Department Stores, Cinemas and other Buildings
Department Stores and Other Buildings
Mickey Isaacs
There was a department store in Seven Sisters Road very close to the junction with Hornsey road, (just round the corner from the baths) which I think was a fairly early casualty, I seem to remember the building was fairly modern, but the name escapes me, anyone know ? Just the other side of the junction with Hornsey Road I believe there was a club of ill repute where a policeman got shot sometime in the 'fifties anyone shed a light?
John Pearce
That was The North London drapery Stores. My Dad was the credit manager there. Me and Mickey O'Donnell worked in there on Saturdays in the curtain dept.
Mick O’Donnell
I remember the North London very well. Do you recall some of the characters we worked with, particularly Mad Mary and Gay Albert from the pots & pans dept dancing the mashed potato behind the counter? It was like something out of Grace Brothers. I think we were paid £1.5s.0d for a 9 hour day. As I recall Keith Fulton also did a stint on hardware. Later I was moved onto bedding and then toys. At 5.30 it was straight on the bus for a couple of games at the billiard hall at Highbury Corner, and later, a light ale in the Angel & Crown. (bottom of Laycock Street)
John Pearce
Yes I remember Mad Mary, she was very friendly with one of the Flanagans - Chinnie if I remember right, & also you. And Gay Albert. What about the old man and woman who worked on the counter, they had done an apprenticeship at the store in their early days and lived in at the store. My God they would be about 200 now. Do you remember when I took those sulphur tablets, supposed to get rid of the spots on my face, ummm. I think it got rid of a lot of other things. I found some photo’s a few weeks ago, taken at the holiday camp at Weston-Super-Mare. Do you remember that?? (be nice to see the photos, Johnny Boy - Ed)
Tam Joseph
Yes I can remember it just round the corner from the baths; I can't remember the name of the store but I do remember the name of the clothes shop that stood on the corner of Hornsey Rd & Seven Sisters Road: John Collier ( The window to watch ). Maybe it was The North London Drapery stores?
Chris Zindilis
I just realised where the Drapery stores were. I pass by it at least once a week, when I come down to London and do the shopping for Soulla's parents. Their flat is just down the road from there. The left corner shop below is now a pound shop. I remember in the late sixties part of the store below was where you redeemed your green shield stamps; remember them?
Barry Page
Green Shield (and other) trading stamps were very popular. We had books full of them in readiness for redeeming at the Seven Sisters Road outlet. Great memories.
Russell Profitt
Great memories of using green shield stamps! Wife and I saved up for kettles, irons, ironing boards and other stuff! The company still exists as Argos! No stamps these days... but nectar points, air miles and the many and various hotel and travel companies still keep the spirit going!!
Paul Lomas
Am I wrong but was there not a Gamages also at Old Street or was this another store? I can remember going after school to see the model train display with some mates from Barnsbury.
Ramondo Silk
There was another large department store very close to Old Street in City Road, I think it stood on the corner where City Road meets East Road. It was called Dawsons. There used to be another called Dudley's in Kingsland Road, and of course not forgetting good old Jones Brothers in Holloway Road.
Barry Page
Dawson's store was another renowned department store in North London. My grandma, who worked at the Initial Towel Company in Goswell Road, often went there after work. Also it wasn't far from Moorfields Eye Hospital; so a trip on the 611 or 609 trolleybus would get you there from Highbury Corner.
Mickey Isaacs
Found the pictures of Finsbury Park very interesting as I used to live in Blackstock Road, very close to all the venues. My dad who ran a shop used to put a poster up every week for the Empire and for this we were rewarded two complementary tickets for first house on Wednesday.
