Empire Picture Hall
Market Street,
Lutterworth,
LE17 4EJ
Market Street,
Lutterworth,
LE17 4EJ
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In Lutterworth, Leicestershire, the first picture shows were given in a converted warehouse situated what was known as ‘The Narrows’.
The Empire Picture Hall, in a separate building, was opened on Market Street on 21st December 1916, and was operated by Thomas Green, affectionally known as ‘Puffer’ Green. The first reference to the Empire Picture Hall is in 1922. The proprietor was Thomas Greaves and the piano was played by Mrs Mowsley.
The projection room was at the back of the stalls, and there was a small balcony, seating about 30 patrons.
The cinema was heated by a cast iron stove which, at the Saturday matinees, children used to roast chestnuts on!
By 1925 Thomas Green was again the proprietor.
One Saturday night around midnight on 9th May 1930, when the Empire Picture Hall was thankfully empty, the building was destroyed by fire. (The Russian drama “Ivan the Terrible” had played that evening.) The cause of the fire was possible a discarded cigarette.
However, this was not the end of the Empire Picture Hall, as it moved to temporary premises in Bank Street - a former nunnery! (This explains the listing of the Empire Picture Hall in the 1931 Kinematograph Year Book, with nothing but the cinema name being given.) By now the proprietor was C. H. F. Horrocks; by 1936 Clarence J. Spencer had taken over.
The opening of the Ritz Cinema (see separate Cinema Treasures entry) in 1938 presumably put paid to any thoughts of rebuilding the Empire Picture Hall, especially as I believe Clarence Spencer was involved with the new cinema. A Co-op store was built on the site of the cinema.
Contributed by
David Simpson
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Recent comments (view all 1 comments)
The Empire Picture Palace, Lutterworth was opened on 21st December 1916 by proprietor Thomas Green. It was destroyed in a fire, probably caused by a discarded cigarette in the balcony, on 19th May 1930.