ABC Eccles
52 Church Street,
Eccles,
M30 0DF
52 Church Street,
Eccles,
M30 0DF
1 person
favorited this theater
Showing 1 - 25 of 29 comments found
Jimmy Gold made me the offer of becoming his house mananger at the new ABC Leeds. I turned it down and subsequently left ABC in April 1970. But I have always tresasured my memories.
Just came across this website by chance. I worked at the ABC Eccles and many others in the Manchester area during the late 60’s. I did not know I still have dgcarter’s cufflinks.
This site has a circa 1955 photo.
A vintage photograph of the auditorium in 1966:
View link
The circle in 1966:
View link
I followed Richard Roper into Huddersfield as A/M and knew a lot of the people mentioned; am still frequently in touch with John McIntosh (ABC Wigan), Frank Chambers (ABC Leeds – before Dave Riby) and, until recently, my very good friend, Brett Childes (Odeon Sunderland) who passed away on October 04.
I went on to manage ABC’s theatres in South Shields, Chester, Newcastle upon Tyne (Haymarket AND Westgate Road) and Darlington; sadly,the latter appointment was as a result of Cannon’s strategic withdrawal -true to form – from that city, when Odeon and Warner Bros were left to fight for supremacy; I am pleased to say that Odeon won when they moved to ‘The Gate'development, although that has since become the 'Empire'following the M&M’s intervention upon the Odeon/UCI and Cineworld/UGC mergers………all so complicated!
Will do! It’s a small world.
I knew dave riby. Jimmy Gold was the District manager in my day (before he went off to manage the ABC Leeds). Ken Pickering I knew of (I think at one point he was at Ardwick). There was also Bill Williamson, Dave Stirzaker, Dave Moss, Harry Ellams and a host of others whose names have gotten lost in the mists of time. If you ever come across Dave Stirzaker ask him when I’m finally going to get my cufflinks back.
Unfortunately quite a few of them have died, like Ken Pickering and Jimmy Gold. Did you know Alan Peel or Dave Riby. Still keep in touch with them
Anybody else I might know as well as Roger? I knew most managers on the Manchester and Yorkshire districts from the late 60s.
He’s retired now and lives in Eastbourne. A few of us old ABC Managers try and meet up once a year for a reunion.
I used to relieve him regularly in 68/69. He and his wife also ran a B&B just down the road at the other side of Washway Road.
Yes, indeed it was. I still keep in touch with Roger!
Was that the same Roger Newcombe who was at The Savoy Sale a few years earlier?
No, Alan Thirlaway was Manager when I first went to Huddersfield, then when he retired, Roger Newcombe took over.
No. My ABC career was Wakefield (porjectionist), Huddersfield (Trainee Manager), Eccles (Assistant manager) Manchester District (relief manager).
Was Fred vere still at Huddersfield when you were there?
Don – Did you ever work at the new ABC in Doncaster.
I often wonder what became of Derek. He was at the studios on Oxford Road manchester in 1979 but I lost track of him after that. Strange you sghould have come from the ABC Huddersfield, that’s where I was before i moved to Eccles.
Yes, it was Derek Warner that I relieved for his days off.
(abcman)
Did a two day relief at the ABC Eccles in 1972 when I was Assistant Manager at the ABC Huddersfield.
Richard Roper
(abcman)
Hello Don
I am researching my family tree and I wondered if you knew of my grandmother Phyllis Storey and her sister Elenor Owen who I beleive worked at this cinema in Eccles in the late sixties early seventies. I think they worked as usherettes and on the kisk. If you rember anything about them please could you email me at
Many thanks
Deborah Bhatti
Don, I’m very glad you enjoyed the photo & posted your recollection. That’s why I linked the vintage photo.
Hi Howard
That picture brought back memories, unfortunately by the timne I arrived, the Art Deco chandeliers, the curtains, and , unfortunately, the Organ had been removed. The chandeliers had been relaced by standard ABC ‘starburst’ type chandeliers, and the curtains by a Gold coloured Festoon, with a set of Tabs behind them for stage shows. But apart from being repainted, the auditorium itself was still pretty much the same.
scroll to page 15 for vintage photo of auditorium of this theater. I especially like seeing the Art Deco chandelier!
View link
LOL,
Thats’s what you get for getting involved a cinema/theatre buffs. I am a founder member of the CTA from way back in 1968.
I knew most of the ABC Manchester circuit (misnamed as it covered an area from Liverpool to Hull and from Carlisle to Chester, as I was the manchester Area relief manager, as well as nominal assistant at Eccles. I’ve just been looking at the CTA site, and was amused by the concept of being knighted using a Carbon (wass it positive or negative) to the tune of the ABC minors song.