Amongst the people I saw there - all very young of course - were Terry Dene, (whose manager my Mum had a row with), Marty Wilde & the Wildcats, Eddie Cochran, (only a couple of months before his death) Gene Vincent, Cliff Richard and amazingly Georgie Fame who was billed as "new amazing piano play/vocalist", he was only 16 at the time. Emile Ford and the Checkmates - I think in the very last week the theatre was open. It closed spring 1960 but it lingered on for a while as a venue for filming and TV shows. (Wasn’t The Young Ones filmed there? - Ed)
The first time (and I think the only time) I went to the Astoria I remember being amazed at it. Some years later when it was The Rainbow I saw the Stax/Volt stageshow with Otis Redding, Booker T etc:; but even in its Astoria days it did the occasional stage show.
The Gaumont showed the first feature film I ever saw "The Lady & The Tramp.” I remember the very long entrance hall. As a matter of interest next door was the City Pram Shop, who as a sideline did Triang model railways which were always displayed at the bottom of the right hand window. I had my first OO train set from there.
Paul Lomas
Snap Mickey, "The Lady & The Tramp" was my first film as well, seen at the cinema in New North road which was derelict for years and now sadly gone. I worked at 'Kay's Laboratories' in Gillespie Road not far from where you lived.
Ramondo Silk
Thanks for that info Michael. Following on from the Gamages/Dawsons theme, I wonder if there are any naughty GOBBS out there who remember Ellisdons, which was just down the road from Gamages, but on the other side of the road, I know we had the joke/magic shop in Upper Street almost opposite the old cinema, but Ellisdons was the ultimate in that sort of stuff, I remember they had wooden rickety stairs on the way up and the place was stuffed to the rafters with tricks for naughty schoolboys. Also do any GOBBS remember Headquarters & General Supplies, I think that was the name of it, just along the road from Gamages, on the same side going towards the west end. They sold army surplus stuff, not the old water bottles and tin mugs like in our local Army Surplus shops, (did Chris Farlowe have one at the Angel?), they had stuff like high powered binoculars and radios, some of the stuff was from Russia I believe, not surprised if you could by a rocket launcher, oh happy days!
Alan Weyman
Interesting all the recent talk about Dawsons, Moorfields, Ironmonger Row Baths, and others. Brought back many memories as I lived till 1975 right in the middle of these places. My mother worked in Initial Towel company in Goswell Road as did another member’s grandma. A little way down from the Initial was Moreland street, where I went to junior school with Paul Tully.
Opposite the school was Gordon's Gin Building which is still there today, but gin distillery moved out many years ago. Looking on Wikipedia about Gordon's gives plenty of information but one thing missing which maybe our sleuths can find some information on ..... In the early 60's Gordon’s made a cherry brandy which seems to be ignored in information about the factory, possibly because it was export only. Be nice to know more about it as I own a bottle of said cherry brandy and it has never been opened. If I can find way of putting photo on email on iPad I will post it for interest.
Going on, Moreland Street School at the time was one of the top schools in Finsbury for swimming trophies. We all had to go swimming, and Ironmonger Row was our pool. There was never the excuse that you forgot your trunks or towel as the baths hired out trunks and towels, not sure if they were only pool to do that. About the baths, they were about 100 yards from where I lived and in those days they had Turkish baths and normal baths, as many homes in that area of Finsbury never had baths. From what I remember the high board at that time was reported to be one of highest in London, and the pool was supposed to be competition size although I never checked if those facts were correct. The pool was 12ft at the deep end. On some pictures supplied you can see pool, boards and side gallery while at the other end was another gallery with cafe at the top and this is where I used to get a nice plate of beans on toast after swimming. Below this gallery was another pool, enclosed for toddlers.
At side of the baths was ‘toffee park’ [presume name was a soubriquet - ed] which went down to Old Street, while at the bottom of the park was St Luke's Church which closed down and as far as I know is still the home of the London Symphony Orchestra. Across the road is Whitecross Street where the 1963 film starring Joe Brown and the Bruvvers was filmed called "What a Crazy World".
[Dad’s gone down the dog track… ed] Moorfields eye hospital enlarged it's area and now has part of its training area in Bath street. Radnor street joins Bath street and Ironmonger Row and Radnor Street is where I lived and my mother lived till her departure a few years ago.
