Crystal Palace Picture House
Crystal Palace Parade,
London,
SE20
Crystal Palace Parade,
London,
SE20
1 person
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Additional Info
Architects: Owen Jones, Joseph Paxton
Styles: Neo-Classical
Previous Names: Crystal Palace Cinematograph Theatre, Crystal Palace Cinema
Nearby Theaters
Located in the south London district of Sydenham (today known as Crystal Palace/Upper Norwood. The Crystal Palace Cinematograph Theatre was operating from June 1910. It was one of the attractions within the famed cast iron and plate glass Crystal Palace building (originally constructed in Hyde Park, opening 1st May 1851 for the Great Exhibition by Queen Victoria and moved to Sydenham in November 1851). The general admission charge to the Crystal Palace included admission to the Cinematograph Theatre.
In 1920, the Crystal Palace Cinema opened in another part of the building, which had previously been used as a variety theatre. A separate admission charge to the cinema was now in order. After renovations had been carried out, it re-opened on 28th September 1928 as the Crystal Palace Picture House.
The Crystal Palace Picture House was closed on 8th March 1930, for the installation of sound equipment. This never happened, and the cinema never re-opened.
The entire Crystal Palace complex was totally destroyed by a mammouth fire on 30th November 1936. The site of the Crystal Palace has never been built on, and in 2009, the vast concrete base remains in situ and is still part of the Crystal Palace Park.
Contributed by
Ken Roe
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Recent comments (view all 2 comments)
Is the vast concrete base used for anything now?
davidcoppock:It is mainly vacant, but occasionally used for ‘pop-up’ events. There were plans in the mid-2000’s to build a multiplex cinema on the site.