Leeds lost cinemas

drapesy · Post by **drapesy** » Thu 02 Aug, 2007 9:50 pm

farbank wrote: Shown on one of the previous postings. The picture house on Florence St. was called The Western. The 'booking office' [not that anybody ever did], was on Harehills Ln. Just higher up than the old Con Club. It was originally called the 'Harehills', then the Western (or 'Western Talkie to be pedantic) and finally the 'Vogue' from 1954 til it closed in 1959. It should not be confused with the the Western/Western talkie in Armley - I assume they were owned by the same organisation at one stage as they had identical names(i.e. Western Talkie)

farbank · Post by **farbank** » Fri 03 Aug, 2007 6:05 pm

Whenever was The Western called the Harehills Drapesy.? I lived in that area since 1937, and the Harehills Picture House was on Roundhay Rd. [Where the superstore is now.]I do recall now you mention it , becoming The Vogue. But I was away soldiering at the time. And I must admit, I don't think I ever went in again until the night it burnt down. And I don't know if it was ever part of some 'chain'. Because the owner lived near us. In Berkely View, off Strathmore Dr. He was called Mr. Greenwood, and as I also recall, he had 2 daughters. Both older than myself. One would probably be now in her 80's, and the younger one about late 70's. It would be interesting if they were still on the go. The elder I remember had a motorbike.! Very daring & dashing for a female in those days.

raveydavey · Post by **raveydavey** » Mon 06 Aug, 2007 9:27 pm

Just remembered that my sadly long ago deceased Grandad used to work at The Clock Cinema on Roundhay Road.I can remember being told as a kid everytime we passed it that "Grandad used to work there"I'm not entirely sure what he did but I'll see if I can find out off my dad and post an update.

drapesy · Post by **drapesy** » Tue 07 Aug, 2007 12:41 am

farbank wrote: Whenever was The Western called the Harehills Drapesy.? I lived in that area since 1937, and the Harehills Picture House was on Roundhay Rd. [Where the superstore is now.]I do recall now you mention it , becoming The Vogue. But I was away soldiering at the time. And I must admit, I don't think I ever went in again until the night it burnt down. And I don't know if it was ever part of some 'chain'. Because the owner lived near us. In Berkely View, off Strathmore Dr. He was called Mr. Greenwood, and as I also recall, he had 2 daughters. Both older than myself. One would probably be now in her 80's, and the younger one about late 70's. It would be interesting if they were still on the go. The elder I remember had a motorbike.! Very daring & dashing for a female in those days. According to Robert Preedy it was called the 'Harehills Cinema' from when it was built in 1912 until 1932 (05/10/32 to be precise) when it became the 'Western Talkie'. The 'Western Talkie' on Branch Road Armley took that name in 1933(previously called Pictureland) - which makes me think they might have been owned by the same firm.Funnily enough (and this is from Robert Preedy, although I do remember the copper-domed cinema when it was a bingo hall) the 'Harehills Picture House' was never actually called that - it's official name was simply 'The Picture House', but of course it would have been almost meaningless for anyone to call it that as there were so many others officially called 'The Picture House' at Burley, Crossgates, Holbeck, Rodley, Beeston etc. They too of course were usually named after the district they were in.

farbank · Post by **farbank** » Tue 07 Aug, 2007 6:12 pm

Got to bow to that Drapesy lad. Can't argue with the facts. Though in defence, it all changed 5yrs. before I ever lived out there.Maybe 'old Greenwood' owned the Armley version as well. Who knows.

jf · Post by jf » Thu 09 Aug, 2007 3:59 pm

The 'Western' on Branch Road in Armley was originally a chapel. The current frontage was added when it was converted to a cinema.

liits · Post by **liits** » Thu 09 Aug, 2007 11:25 pm

Have a look at a website called Cinema Treasures.org. It covers cinemas, past and present world wide. It is possible to search by country then by town / city, or even by the name of the cinema.

buffaloskinner · Post by **buffaloskinner** » Sat 11 Aug, 2007 12:28 am

Found the Princess

raveydavey · Post by **raveydavey** » Sun 12 Aug, 2007 7:02 pm

raveydavey wrote: Just remembered that my sadly long ago deceased Grandad used to work at The Clock Cinema on Roundhay Road.I can remember being told as a kid everytime we passed it that "Grandad used to work there"I'm not entirely sure what he did but I'll see if I can find out off my dad and post an update. I've spoken to my Dad and it seems my Grandad worked "front of house". He thinks he might have been a commissionaire (excuse my spelling), but he can't be sure.

mym · Post by **mym** » Sun 12 Aug, 2007 8:29 pm

A lot of cinemas were well before my time - but my mum (in her 60's) has told me of a lot around east Leeds...The Star(?) on York Road (further up from the Irish Centre, other side of the road, Shaftesbury (faintly remember that I think, didn't it close in the 70's?), Hillcrest, The Clock (on Roundhay Road), up at Crossgates (where the Mecca is now - don't know the name(?), and wasn't there one where the station is now at Crossgates???My first visit to the cinema was the much departed Tower on Briggate (one wet Bank Holiday Monday with my mum to see 'Snow White), and always remember my mum crossing the road when I was young, just past the Grand Theatre, because the Plaza was there (X rated films, lol)My son is 13 now, but I used to take him to see films at the Lounge in Headingley. It was a bit of a tradition, sitting on the front row of the balcony. A cinema very sadly missed!!