Where Bath Street meets City Road, opposite is Shepherdess Walk, where the pub The Eagle still stands. Who remembers the tune ... Up and down the City Road in and out The Eagle that's the way the money goes, pop goes the weasel. Used to know what weasel related to but forgotten over time. Next door to the Eagle pub there was a yard where my grandfather used to hire out bikes in the 50's. If you go along the City Road towards the Angel, just over the canal bridge used to be Players cigarette factory. Where I used to get bus to school.
At bottom of Ironmonger Row was Lever Street, where I used to live before moving to flats in Radnor Street. Along Lever Street was another cigarette factory which was converted to the city hotel.
The area has changed drastically over the years, but a lot of the old buildings retain the original architecture.
Mike Stewart
Nearby the former Dawsons is Ironmonger Row and its swimming baths. These have now been refurbished after two years of closure and are gleamingly new and sparkling. In the basement is a 'spa' (sauna and jacuzzi) where you can get various massage type treatments. As an OAP and Islington resident you get a massive discount.
Tam Joseph
The area was very run down for years, I worked as graphic designer from the late 70's to the 90's and there were many Repro houses in that area because it was cheap, but these days...
You may have met Frank Clark an old GoBB who was around in those days - he was very good swimmer. His family lived off the Essex Road. He and Tom Clift were members of the Clissold swimming club.
Paul Lomas
I had a summer and Saturday job at Beck’s the joke shop in Upper Street. My Mum was Mrs Beck's cleaner and discovered the secret room at the top of the house. [so what was in the secret room then? - ed] I even remember helping moving Mr and Mrs Beck down to a bungalow at the coast when they retired. They had the Almeida Theatre as a warehouse when it was not used for years. [Almeida is a Portuguese place name, a town in the province of Beira. My question is, why was the theatre so named or was it called that because of the street it was situated in? And if so, why was the street called that? Probably a bloody war somewhere.- ed]
Mickey Isaacs
There was a department store in Seven Sisters Road very close to the junction with Hornsey road, (just round the corner from the baths) which I think was a fairly early casualty, I seem to remember the building was fairly modern, but the name escapes me, anyone know ? Just the other side of the junction with Hornsey Road I believe there was a club of ill repute where a policeman got shot sometime in the 'fifties anyone shed a light?
John Pearce
That was The North London drapery Stores. My Dad was the credit manager there. Me and Mickey O'Donnell worked in there on Saturdays in the curtain dept.
Mick O’Donnell
I remember the North London very well. Do you recall some of the characters we worked with, particularly Mad Mary and Gay Albert from the pots & pans dept dancing the mashed potato behind the counter? It was like something out of Grace Brothers. I think we were paid £1.5s.0d for a 9 hour day. As I recall Keith Fulton also did a stint on hardware. Later I was moved onto bedding and then toys. At 5.30 it was straight on the bus for a couple of games at the billiard hall at Highbury Corner, and later, a light ale in the Angel & Crown. (bottom of Laycock Street)
John Pearce
Yes I remember Mad Mary, she was very friendly with one of the Flanagans - Chinnie if I remember right, & also you. And Gay Albert. What about the old man and woman who worked on the counter, they had done an apprenticeship at the store in their early days and lived in at the store. My God they would be about 200 now. Do you remember when I took those sulphur tablets, supposed to get rid of the spots on my face, ummm. I think it got rid of a lot of other things. I found some photo’s a few weeks ago, taken at the holiday camp at Weston-Super-Mare. Do you remember that?? (be nice to see the photos, Johnny Boy - Ed)
Tam Joseph
Yes I can remember it just round the corner from the baths; I can't remember the name of the store but I do remember the name of the clothes shop that stood on the corner of Hornsey Rd & Seven Sisters Road: John Collier ( The window to watch ). Maybe it was The North London Drapery stores?
