It was thr Ritz!

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) brianmoate@hotmail.com

I do remember there was an 'Essoldo' cinema round the corner as well. In front of the school I think there was one called the 'Regal'. Now that one had delightful two-berth seats where know doubt many a KBGS lad had a tangle with a KGGS girl. I know I did. Three cinemas in a small place like Keighley. Probably only one left now, I reckon.

Yes the Ritz was behind school.
There were two others near school, on opposite sides of North St, they were the Essoldo, (on the same side as school) and the Picture House opposite. Other Keighley cinemas at the time were in Cavendish St, The Cosy Cinema and, local to us, the Oxford Hall.
I think at least two of them had the double seats, which facilitated getting one arm/hand round the girl, and the other to explore with.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) brianmoate@hotmail.com

Almost got it Brian!
The Essoldo was where you said but it was actually the re-named Picture House (re-named circa 1961 I think). The one on the opposite side of the road was the Regent where I used to go to the Saturday morning pictures with Dave Pamment when at primary school. Can't think why - it was impossible to hear the dialogue and sometimes to see the film - just pure bedlam. You had to go upstairs so as not to have food or more noxious substances shower over you.
And wasn't there a cinema or two at Haworth in the fifties?

The cinema opposite school was the Regent, which is now Fusion Nightclub, and the one on the same side as the school was the Essoldo It was also known in those days as the Picture House. Several years ago it was reopened following refurbishment and given its former name The Picture House. The Ritz is now a Gala Bingo Hall. There was a cinema in Haworth and "Charlies" in Crosshills, which is now a furniture store.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) d.r.boddy@btinternet.com

The Ritz was the cinema par excellence in Keighley - sometimes known as the ABC. It was built in a strange brick which had a zig-zag worm mould pattern on it. Once over, there was a restaurant which "did functions" - plus the magnificently illuminated organ which rose out of the orchestra pit - ridden by local maestro, Stanley Bishop. There were always queues to get in to the continuous performances on a Saturday night. The doorman would wander down the queue calling out "Two singles in the one and nines" - or "four together in the three and sixes". Some of the Keighley Amateurs shows were put on there - as well as gang shows and talent competitions. The cinema opened its doors to the school in 1953 for a special showing of "The Ascent of Everest". After that the main attraction of the Ritz (with its several exits down the back alley) to the spotty youths of KBGS was its hidey-holes for the tobaccoholics who dicked out of the Lord Street doorway and out of sight for a lunchtime drag.

Yes, I remember there were some amateur dramatics going on at 'The Ritz'. Was not the hated Derek Cronshaw a leading light in the Keighley Amateur Dramatic Society. And of course in the very same street as the Ritz was the Keighlians Club, where a certain Gilbert Swift held court.

Yes , Keighley Amateurs always performed at the Ritz until it became a Bingo Hall. My sister Barbara, and her husband Mike Boothroyd are still actively involved (Barbara is the current Chairman/?Chairperson?) After performing at the Ritz they moved to Victoria Hall, and still do one musical and one pantomime each year. Barbara has been in the Amateurs since a very young age when they needed children, normally supplied by Irene Ogden School of dancing.
I remember they were the first amateur society to put on 'West Side Story' after it was released for amateur socities. Mike played Bernardo, the Puerto Rican gang leader- at one evening too much powder was put in the gun, and it really went off with a bang. If Mike reads this he may elaborate further.
Keighley Theatre (Formally 'Little Theatre' in Devonshire St is still very active also.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) brianmoate@hotmail.com

In 6 days this item has had the fastest growth in interest of all the topics raised - and is within a mere 70 views of the vast interest in Miss Reilly and AEW.

Anyone with any ideas why this interest in the Ritz should be so consuming for old Keighlians? I am at a loss.

