Old cinemas of sheffield

[willybite]

Forgot to mention part of an old cinema.This was the "Gods" in the Hippodrome on the corner of Wellington St. and Cambridge St. I read somewhere that it had the biggest seating capacity in Sheffield and had started out life as a theatre.

I put "part " of a cinema because when I used to go with a mate of mine[both aged about 8,9 and 10] we could only afford to go in the "Gods",which cost about 10 old pence,[ about 4 new pence ].At that time a labourer would perhaps earn about 15-20 new pence per hour.

"The Gods"were usually a riot of noise and bad behaviour. If the film was even mildly boring,the audince would shout,joke and sling things over the balcony.This was the era of the Teddy Boy and even at 9 and 10 years of age,we tried eo copy them as far as possible.Had my first cigarette in there,I think---at least I remember smoking. There were no seats ,as such, just rows and rows of wooden benches !

There was an attendant who didn't even have a uniform---only a peaked cap ! He was getting on a bit and had no chance of controlling the mob. He'd keep disappearing and re-appearing and very occasionally he'd try to sling someone out but they'd usually sneak back.

At one stage,we were going to the Hippodrome about 3 times a week. If it was an A film,we'd wait outside and ask one of the Teddy Boys to take us in.It also had a sliding roof for very hot daysand probably to let the smoke out too.

Reminds me a bit of that brilliant Italian film, "Cinema Paradiso "

!

 

hiya i wrote on another post we went to the hippo as we called it in the gods in the summer it was like a sauna, one monday we had a chance to go on the roof and were shown near misses by german bombers in ww2, while we were looking round the roof opened and we wondered what it was i tell you it was like standing at the top of osborns chimney the smoke that were coming out was shocking.ps the bench seats were really hard and uincovered, the time we were going the gods price was 1s 0d adult, 9d children.

our weekly stint was monday hippodrome, tuesday weston, friday star,sunday star, odd friday's empire.

[Elmambo]

The seating in the Gods is best describes as a giant stairs, each stair being the height of a seat. They were unpadded, but covered in carpet (with a liberal splash of chewing gum) on the front bit where you sat . The rake was frighteningly steep. I remember having to go up endless stairs to get to the Gods. Yes, it was cheap and could be riotous. Oh what fun we had !

[willybite]

The seating in the Gods is best describes as a giant stairs, each stair being the height of a seat. They were unpadded, but covered in carpet (with a liberal splash of chewing gum) on the front bit where you sat . The rake was frighteningly steep. I remember having to go up endless stairs to get to the Gods. Yes, it was cheap and could be riotous. Oh what fun we had !

 

hiya you remember well, can you remember turning right after paying and getting your ticket passing through the cages a throwback to when it was a theatre at the bottom of two little flights of stairs to get to the gods.

the weston was our main cinema,corner of mitchel st and st phiilips rd, my dad would say its oreight but tha has to teck a brush and shovel wi the to sweep horse muck up as they show too many cowboy films

some while ago I recalled 52 cinemas in Sheffield, not counting outlying districts.

Edited August 5, 2014 by willybite

[echo beach]

hiya you remember well, can you remember turning right after paying and getting your ticket passing through the cages a throwback to when it was a theatre at the bottom of two little flights of stairs to get to the gods.

 

Yes and if I recall correctly that entrance to the 'Gods' was around the back of the cinema in Backfields. According to records of the Hippodrome the Gallery (or Gods as they were nicknamed) were closed in 1959 and the theatre demolished in '63.

 

echo.

[willybite]

Yes and if I recall correctly that entrance to the 'Gods' was around the back of the cinema in Backfields. According to records of the Hippodrome the Gallery (or Gods as they were nicknamed) were closed in 1959 and the theatre demolished in '63.

 

echo.

 

hiya you are right the entrance was at the corner of backfields,the other side was wraggs garage, down backfiels towards the moor was button lane.

 

---------- Post added 02-08-2014 at 21:12 ----------

 

I remember the 'Classic' in Fitzalan Square when it was called 'The News Theatre'. There was a bar down some stairs at the side used to sell draught Bass and Worthington beers - think it was called the King's Head.

There was another cinema in town on Union Street - opposite the stage door to the Empire, - I think it was called the 'Union Palace' but not really sure now.

 

The pub next door to the News Theatre was called the Bell, and the cinema on Union Street was called the Palace, so you were close pal.

 

hiya, we always called it union st, i remember by the side of the cinema early 40s a british home stores it had a funny layout like it was for something else it was level the there were a flight of stairs going down into the main area, the other one we used to visit was the landsdown where marks and spencer had a shop but they still had the floor of the cinema the counters were higher at one end than the other.

Edited August 2, 2014 by willybite

[Linnet]

News Theatre opposite the Gaumont on Barkers Pool - if I am correct, let me know if I am not - am I showing my age here?

 

The Rex at Intake, and The Manor - great Saturday nights viewing in the 60's + all the matinees in the 50's

 

My local - the fleapit in Woodhouse and Saturday matinees, never knew it's official name. Does anybody??

[hillsbro]

News Theatre opposite the Gaumont on Barkers Pool - if I am correct, let me know if I am not..

The News Theatre was in Fitzalan Square, it was the Cinema House that was opposite the Gaumont.

My local - the fleapit in Woodhouse and Saturday matinees, never knew it's official name. Does anybody??

Might have been the Palace - ee, them were the days!.

[Elmambo]

News Theatre opposite the Gaumont on Barkers Pool - if I am correct, let me know if I am not - am I showing my age here?

 

The Rex at Intake, and The Manor - great Saturday nights viewing in the 60's + all the matinees in the 50's

 

My local - the fleapit in Woodhouse and Saturday matinees, never knew it's official name. Does anybody??

 

The News Theatre was in Fitzalan Square. The cinema opposite the Gaumont was called the Cinema House.

[willybite]

my nan use to tell me about the building on barnsley road ( lane top end) that now is a carpet place ,she said that use to be an old cinema..i dont know the name of it has i dont think i was born then.

 

hiya, i think it was the sunbeam, biggish building near the bottom of barnsley rd on the right hand side going down the hill from town.

just been looking at the cinema list and the sunbeam was located on barnsley rd firvale.

Edited August 7, 2014 by willybite

[Linnet]

Yes ElMambo you are right thankyou, went to them both - and my brother took me to the El Mambo too!