Chris Zindilis
I just realised where the Drapery stores were. I pass by it at least once a week, when I come down to London and do the shopping for Soulla's parents. Their flat is just down the road from there. The left corner shop below is now a pound shop. I remember in the late sixties part of the store below was where you redeemed your green shield stamps; remember them?
Barry Page
Green Shield (and other) trading stamps were very popular. We had books full of them in readiness for redeeming at the Seven Sisters Road outlet. Great memories.
Russell Profitt
Great memories of using green shield stamps! Wife and I saved up for kettles, irons, ironing boards and other stuff! The company still exists as Argos! No stamps these days... but nectar points, air miles and the many and various hotel and travel companies still keep the spirit going!!
Paul Lomas
Am I wrong but was there not a Gamages also at Old Street or was this another store? I can remember going after school to see the model train display with some mates from Barnsbury.
Ramondo Silk
There was another large department store very close to Old Street in City Road, I think it stood on the corner where City Road meets East Road. It was called Dawsons. There used to be another called Dudley's in Kingsland Road, and of course not forgetting good old Jones Brothers in Holloway Road.
Barry Page
Dawson's store was another renowned department store in North London. My grandma, who worked at the Initial Towel Company in Goswell Road, often went there after work. Also it wasn't far from Moorfields Eye Hospital; so a trip on the 611 or 609 trolleybus would get you there from Highbury Corner.
Mickey Isaacs
Found the pictures of Finsbury Park very interesting as I used to live in Blackstock Road, very close to all the venues. My dad who ran a shop used to put a poster up every week for the Empire and for this we were rewarded two complementary tickets for first house on Wednesday.
Amongst the people I saw there - all very young of course - were Terry Dene, (whose manager my Mum had a row with), Marty Wilde & the Wildcats, Eddie Cochran, (only a couple of months before his death) Gene Vincent, Cliff Richard and amazingly Georgie Fame who was billed as "new amazing piano play/vocalist", he was only 16 at the time. Emile Ford and the Checkmates - I think in the very last week the theatre was open. It closed spring 1960 but it lingered on for a while as a venue for filming and TV shows. (Wasn’t The Young Ones filmed there? - Ed)
The first time (and I think the only time) I went to the Astoria I remember being amazed at it. Some years later when it was The Rainbow I saw the Stax/Volt stageshow with Otis Redding, Booker T etc:; but even in its Astoria days it did the occasional stage show.
The Gaumont showed the first feature film I ever saw "The Lady & The Tramp.” I remember the very long entrance hall. As a matter of interest next door was the City Pram Shop, who as a sideline did Triang model railways which were always displayed at the bottom of the right hand window. I had my first OO train set from there.
Paul Lomas
Snap Mickey, "The Lady & The Tramp" was my first film as well, seen at the cinema in New North road which was derelict for years and now sadly gone. I worked at 'Kay's Laboratories' in Gillespie Road not far from where you lived.
Ramondo Silk
Thanks for that info Michael. Following on from the Gamages/Dawsons theme, I wonder if there are any naughty GOBBS out there who remember Ellisdons, which was just down the road from Gamages, but on the other side of the road, I know we had the joke/magic shop in Upper Street almost opposite the old cinema, but Ellisdons was the ultimate in that sort of stuff, I remember they had wooden rickety stairs on the way up and the place was stuffed to the rafters with tricks for naughty schoolboys. Also do any GOBBS remember Headquarters & General Supplies, I think that was the name of it, just along the road from Gamages, on the same side going towards the west end. They sold army surplus stuff, not the old water bottles and tin mugs like in our local Army Surplus shops, (did Chris Farlowe have one at the Angel?), they had stuff like high powered binoculars and radios, some of the stuff was from Russia I believe, not surprised if you could by a rocket launcher, oh happy days!
Alan Weyman
Interesting all the recent talk about Dawsons, Moorfields, Ironmonger Row Baths, and others. Brought back many memories as I lived till 1975 right in the middle of these places. My mother worked in Initial Towel company in Goswell Road as did another member’s grandma. A little way down from the Initial was Moreland street, where I went to junior school with Paul Tully.