The dark doorways at the rear of the Ritz were ideal for a bit of canoodling after leaving the nearby Central Youth Club. I was in one of the said doorways when I informed a girlfriend that I was 'finishing' with her whereupon she stabbed me with one of those tiny penknives that were purchased at places like Blackpool. The full thrust went about 2mm into my chest and needless to say it didn't do her cause any good! It must be something to do with the 'atmosphere' there as I remember reading that the infamous Yorkshire Ripper committeed his first assault (note assault, not murder!) at the rear of the Ritz. The author also noted that Mr Sutcliffe subsequently returned to the scene and made the note - 'why anybody would want to return to Keighley is beyond me' - or words to that effect!. Nice eh??

tp

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) tpdesign@primus.com.au

Current location (optional) www.studiofour.com.au

I remember the dark doorways at the rear of the Ritz with some fondness! They were very discreet corners for a bit of slap & tickle after leaving the nearby CentraL Youth Club. I remember being there on one occasion when I was 'finishing' with a particular girlfriend so she stabbed me in the chest with one of those tiny penkives one bought in places like Blackpool. The full thrust went about 2mm into my flesh - needless to say, it didn't do her cause any good.
It must have been something about that area as I recall reading that the Yorkshire Ripper actually commiteed his first assault (note assault not murder!)at the back of the Ritz! The author went on to say that Mr Sutcliffe did return to the scene of the crime and made the point - 'why anyone would want to return to Keighley is beyond me', or words to that effect - nice eh??

TP

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) tpdesign@primus.com.au

Current location (optional) www.studiofour.com.au

Like Brian, I had a sister who was a member of the Keighley Amateurs for many years. I used to see all the performances and many of the rehearsals and never once saw Cronshaw there. Possibly he was a member of the Little Theatre.

That certainly ties in with Cronshaw's stature which he always sought to deny.

Is that cinema still there? Having not been there for a while. Or does it only show Bollywood films now.

Bingo.

IIRC the Cav(endish) was still open in my first years at KBGS. The Oxford Hall at the bottom of Fell Lane had become a bingo hole by then.

Essoldo was also known as the 'Fleapit'.

Last film at the Regent was the Burton/Taylor Cleopatra.

Didn't the Regent do a special effect for one film of having a wire from the screen to the back and having a ghost scream out of a haunted house to the back of the cinema?

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) bill@bracewel.demon.co.uk

I went to see Adam Faith at the Ritz..or was it the Essoldo.

Which of the old Keighley cinemas had double seats? I recall always having to get to one cinema early or they were all taken - maybe it was the Cavendish. Cinemas nowadays don't seem to have such luxuries though the seats are much comfier - even more so than the Ritz, which was the most luxurious in town.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) sjspye@hotmail.com

The Ritz opened about 1940. It was the top cinema at that time and had a Wurlitzer organ which rose out of the stage and entertained the patrons at the intervals. I put intervals as this cinema was the first to run continuous programmes without emptying out the first house before the second house was admitted. Keightley had at that time Five cinemas which operated throughout the war, They were the Ritz, Pictute House, Regent [Opp the school], Cavendish, and lastly The Cosy Corner which had wooden bench seats at the front and charge for admission in the war was sixpence and a Jam Jar !!

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) mikemarynichols@hotmail.com

I am told, by others with experience of them, that the double seats were in the Regent - upstairs. The song "Saturday night at the movies, who cares what picture we see" - always brings this to mind.
I had greater experience of the saturday afternoon "flicks" at The Cosy Corner and the Cav. Never sit at the front - because the kids from Worth Village used to chuck struck matches up into the projection beam and they could land on you. When (and it was every performance) the film broke down, the "patrons" would stamp their clogs rythmically on the wooden sets that were the flooring. At this point the manager would walk down the aisle, waving a torch bawling kids out and threatening ejection - which never happened. I think admission was around 4d - not a patch on my Dad's claims that he could get into the pictures on a saturday night, buy 5 woodbines and still have change out of 6d for a fish supper on the way home.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) terrymarston@hotmail.com

Again, I'd forgotten about these cinemas. The Cavendish !!!! Bloody hell! Allan (Jones) and myself went to see "Cockleshell Heroes" there. The more I read postings on this site, the more I realise what a drab old town was and is Keighley...and yet somehow, back then, I never really used to think so. Bit like Hibbing I suppose. Once I left and saw a bit of what lay "across the borderline" my feelings of were reinforced. But....... I do miss the dry stone walls and countryside.

