Ben Hur Cinema

A couple of exterior photographs I took of the former Ben Hur Cinema building in April 2006:
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/136038736/
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/136038965/

Ben Hur was my grandfather, he had 5 sons and a daughter. He was a very successful businessman in East London in the early part of the 20th century. They lived in Wanstead and also owned the Fish and Ring pub in Stepney. He owned rows of houses built adjacent to the cinema. The cinema was sold in 1960, we, as a family stil continue, there are 3 grandsons still alive, Steven, Ian and David. I'd love to hear from anyone who was around there between 1920 - 1960. Thank you. David Hur

The name BEN HUR CINEMA survived painted on the side wall of the building for many years after closure.

I've been researching London cinemas pre-WWI (there's a database available at http://londonfilm.bbk.ac.uk) I found records of the Palaceadium in film trade books covering 1914, one of which gives the owner as Palaceadium Ltd, the other as Ben Hur, which indicates he was running the cinema pre-WWI. There's a memoir of going to the cinema at this time in Ben Thomas, Ben’s Limehouse: Recollections by Ben Thomas (London: Ragged School Books, 1987), p. 43. I'd heard tale that he got his name after success exhibiting the 1907 film Ben Hur. Is this true, and what was his real name? Luke

The cinema got its (2nd) name from Ben Hur (this has nothing to do with the Back & White silent film of that name). Henry Ben Solomon was a market trader, there was a bully in the market who was a British boxing champion. The market traders decided between them in a meeting, that the next person to be bullied by this boxer would have to stand up and fight the guy. The next person after that meeting who was bullied was my Great Grandfather. He was too old to fight this guy, so my Grandfather (Henry Ben Solomon) said he would fight him instead.

A bare-fisted fight was organised (this was illegal in those days, so it was held underground in the drains). In those days a knock down was considered one round. After 77 rounds, Henry emerged as the winner, having beaten this guy to a pulp, however Henry sustained some injuries in the fight and had to go to hospital. While in hospital, he was visited by a theatrical agent who convinced him, that with this story he could make Henry famous and that they should go on stage with an act.

Henry decided to do this and chose the stage name Ben Hur (he had an stage act named Pompey). Before long he was billed as 'The World's Strongest Man' and even managed to last 9 rounds with a Sumo wrestler. As the act became popular Henry started buying some businesses (one of which was the Palacedium Cinema, Stepney). As Henry was known throughout the East End as Ben, the cinema was naturally re-named Ben Hur Cinema.

Soon the family name Solomon, was changed by Deed Poll to Hur. Ben Hur was a very generous man, donating much money to charity, and the London Hospital, Whitechapel. Ben died in January 1960, three weeks before my birth (hence I was given his name).

Ben had lived the remainder of years in Preston Drive, Wanstead. E11, where he bought the first two houses built in that road. Ben's sons were named; Jack, Richard, Louis, Alfred and John, his daughter was named Sadie.

Ben was a great man and is sadly missed by his family and all who knew him.

Ian Ben Hur (Grandson)
(submitted via e-mail)

My name is Maud Smith nee Jeffries,I spent many many hours during the Thirties & Forties in the Ben Hur Cinema. My parents took over the Fish & Ring public house when Ben & his wife left to run the Cinema.I would love to speak more to the Hur Grandsons as I knew all the five sons very well especially John as he was closer to my age.Is there anyone who attended the early evening showing of films at the Mission Hall in Commercial Road,it was known as the Penny Pictures- that was the cost of a ticket. Micky Smith.

My name is Karen Evans emailing from Christchurch, NZ. My father, Edward Evans (born 1928), and his four brothers had an uncle in the 30s and 40s who ran the Fish and Ring Pub, the Ben Hur cinema and, I think, also a local fish and chip shop. As we are researching my Dad's childhood, I would love to make contact with any of the above. karene@avonmore.ac.nz