Opposite the school was Gordon's Gin Building which is still there today, but gin distillery moved out many years ago. Looking on Wikipedia about Gordon's gives plenty of information but one thing missing which maybe our sleuths can find some information on ..... In the early 60's Gordon’s made a cherry brandy which seems to be ignored in information about the factory, possibly because it was export only. Be nice to know more about it as I own a bottle of said cherry brandy and it has never been opened. If I can find way of putting photo on email on iPad I will post it for interest.
Going on, Moreland Street School at the time was one of the top schools in Finsbury for swimming trophies. We all had to go swimming, and Ironmonger Row was our pool. There was never the excuse that you forgot your trunks or towel as the baths hired out trunks and towels, not sure if they were only pool to do that. About the baths, they were about 100 yards from where I lived and in those days they had Turkish baths and normal baths, as many homes in that area of Finsbury never had baths. From what I remember the high board at that time was reported to be one of highest in London, and the pool was supposed to be competition size although I never checked if those facts were correct. The pool was 12ft at the deep end. On some pictures supplied you can see pool, boards and side gallery while at the other end was another gallery with cafe at the top and this is where I used to get a nice plate of beans on toast after swimming. Below this gallery was another pool, enclosed for toddlers.
At side of the baths was ‘toffee park’ [presume name was a soubriquet - ed] which went down to Old Street, while at the bottom of the park was St Luke's Church which closed down and as far as I know is still the home of the London Symphony Orchestra. Across the road is Whitecross Street where the 1963 film starring Joe Brown and the Bruvvers was filmed called "What a Crazy World".
[Dad’s gone down the dog track… ed] Moorfields eye hospital enlarged it's area and now has part of its training area in Bath street. Radnor street joins Bath street and Ironmonger Row and Radnor Street is where I lived and my mother lived till her departure a few years ago.
Where Bath Street meets City Road, opposite is Shepherdess Walk, where the pub The Eagle still stands. Who remembers the tune ... Up and down the City Road in and out The Eagle that's the way the money goes, pop goes the weasel. Used to know what weasel related to but forgotten over time. Next door to the Eagle pub there was a yard where my grandfather used to hire out bikes in the 50's. If you go along the City Road towards the Angel, just over the canal bridge used to be Players cigarette factory. Where I used to get bus to school.
At bottom of Ironmonger Row was Lever Street, where I used to live before moving to flats in Radnor Street. Along Lever Street was another cigarette factory which was converted to the city hotel.
The area has changed drastically over the years, but a lot of the old buildings retain the original architecture.
Mike Stewart
Nearby the former Dawsons is Ironmonger Row and its swimming baths. These have now been refurbished after two years of closure and are gleamingly new and sparkling. In the basement is a 'spa' (sauna and jacuzzi) where you can get various massage type treatments. As an OAP and Islington resident you get a massive discount.
Tam Joseph
The area was very run down for years, I worked as graphic designer from the late 70's to the 90's and there were many Repro houses in that area because it was cheap, but these days...
You may have met Frank Clark an old GoBB who was around in those days - he was very good swimmer. His family lived off the Essex Road. He and Tom Clift were members of the Clissold swimming club.
Paul Lomas
I had a summer and Saturday job at Beck’s the joke shop in Upper Street. My Mum was Mrs Beck's cleaner and discovered the secret room at the top of the house. [so what was in the secret room then? - ed] I even remember helping moving Mr and Mrs Beck down to a bungalow at the coast when they retired. They had the Almeida Theatre as a warehouse when it was not used for years. [Almeida is a Portuguese place name, a town in the province of Beira. My question is, why was the theatre so named or was it called that because of the street it was situated in? And if so, why was the street called that? Probably a bloody war somewhere.- ed]
Streets with a Story: Islington by Eric Willats.
