Empire Cinema

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Local builder Edward Saunders and Harwich borough council mayor saw the potential of This form of entertainment, they commissioned an architect to design a theatre. A site in Kingsway was chosen and on the 29th of March 1913 without official ceremony The Empire opened its doors to the public; the cinema could accommodate 350 patrons and would show various stage shows and films. 1915 the Empire was still offering the best entertainment for the Harwich area with a bill of top acts. Silly comedienne Elsie Cross whose humour was described as “quaint in the extreme”. she was also well known for her funny songs which were guaranteed to bring the house down. Welda and Wynne were also lined up to top the bill at the Empire, the couple, particularly the male partner, were visual comedians who specialised in juggling. An evening of comedy would not be without funny film from keystone caper called laughing gas.

The Bostock cinema group purchased the cinema on the 1st January 1929, the new owners Considered the building too small to meet the growing cinema audiences and looked for a new site to build a larger cinema, on the 31st may 1938, Empire’s manager Mr Gilbert Smith locked up for the last time, the following day together with his staff they opened the new building the Regal.