Olympia Cinema

Wordsley is a village situated roughly midway between Dudley and Stourbridge, in Staffordshire.

The Olympia Cinema was created by Anthony Bailey. He owned a brewery in the aptly-named Brewery Street, and later made bottled mineral water. Then, in 1912, he converted part of the premises into a cinema.

The Olympia Cinema opened on 23rd December 1912, presenting cine-variety. There was seating for around 600 patrons, a 30ft deep stage, a proscenium that was 26ft wide and four dressing rooms.

It was closed from June to August 1913 to be re-seated, and was then leased to Benjamin Kennedy for six months. After that, Anthony Bailey took over, but he suffered a heart attack in 1922 and the following year he sold the Olympia Cinema to Cecil Couper. Mr Coupar had installed a Morrison sound system by the autumn of 1931.

In 1934 the Olympia Cinema was taken over by Fred Leatham, in association with Eldon Firmstone, an accordionist and cinema organist. They only stayed until 1940, when it was sold to C. W. L. Bullock and E. M. Bullock. At some stage a British Thomson Houston (BTH) sound system was installed.

The “Limp”, as the Olympia Cinema was affectionately known, closed on 16th May 1959 with “Maracaibo”, starring Cornel Wilde and Jean Wallace.

The building was purchased by a neighbouring die-cast company, then demolished in 1969. (During demolition, a foundation stone dated 1858 was uncovered.)

The site became a car park.

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