Almeida Street. Appears in the rate book for 1838 as Wellington Street. Renamed Almeida Street in 1890. Almeida, on the border of Spain and Portugal was the scene of a battle, part of Wellington's campaign in the Spanish Peninsular War, 1811.
Almeida Terrace (site of the theatre) was originally the Islington Literary & Scientific Inst., founded in 1832. It had a reading room 36 feet long and a theatre to accommodate 550.
By 1890 the Sally Army owned it - until 1956 when 'Beck's Carnival Novelties' bought it. In 1980 it became the Almeida Theatre. Ed.
Almeida Street. Appears in the rate book for 1838 as Wellington Street. Renamed Almeida Street in 1890. Almeida, on the border of Spain and Portugal was the scene of a battle, part of Wellington's campaign in the Spanish Peninsular War, 1811.
Almeida Terrace (site of the theatre) was originally the Islington Literary & Scientific Inst., founded in 1832. It had a reading room 36 feet long and a theatre to accommodate 550.
By 1890 the Sally Army owned it - until 1956 when 'Beck's Carnival Novelties' bought it. In 1980 it became the Almeida Theatre. Ed.
Cinemas
David Chapman
I saw "Rock Around the Clock" and "Blackboard Jungle" in the fifties when there was spontaneous dancing in the aisles! I would have seen them either in the Carlton in Essex Road or the Vic (a right flea pit) corner of Ecclesbourne Road and New North Road (easier to bunk in). Staff couldn't persuade the teenagers to sit down! Anyone remember the Vic?
Mickey Simmonds
The Vic was in New North Road right on the corner of Ecclesbourne Road.
David Chapman
Yes it was Mick, and Tony wonders whether I actually saw both films at the Angel. He could be right, I wouldn't rely entirely on my memory these days, over 60 years later!!
Tony Bernie
David, I lived 50 yards from the Vic and I don’t recall those films on there. I saw both films at the Odeon Angel. My uncle played the piano at the Vic only to be replaced with the organ. Yes bunking in easy via the exit next to the gents. Such sweet memories.
Bertie Worster
It closed when I reached 11 David. I lived at 254 New North Road on the same block. I do recall you.
One shilling and sixpence admission not withstanding the back door. I recall all the stuffing being pulled out of the seats which we threw around for fun. Happy days.
Barry Page
There was another cinema in the general Angel area called the Blue Hall. It was part of the Royal Agricultural Hall complex. Later, it became the Gaumont, and then a Top Rank Bingo hall before being condemned and eventually demolished. The Design Centre stands in its place. My grandmother always remarked on the Blue Hall. See this 1970 image when the cinema was branded Gaumont.
The fate of the North American Indians (technically called First Nations) is one typical of the subjugation of a race by colonists. It can also be seen in Canada, Australia, and other places around the world. There have even been extreme situations of wholesale genocide (the Behothuks in Newfoundland and the Aborigines in Tasmania), for example.
Stay safe!
Mickey Simmonds
Used to go there a lot as you could bunk in by going down Barford Road which was off of Liverpool Road and led you to the back of the Blue Hall.
Bill Pitt-Jones
My wife keeps complaining (now I’m under her feet all the time with the lockdown) that Im going Mutt and Jeff. I always put it down to standing in front of amplifiers for so long, but maybe I’ve always been like it because I thought my siblings always talked about the Blue 'Horn' cinema....(Silly born bastard).... as one of my Mum’s favourite utterings would say.
I saw my first X film (The Grip of the Strangler) starring Boris Karloff at the Islington Empire opposite Liverpool Road. The film was already about 30 years old. I was 13 years old. While lighting a fag in the foyer queue (to make out I was over 16), I saw Andy Workman doing the same thing. The film scared the life out me. Title credits written on tomb stones.
