Empire Cinema

In Ryhill, a village some 7 miles south east of Wakefield, West Yorkshire, the Empire Cinema opened on Easter Monday, 13th April 1914. (The opening had been delayed because the architect had not provided for a projection box(!). One was eventually built using part of the rear balcony, with the box being cantilevered out.)

The proprietor was local businessman Ernest Silverwood, and there were 750 seats. After the World War I, Mr Silverwood mounted a number of ambitious stage shows, but they proved to be too costly, and were soon discontinued.

The Empire Cinema closed for a month in 1930, and re-opened with sound films on 28th July. Initially an Electrocord system was installed, but this had been replaced by a Western Electric(WE) system by 1933. Shortly afterwards, the hall was redecorated and re-seated, resulting in a reduction in the seating capacity to 553.

The Empire Cinema closed on Sunday 30th August 1959 with “I Only Arsked”, starring Bernard Bresslaw.

The building went into use as a cold store for J. W. Swithenbank’s frozen food division. Google Street View suggests it has since been demolished.

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