Mike Nichols may have forgotten the 'Oxford Hall', our local cineam in Oakworth Rd, usually pronounced as 'Oxferdawl'. My mother complains that in the war, and soon after,when sweets werent so easily available, my Dad (They married 1943) took sticks of celery, which made a heck of a crunch when you ate them. Apparently the first film I was taken to was 'The Wizard of Oz' when I was about four. I also recall going for the first time without parents to see 'Hurricane Smith' with Jim Hall. He was in trouble for losing his school cap there.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) brianmoate@hotmail.com

Current location (optional) www.whitesea.co.uk

I recall that the double seats at the Regent were downstairs down either side.I also remember the Saturday morning shows at the Ritz.A big favourite was Flash Gordon who was normally left at the end of each weekly episode in a life threatening situation but miraculously escaped.There was also the rousing "Minors of the ABC" song.

I remember that screening of Cockleshell Heroes, Alan. In the final reel, all the actors whose parts had finished early due to having been rubbed out by the Hun, reappeared in ghostly transparency, still marching and grinning. A cheap camera trick, but it had me fighting back the tears. An easy touch for the boys at Pinewood studios. But not as bad a reaction as when we went to see Reach for the Sky and I walked around with stiff legs for two or three weeks afterwards....

Reach for the Sky and the stiff-legged walk.Talk about nostalgia.God, I can't believe it: you got me laughing to myself here.

A lot of interest in this thread. Mike Nichols got the names right-I'm not sure when the Essoldo came in----after I left Keighley in 1954.The Cavendish I think was called the Palace.Haworth had two cinemas,the "old 'uns" and the "new'uns" or officially the Hippodrome on Belle Isle and the Bronte Cinema in Regent street(I think) unmade stretch of street between Regent and Brow.The Bronte also put in a few cuddle seats at the back. I wonder how many guys remember Freddie Gramaphone working the queues mainly at the Ritz with his wind up machine in a pram?.Stanley Bishop at the Wurlitzer was "out of this world" Cheers.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) candbwalsh@xtra.co.nz

Haworth cinemas "Olduns" and "Newuns"gave you a chance to go to the pictures every day of the week(except Sunday)if you wanted as programmes were changed 3 times a week.

In the 1950's Keighley had the Ritz,Regent,Picture House or Essoldo,Cosy, Cavendish and Oxford plus Charlies at Cross Hills.

Does anyone remember the Theatre in Keighley known as Hippodrome or Queens situated near the Bus Station/

I still have a programme from the 1950's and the Third on the bill after singers "Four Graham Brothers" and comedian "Jack Storey" was a young singer from Tiger Bay in Wales described as "The
Sepia Songstress" (Wouldn't get away with that these days!) making her first theatre performance,namely Shirley Bassey.

Other memories of the Hippodrome were sneaking out of school at lunchtime to see "Syncopating Sandy" playing a marathon non-stop piano session which lasted all week allegedly!

The Ritz - for this is what it was originally called -was, I believe, started pre-war and indeed may have opened around 1939-40. It was definitely the most luxurious cinema in town compared with places like the Picture House, the Regent,the Oxford Hall (nearest me and therefore most frequented)and one other which was really a flea-pit and which was almost forbidden which means I forget its name.

