Queen's Picture Palace

The Eagle Music Hall was opened by 1880. It was a half-timbered building. By 1982 it was named Music Hall and by 1902 it was the Queen’s Palace which closed in 1908. It was purchased by Messrs Moore & Kennedy of Birmingham and became the first picture house to open in the Staffordshire town of Stoke-on-Trent. The Queen’s Picture Palace opened on 10th October 1910 with “The Unchanging Scene” & “Cowboy’s Secret” plus other films. There were 3 variety acts on the stage between changes in the film reels. It was said to be “thoroughly warmed with heating stoves and cosily curtained. All trams stop at the Queen’s Palace”. It was also for a short time known as Pictureland.

Despite this inviting information, the Queen’s Picture Palace did not last very long. It was listed in the 1914 Kinematograph Year Book (with the proprietor having the rather splendid name of William O. Kill who had taken over in 1913) but then, in 1921 it was closed. It stood derelict for a few years until it was demolished.

On 31st December 1929 a new building on the site, with an Egyptian style façade, opened as the New Rialto Ballroom. That appears to have operated until around 2000. After lying derelict for the next decade, in 2010 Kieron Kelly re-opened it as K.Dee.K Danceworks.

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