Photo-a-Day  (Friday, 8th July, 2022)

Now this brings back some memories, last film I watched at the Regal was Old Yeller, it was about a dog.

Following closure as a cinema it became Kattenburgs (spelling) sewing factory. I never knew anyone working there.

My brothers, (both many years my senior), used to go to The Regal as little lads, and my Mam remembered taking a neighbour's little lad along with them one day. During a scene in the film when it was raining on the cinema screen, he tugged at my Mam's coat and said, "Tizzie, it's rainin' an' ah've not browt me cap!" I only remember it as Kattenburg's Sewing Factory.

I was born in Bryn Street

Matinée

The velvet curtain embroidered with gold ,
The smokey bars of flickering silver
Splashing the screen with movie stars .

Usherettes with torches , and girls in yellow smocks
Selling ice-cream from trays with lamps on little sticks ,
The EXIT signs glowing like emeralds in the dark .

The ashtrays on the backs of seats ,
The Intermission . The Pearl and Dean adverts ,
Standing up when someone needed to pass .

The darkness coming again,
The tentative arm across her shoulder
With eyes fixed on the film .

Walking out as the credits play
Into the light of the street , realising suddenly
That it's still day .

Poet....that sums it up perfectly! And the adverts for Rathbone's Gold Medal Bread and local shops. My boyfriend took me to see Bonnie and Clyde at The Ritz in Wigan. I was 15, he was 17. He bought a box of Clarnico Mint Creams from the kiosk and led me up the shallow carpeted steps to the back row. He never took his eyes off the screen, ate all the peppermint creams without offering me one and made me come out before the end because they all got shot! Believe it or not, I am still with him!

Like that one Irene .
When I was a big lad at school I took a neighbours little girl to school . One freezing Winters day , I said to her , are tha knees knocking ? She said , no , that’s mi teef, I left mi knees in front of fire place . She was only bout 6 or 7

Irene said, ".... and made me come out before the end because they all got shot! "

He was only doing the 'Wigan Walk' Irene.

Poet , the only part I mention about your wonderful poem is the ‘standing up when someone needed to pass’ . I go to the theatre a lot where I live and if you go to see a Noel Coward play , for example , they will indeed stand as you say , BUT , only if you are one of them ! You trying coming late with a centre row seat and not being one of them , they grunt , groan and grumble , stand ? Are you kidding ! Over many years I have watched this , and know exactly what you mean Poet , but is a courtesy I question and have seen many times , which belongs to another place in time , and indeed breeding , but only ! As if you should already have it .
I came from a Council Estate , so going to the pictures was rare , theatre , are you mad . I never even heard the word .
Theatres in London are packed out now with the American Dream . The language is not English , it’s American English , the most spoken word across the globe . The courtesy you mention , is not from the era of Hamburgers and a very large milk shake! The world has change hugely , and this courtesy is obvious to some but more so to the ignorant ..

Mick, when you were taking the photo did you know that cousin Joan Charman nee Broadbent and husband Brian lived in the bungalow behind this old cinema, they lived on Windleshaw Street. Brian was the son of Councillor Charman who served on Ince council, he lived on Christopher Street.

Irene, did you buy the two Pit and Miners Tales books, if so are they a good buy - they certainly look interesting.

"Bassetts Clarnico Mint Creams - the original peppermint cream with a soft and creamy centre covered in a crispy white shell. Now for a little bit of a history, did you know these were first made way back in 1872 by three people. Their names were Clarke, Nickolls and Coombes. Take the first few letters of each name and you get Clar-Ni-Co. Not a lot of people know that."

Billy Bassett, I never knew that! Cyril, I have been in touch with the author of the pit books and ordered them. I can't organise payment for them until tomorrow, then I should hopefully receive them some time next week. I'll let you know what they're like. xxxx

Windleshaw Street, eh.? In Ince? There's a coincidence.

https://www.windleshawchantry.com/images/easyblog_shared/chantryd.jpg

That Billy Basset's a reet liquorice allsort.

Saturday afternoons at the Regal, kids matinee then over to Britannia Bridge playing field to watch the open age rugby. Not much grass on the field in those days, proper hard men and plenty scuffles so exciting times for kids.
Then off up to little jungle to swing in the trees for an hour, before back into Higher Ince and home to a jam butty.
Those were the days!

My Grandad, Tom Atherton owned and ran the cinema and then my Uncle, also Tom Atherton. They also owned the Picture House in Scholes. Have spent many hours in them both when a child.

I practically lived at the Scholes Picture House. My favourite homely picture house. You can all keep your red velvet plush seats, I would go back in an instant if I could to the old wooden seats where a crick in the neck was obligatory after sitting through Flash Gordon and the Clay Men, Hopalong Cassidy, The Three Stoogies, the Dead End Kids, Superman and Jungle Jim el al. Not forgetting Tarzan and Cheetah chirruping in the jungle - Haohao! As Tarzan swung through the trees! Oh! What great memories.

My Nan, Annie Lowe worked as cleaner when it was Regal Cinema and Kattenburgs.