The cinemas/Music Halls I remember were: Collins's Music Hall, The Islington Empire, the Blue Hall, Rex (Screen on the Green), the Angel Odeon, the Holloway Odeon (Tufnell Pk. Rd.), the Savoy, Holloway Rd. (ABC), the Marlborough Cinema/Music Hall (next door to the Holloway Arcade) - demolished to become Marlborough House office block AA Headquarters?, the Holloway Essoldo opposite Holloway Tube, the Caledonian Rd. Essoldo/Mayfair Music Hall opposite Caledonian Tube, the Kings Cross Gaumont, the Century ABC/Music Hall opposite St. Pancras Station. And, I should mention seeing Cliff Richard and the Drifters (starring at the end of a variety show after the conjurer, comedian and acrobat) at the Finsbury Park Empire.
Outstanding among all these was, of course, The Finsbury Park Astoria with its fountain in the foyer and biblical decor.
Flea Pits.... Picture Palaces... What's your experiences?
Mickey Isaacs
I lived just around the corner from the Finsbury Park Empire, we used to get a free couple of tickets for first house on Wednesday because my father displayed a poster every week in his shop. I, too, saw Cliff Richard & The Drifters there, who is to know at the same time as Bill? I remember it was not long after that it closed. The Empire is where Colin Hicks (brother of Tommy Steele) got booed off the stage. There used to be a man who danced and played the spoons to the queues while his companion went round with a little carpet purse for the gratuities.
I remember being completely gobsmacked the first time I went into the Astoria by the Arabesque grandeur of it. The Gaumont facing the top of Blackstock Road in Seven Sisters was far less grand. It had an enormously long entry hall you walked down to get to the auditorium. Amongst other things it later became a bowling hall which I suppose it was ideally suited to.
Regards to all.
Bill Pitt Jones
Mick, you’re very probably right because I would have been in the first house at that age. I had to be home early or else. I think there was about 4 Tiers? Me and my mates were right at the top. The cheapest of course.
I used to go to the Majestic Ballroom. Was that the same building as the Gaumont or next door. I remember a big Pram/Toy shop there.
I remember as a younger boy a trip to that park was a bus ride and a bit of an adventure. Then later on playing for my junior school team on the cinder pitches near the main gates and up on the dust pitch that looked down onto the railway.
David Chapman
Blimey!! I loved reading through all your comments and recall of cinemas and escapades! I obviously lived a very sheltered life in those days and am impressed by everyone's recall!
It is a known fact that few Londoners cross the Thames, but I rarely left my neighbourhood: North, only so far as school; South, only so far as the City and usually no further than The Cut; West, rarely further than The Angel; and East, rarely further than Clissold Park!
Thanks and stay well.
David Chapman
I saw "Rock Around the Clock" and "Blackboard Jungle" in the fifties when there was spontaneous dancing in the aisles! I would have seen them either in the Carlton in Essex Road or the Vic (a right flea pit) corner of Ecclesbourne Road and New North Road (easier to bunk in). Staff couldn't persuade the teenagers to sit down! Anyone remember the Vic?
Mickey Simmonds
The Vic was in New North Road right on the corner of Ecclesbourne Road.
David Chapman
Yes it was Mick, and Tony wonders whether I actually saw both films at the Angel. He could be right, I wouldn't rely entirely on my memory these days, over 60 years later!!
Tony Bernie
David, I lived 50 yards from the Vic and I don’t recall those films on there. I saw both films at the Odeon Angel. My uncle played the piano at the Vic only to be replaced with the organ. Yes bunking in easy via the exit next to the gents. Such sweet memories.
Bertie Worster
It closed when I reached 11 David. I lived at 254 New North Road on the same block. I do recall you.
One shilling and sixpence admission not withstanding the back door. I recall all the stuffing being pulled out of the seats which we threw around for fun. Happy days.
Barry Page
There was another cinema in the general Angel area called the Blue Hall. It was part of the Royal Agricultural Hall complex. Later, it became the Gaumont, and then a Top Rank Bingo hall before being condemned and eventually demolished. The Design Centre stands in its place. My grandmother always remarked on the Blue Hall. See this 1970 image when the cinema was branded Gaumont.
