28 October 2009
18:4431846Does anyone know when the Dover Essoldo closed for films as the web information is wrong - it was after Zulu.
Also whilst we are at it when did the Gaumont close as a cinema?
thanks for your efforts in anticipation
Its only an argument that needs settling..
D
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
28 October 2009
18:5931848Definately after Zulu (1964), well after.
I used to go there to see sword and sandal epics in the late 60's and I am sure it was still open in the early 70's, not certain though on the latter.
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
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28 October 2009
21:5431866Essoldo was 1960 according to "Picture Palaces Remembered and the Gaumont 26 Nov 1960
Been nice knowing you :)
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
28 October 2009
22:0931868Definately did not close in 1960. I went frequently to the 'flea pit' in the late 60's and once tried to get in to see an X film while only about 13 years old, a mate who was 4 years older than me was the one who they thought was too young in our group odly enough!! I went there a fair bit simply because it was cheap.
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
28 October 2009
22:1231869Paul you are right about them in 1958 I was working both for the Gaumont and the Odeon they were the same company and I was a film projectionist at the Odeon and part of my job was to take each night the news film down to the Gaumout show it then take back up to the Odeon this was my last job before I went into the Army.
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Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
29 October 2009
08:4131882The question though was about the Essoldo, that certainly did not close in 1960, or 1964 'after Zulu', which in Dover was shown at the Odeon (not sure if it was shown elsewhere in the town).
Guest 674- Registered: 25 Jun 2008
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29 October 2009
09:0831889What worries me is that also recall going to the then ABC in castle street and the ODEON in london road thats some years ago.
Sat morning pictures was fun!!
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
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29 October 2009
09:3931893I used to use the Odeon for saturday morning pics too, my gran worked there and let me in for free!...
Guest 674- Registered: 25 Jun 2008
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29 October 2009
09:4031895Us socialists like to pay our way lol
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Guest 684- Registered: 26 Feb 2009
- Posts: 635
29 October 2009
10:3131899I remember going to the lovely Odeon with my Mum to see 'The Aristocats' in about 1970. The first cinema I ever went to. I was three!
Then my Dad took my four-year-old self to see a rerun of Zulu at the equally-splendid ABC in about 1971. A bit of a contrast in films, methinks!
Happy days...
Guest 690- Registered: 10 Oct 2009
- Posts: 4,150
29 October 2009
15:1831916Can`t tell you any dates David, just boost your ratings on this one.
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. I remember about 1965, one wet Saturday, seeing a western on one of these 2 cinemas called Red Sundown. These 2 cinemas always seemed to have A or X films on, which is why I was usually at the ABC or Odeon.
Tell them that I came, and no one answered.
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
29 October 2009
16:3031920The Odeon was the best in Dover,well it would be I was working there, if you go back to my life story you will see the good fun I had there to, I did not always do it right even then.
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It was a family run projectionist room up there the head projectionist was a Mr langham and then came his wife was no 2 and there was one more of the family aswell then me ,Iwas the outside and got all the bad jobs.
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Guest 641- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
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29 October 2009
17:5431937How many cinemas were in Dover and what were they called out of interest.
Guest 690- Registered: 10 Oct 2009
- Posts: 4,150
29 October 2009
18:0931938I only know the above 4 Barry, but peering through my Pikes Blue Book, there was Kings Hall Dover Entertainments Ltd, cinema at 49 Biggin Street. Don`t know anything else about it. This is what I bought up as one of my topics, about recording things from people who lived in those days, before it`s all lost.
Tell them that I came, and no one answered.
Guest 652- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 595
29 October 2009
18:5831954In my lifetime there have been four, The Regent,(Odean) The Granada (ABC), The Plaza (Essoldo) The Kings Hall (Gaumont)
Sheila before the war there was one I believe in Queen Street, and one in Snargate Street, over the top of one of the hotels
Sheila
Guest 690- Registered: 10 Oct 2009
- Posts: 4,150
29 October 2009
19:2431958Can`t find any for Queen street Sheila in the 1937-38 Blue Book, but others have older copies. The only thing I can find in Snargate street is The Royal Hippodrome, telephone number, 999 would you believe?
Tell them that I came, and no one answered.
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
29 October 2009
20:3531971"Picture Palaces Remembered" -
Royal Hippodrome - Snargate Street
Queen's Hall in Queen Street
Wellington Hall - Snargate Street
Kings Hall/Gaumont - Biggin Street
Buckland Picture House/Regent - London Road
Plaza/Essoldo - Cannon Street
Granada/ABC - Castle Street
Plus not forgetting Dover's Open Air Cinema - the first in the country, adjacent to the Rink by Moats Bulwark
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Been nice knowing you :)
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
29 October 2009
20:3731972Plus "Own Town Dover" states the Essoldo was 1968.
Don't forget the Silver Screen or whatever it is Sheila !!
Been nice knowing you :)
Brian Dixon![Brian Dixon](/assets/images/users/avatars/681.jpg)
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
29 October 2009
20:3731973which got bomed in ww2,the chap who owns the raffle ticket shop by the railway bridge up tower hamlets used to work there.i think his is whitmore or somthing simler.the hipperdrome that is.
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
29 October 2009
20:4131974Dick Whittamore ? His WW2 graffiti in the caves !
Been nice knowing you :)