Empress Cinema
Higher Road,
Urmston,
M41
Higher Road,
Urmston,
M41
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Useless piece of information – I have one of the ’S' from Empress in my shed.
The date of closure of the Empress is definitely wrong I was born and brought up just round the corner from this cinema in 1944 and spent most of my spare time in there and I know that I had left school 1959 and was going out with a particular girl and this was in 1960 as we use to get in early for one of the double back row seats,. Also I saw the film “A Summer Place” there 7 times, and this was not released till 1959.
I worked as a Proectioist at the Empress whilst it was under ABC control. The projection Room (Box)was down stairs and had an entrance at street level from Higher Road. The equipment was Kalee(Rear Shutter)Model 8 projectors wit Ross Arc Lamps mounted on Western Electric “universal base” with sound heads the sound was Western Electric “Wide Range” system. The Tabs Curtains) were manual operated from back stage.
I return to this page, cap in hand and full of apologies. Having obtained a copy of the mentioned book I followed this up. The source of Trafford Library has me apologizing to Ken Roe and Brian Hornsby, I was incorrect, it was a rink before it became a cinema.
Divad
Thank you Ken, I feel comfortable with that now. I would like to have heard from the author but I guess we will have to wait and see. He may have knowledge unknown to us all.
Divad, Thanks for the clarification, I will make the neccessary amendments to the opening text.
This is from Trafford Local Studies;
“The Empress opened as a silent film cinema in c1929 with 900 seats. It was enlarged and reopened on 5 August 1935 with 1,228 seats. The architects were Drury and Gomersall. It was taken over by Union Cinemas on 29th June 1936, then by ABC in October 1937. It closed on 11th October 1958. Demolished 1962."
No rink. Another source was the local historian Alan Crossland, no rink.
We are all of the opinion that Brian is referring to another landmark which was the Billiard Hall around the corner from the Empress. This was converted into a roller rink at one time.
Divad, The extra details I added to your initial opening description are taken from a booklet ‘Ninety Years of Cinema in Urmston’ by Brian Hornsby (who’s series of books are based on research he undertakes in local library’s) and from Allen Eyles book ‘ABC-The First Name in Entertainment’, published by the Cinema Theatre Association and the British Film Institute. I trust both these usually reliable sources for my additional information, but if you know otherwise, please let us know.
I am familiar with the ad and photo shown, I question the opening date and the roller rink statement. My documents show a 1921 beginning but as a cinema.
The description given for the origin of this cinema would have to be questioned. My source shows no such thing regarding a roller rink and I believe there must be some confusion about this particular Empress.