The fate of the North American Indians (technically called First Nations) is one typical of the subjugation of a race by colonists. It can also be seen in Canada, Australia, and other places around the world. There have even been extreme situations of wholesale genocide (the Behothuks in Newfoundland and the Aborigines in Tasmania), for example.
Stay safe!
Mickey Simmonds
Used to go there a lot as you could bunk in by going down Barford Road which was off of Liverpool Road and led you to the back of the Blue Hall.
Bill Pitt-Jones
My wife keeps complaining (now I’m under her feet all the time with the lockdown) that Im going Mutt and Jeff. I always put it down to standing in front of amplifiers for so long, but maybe I’ve always been like it because I thought my siblings always talked about the Blue 'Horn' cinema....(Silly born bastard).... as one of my Mum’s favourite utterings would say.
I saw my first X film (The Grip of the Strangler) starring Boris Karloff at the Islington Empire opposite Liverpool Road. The film was already about 30 years old. I was 13 years old. While lighting a fag in the foyer queue (to make out I was over 16), I saw Andy Workman doing the same thing. The film scared the life out me. Title credits written on tomb stones.
The cinemas/Music Halls I remember were: Collins's Music Hall, The Islington Empire, the Blue Hall, Rex (Screen on the Green), the Angel Odeon, the Holloway Odeon (Tufnell Pk. Rd.), the Savoy, Holloway Rd. (ABC), the Marlborough Cinema/Music Hall (next door to the Holloway Arcade) - demolished to become Marlborough House office block AA Headquarters?, the Holloway Essoldo opposite Holloway Tube, the Caledonian Rd. Essoldo/Mayfair Music Hall opposite Caledonian Tube, the Kings Cross Gaumont, the Century ABC/Music Hall opposite St. Pancras Station. And, I should mention seeing Cliff Richard and the Drifters (starring at the end of a variety show after the conjurer, comedian and acrobat) at the Finsbury Park Empire.
Outstanding among all these was, of course, The Finsbury Park Astoria with its fountain in the foyer and biblical decor.
Flea Pits.... Picture Palaces... What's your experiences?
Mickey Isaacs
I lived just around the corner from the Finsbury Park Empire, we used to get a free couple of tickets for first house on Wednesday because my father displayed a poster every week in his shop. I, too, saw Cliff Richard & The Drifters there, who is to know at the same time as Bill? I remember it was not long after that it closed. The Empire is where Colin Hicks (brother of Tommy Steele) got booed off the stage. There used to be a man who danced and played the spoons to the queues while his companion went round with a little carpet purse for the gratuities.
I remember being completely gobsmacked the first time I went into the Astoria by the Arabesque grandeur of it. The Gaumont facing the top of Blackstock Road in Seven Sisters was far less grand. It had an enormously long entry hall you walked down to get to the auditorium. Amongst other things it later became a bowling hall which I suppose it was ideally suited to.
Regards to all.
Bill Pitt Jones
Mick, you’re very probably right because I would have been in the first house at that age. I had to be home early or else. I think there was about 4 Tiers? Me and my mates were right at the top. The cheapest of course.
I used to go to the Majestic Ballroom. Was that the same building as the Gaumont or next door. I remember a big Pram/Toy shop there.
I remember as a younger boy a trip to that park was a bus ride and a bit of an adventure. Then later on playing for my junior school team on the cinder pitches near the main gates and up on the dust pitch that looked down onto the railway.
David Chapman
Blimey!! I loved reading through all your comments and recall of cinemas and escapades! I obviously lived a very sheltered life in those days and am impressed by everyone's recall!
It is a known fact that few Londoners cross the Thames, but I rarely left my neighbourhood: North, only so far as school; South, only so far as the City and usually no further than The Cut; West, rarely further than The Angel; and East, rarely further than Clissold Park!
Thanks and stay well.