Leeds lost cinemas

drapesy · Post by **drapesy** » Thu 21 Jun, 2007 9:13 pm

arry awk wrote: Aye DrapesyMy Pop, too was a lucky survivor. He was one of the five out of a platoon of about 80 sent to defend the canal bridge at St Omer.against a load of Panzer tanks! They disembarked from a train, which took them from Arras to St.O. they had 5 rounds of .303ammo for their Lee Enfields and orders to hold up the Panzerswho had 88mm guns,armour plate and Spandau heavy machine guns! NO Chance! Dad was one of the survivors and was lucky to 'come round' after being hit on the head with a chunk of wood from a tank shell explosion!Our Da's sure went through it eh?Arry It certainly puts a lot of today's 'problems' into perspective!

stevief · Post by **stevief** » Thu 21 Jun, 2007 10:10 pm

arry awk wrote: Further to 'The Majestic' post. My mum (Scandy's Gran)worked there 1938 to 1941 as a waitress in the restaurant,Usherette and icecream girl in the cinema and also 'doubled?' as cashier in the box office and on the tea room till!They got their money's worth out of her! She drew the line at 'toilet attendant'! However, the job had it's perks. free Gaumont complimentary cinema tickets for two at the Majestic,the Gaumont, the Assembly Rooms,and the Plaza (City centre) .All were GB cinemas then. I was the most 'clued up' junior film buff in Leeds in those days! Free icecream too in the Majestic when mum was serving!Before the wartime Blackout, The Majestic had a 'running newsboard' in lights which ran along the outside upper balcony.Often wondered how they got the messages to run along like that!Done by a teletype machine I think.At the time of the Dunkirk evacuation in 1940,my dad was posted 'missing' in France. They used the Majestic ballroom as a casualty clearing station where they brought all the Dunkirk woundedto be sorted as to which hospital they were going to.Mum and I used to go down daily to look at the wounded in case dad may have been amongst them. It turned out later that he was taken prisoner at St.Omer fighting a rearguard action to allow the BEF to get to Dunkirk. He was safe at least and spent the war in Poland! Stalag XXB.Arry AwkTop-drawer anecdote 'arry 'awk.I wasn't aware of the wartime connection with the Majestic. I,like many others of my age,watched Sound of Music there in the 60's when I was too young to appreciate it.

Scandy Bramley · Post by **Scandy Bramley** » Thu 21 Jun, 2007 10:34 pm

Crikey 'Arry dad - your posting stuff on here you've never even told me about??? I too, like StevieF, had no idea the Majestic was used to house war victims.I'm sure I remember the Majestic having a running newsboard in my lifetime, long after the war finished?

simonm · Post by **simonm** » Thu 21 Jun, 2007 11:39 pm

Scandy Bramley wrote: Crikey 'Arry dad - your posting stuff on here you've never even told me about??? I too, like StevieF, had no idea the Majestic was used to house war victims.I'm sure I remember the Majestic having a running newsboard in my lifetime, long after the war finished? All I remmeber, inbetween it known as majestic was the top rank bingo hall!!

stevief · Post by **stevief** » Sat 23 Jun, 2007 7:47 pm

drapesy wrote: The News Theatre / Tatler I think betwixt being called The News Theatre and The Tatler it was called The Classic.I can remember it having a white pinnacle on the roof with the word Classic running down it.1960's(?)

johnt · Post by **johnt** » Sun 24 Jun, 2007 7:18 pm

parksider wrote: Hi Johntyes ...correct..lots of cinemas in the beeston area..such a shame to lose them all isnt it..Now its a trip to the Multiplex at Birstall...i went the other week..its so impersonal..bought some popcorn ..had to take a bank loan out..As for the Gainsborough..i think you said top moor side..Actually it was at the bottom of Domestic Street...Sorry if i read you wrong..Next door was the Rising sun pub...That site is now a car showroom..Thats so you can buy a car to go to Birstall..thats progressBye for nowParksider Hi parksiderTop moor side had its own cinema on cnr top of domestic st

parksider · Post by **parksider** » Sun 24 Jun, 2007 9:01 pm

John t sorry..you are right ..top moor side did have its own cinema..opposite the spotted cow..and the church other side..last time i was that way it was an estate agent...thanks for prompting me on that one..i must owe you a drink..as kids we used to go that way to the holbeck swimming baths..down smelly alley..think they made horse meat..smelt awful.....bye for now

Biscuit Tin · Post by **Biscuit Tin** » Mon 25 Jun, 2007 7:46 am

Spent many, many hours at Holbeck swimming baths. Mum used to treat herself to a slipper bath every week (when she could afford it) because our bathroom was a tin bath in front of the fire, those were the Days !!Is the baths still there?

simonm · Post by **simonm** » Mon 25 Jun, 2007 7:16 pm

Biscuit Tin wrote: Spent many, many hours at Holbeck swimming baths. Mum used to treat herself to a slipper bath every week (when she could afford it) because our bathroom was a tin bath in front of the fire, those were the Days !!Is the baths still there? Fraid not BT. They were pulled down about 20 years ago. There is now some sort of special needs home on it!! I remember going there as a kid. It was always a bit quiet than Armley Baths!!

Biscuit Tin · Post by **Biscuit Tin** » Mon 25 Jun, 2007 7:43 pm

Shame!!I remember coming out of the baths getting changed and then having a cup of Bovril and a wagon wheel, great life