dan
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Invicta
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Joined: Wed Sep 02, 2015 6:46 pm
Location: Garden of England

Matt wrote:Hi Ken,that film is the reason I have a tattoo of a Viking on each leg.Ragnar (the King) on the right and Erik
on the left.The whole of the engineering dept. on the destroyer HMS Cavendish went to see the S.East Asia premiere
in Singapore then off to the nearest tattooist(Johnny Ghurka) in Sembawang :lol: You used to be able to get beer (Tiger)
served to your seat in the cinema :D so by the time the film was over we were not feeling very much pain in fact we were
not feeling very much of anything.At least I did not get a whole Viking battle scene tattooed on my back(took 2 days to finish) like a couple of my
messmates.
Matt
Nice story Matt.
HMS Cavendish’s Sister, Cavalier is an open museum in Chatham Dockyard with The Sub, Ocelot. :D Ken
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efc46
Posts: 416
Joined: Fri Oct 28, 2011 4:40 am

I remember getting Tattoos at Sailor bills by Cannon place I walked thu town with both arms up so know one could bump into me arms (town was always crowded (I was 15 still at school got the cane every day for havin dirty arms Ieft school one week later yippee)
Davey Rowlands Bootle
Matt
Posts: 1198
Joined: Tue Oct 08, 2013 6:02 pm
Location: vancouver island

Thanks for the update Ken.The Cavendish was Captain "D" 8th Destroyer Squadron Far East Fleet
along with the Cavalier and the Caesar but the Cavalier was entitled to stream "battle honours"from WW2
and her profile was altered when they removed some of the mid ships torpedo tubes and replaced them with Squid Mortars.
There was quite rivalry between the Cavendish and the Cavalier and not very pleasant at times especially during rugby matches between the
2 ships in the Singapore base HMS Terror.We had a full 4 ring captain but the Cavalier had a 3 ring commander as her captain a fact that our skipper
always took pleasure at rubbing in whenever we were called on for "ceremonial duties" or whenever we came into port at the same time.
4 ringers ALWAYS enter port first and get the best alongside berth much like what happened to us between the Nautica and the Queen Elizabeth
on our S.Africa cruise last month.Jeez we got some horrible and grotty areas to tie up and Q Elizabeth was ALWAYS right next to the entrance
of the cruise ship terminal :lol: :evil:
Matt
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Dan
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The Bootle Times April 7 1961

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Regards

Dan
lindylou
Posts: 85
Joined: Fri Feb 08, 2008 2:25 pm
Location: Adelaide Australia

My brother, sister and went to Regal in Litherland on a Saturday for ABC Minors. Always had a good time, watching Flash Gordon. Laurel and Hardy etc. Happy days.
Lived in Captains Lane,emigrated to NZ then Oz
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Dan
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Bootle Times February 15 1957. Some great films there.

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February 20 1957. Bill Haley and His Comets appearing at the Odeon in Liverpool.

Love "All Seats Sold. No Standing."

Good luck with that one. :D :D :D
Tommy L
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Joined: Sun Aug 23, 2020 6:30 pm

We used to go to The Carlton on Moss Lane.
Arrive midway through the main feature...............sit through the ''B'' film..............news etc.........See the first half of the main feature.
Then say ''This is where we came in ''!
And leave............
How weird is that ?
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filsgreen
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It was great back then, having the films shown on a loop. I watched Patton, Lust for glory three times in a row. :D
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Dan
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Where the name Odeon came from.

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Eddy Lloyd
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Location: Waterloo

As a kid I used to go to the Palladium (ThePlad) in Seaforth to watch Flash Gordon and the clay men. :)
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Dan
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Eddy Lloyd wrote: Sun Jan 31, 2021 1:03 pm As a kid I used to go to the Palladium (ThePlad) in Seaforth to watch Flash Gordon and the clay men. :)
This was the film poster. Made in 1938 as a 15 part serial.

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The Clay People were ordinary martians until Queen Azura found a way to convert them to clay.


A martian about to be turned to clay.

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They were ruled by the Clay King, played by Montague Shaw.

The Clay King.

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Episodes are still available on YouTube.

Flash saved the day by destroying the White Sapphire and the Black Sapphire, allowing the Clay People to return to human form.

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
Eddy Lloyd
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Location: Waterloo

Brilliant Dan thanks. :)
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filsgreen
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Flash Gordon is coming to Talking Pictures on Sky 326. All episodes have been renovated apparently. :D
darrenadam
Posts: 65
Joined: Sun Apr 15, 2018 10:02 pm

The lone ranger and flash Gordon
Will be screening this Saturday
On channel 445 you can't beat that
HI Ho silver away
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Dan
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Thanks for the heads up, Phil and Darren. Saturday morning February 6.

The Lone Ranger (1949) starts 10.55, with Clayton Moore and Jay Silverheels with the very first episode "Enter The Lone Ranger".

Never knew Tonto was a member of the Potawatomi tribe. :D

Always used to watch it after Grandstand on Saturday afternoons.

Be saying Kemosabe a lot more after this. :D



Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe (1940) starts 11.25, includes Zharkov, Ming. Prince Barin of Arboria and Queen Fria of Frigia.

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Finally at 11.50 Superman (1941), which I think is the cartoon series that used to be shown at the kids' matinees.
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