The Ritz was, for me, always associated with pleasure -- mainly of a sexual nature -- partly because it was so comfortable and warm. I seem to remember some kind of celebration of the end of the war in Europe taking place there. The other memorable feature was the Hammond organ which rose from the pit with various coloured lights playing upon it.It should have been preserved as a listed building.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) tomtpunt@aol.com

David Manley asks if anyone remembers the theatre near the old bus ststion. Well I was a pretty regular attender. ny father was a policeman and he used to wangle tickets for Saturday night in the circle. It was the Hippodrome then in the 40's . We saw stars topping the bill, Albert Modley. Gracie Fields. Norman Evans. Sandy Powell, Artur Askey . Western Brothers . Harry korris and Enoch. Will Fyfe etc. Wish i'd kept the programmes.
By the way does anyone remember how the inkwells used to bounce off the wooden blocks which paved Lord Street. I know not many will even remember inkwells! However dropped from the 4th floor they created havoc as boys were coming in off that street and bouncing inkwells fell in withno warning and no trace of the deliverer.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) mikemarynichols@hotmail.com

I recall being taken to the Pantomime at the Hippodrome, probably mid 50's when I was a small boy.
My guess is that it closed around 1960 or so. Subsequently Keighley 'Amateurs' has put on a pantomime. 'Goody Two Shoes' starts in a couple of weeks at the Victoria Hall.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) brianmoate@hotmail.com

Current location (optional) www.whitesea.co.uk

You brought a few names out of the memory bank there Mike.They were good days in retrospect.Maybe the post war intake were a bit better behaved---I don't remember anyone throwing inkwells out of the window-----but it sounds like fun.Cheers.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) candbwalsh@xtra.co.nz

In response to Thomas Punt's posting the Ritz has of course been preserved as a Gala Bingo Hall,and judging from the comments of my mother(who is a regular attender!) the original heating system is still in use.I'll ask her to enquire about the Organ.
One further point does anyone remember Keighley's own Pin Up/Actress Sandra Dorne who worked at the Ritz as an usherette.

I wish I could have seen the turns that Mike refers to. I do recall visits to the Hippodrome to see the pantos. I remember seeing Norman Evans do his "over the garden wall" soliloquy and playing the trumpet with a glove puppet punching the valves. I think that's where Harry Corbett got his idea for Sooty.I also recall a show which included a big xylophonist who part-way through a popular song would bellow to the audience "SING". (Teddy .......)Anybody remember his name? My grandma used to offer digs for actors/performers at the (wasn't it called The Queen's Theatre?)One or two made it as lesser characters in TV and film. I remember queueing and being regaled to a "feast of music" by Freddie Gramophone. (Did it always rain on Keighley's queues?)He only had one record and rarely a lucifer to light his fag. One night he came down the queue asking for a match - and got nowhere. He turned in disgust to the queue and called out "'A'n't onyonyer gorronyonyer?"
As for bouncing inkwells in Lord Street,there was a later version. If you spent the afternoon in a Junior Corridor classroom overlooking Lord Street (eg Beaky Birch's form room 33(?))and it rained you always made sure that the centre-swivelled windows were open and caught as much rain as possible. Then, when the lads who were dashing for buses at 1550 hours came hareing towards Cav St, strategically closing the windows gave them a sharp reminder not to be first into the showers when they next had Gym.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) terrymarston@hotmail.com

Hi Brian-----I do remember Sandra Dorne,Keighley's own blonde bomb---As I recall,she lived at Ingrow,and she starred in a film"A girl,a boy and a bike" (I think it's that order-might have been boy first)which was filmed in the area and include a scene where she(in short shorts)rides a bike down Halifax Road.I think everyone in Keighley must have seen that about '50/'51.Cheers.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) candbwalsh@xtra.co.nz

Who could fail to remember Sandra Dorne [was that her real name?]
As for inkwells and windows - Bill is right. I recall none of the postwar generation using that trick. However I do recall someone [possibly Dave Haigh - I hope I'm not slandering him] throwing a broken chair out of one such window.
It landed on a car below - and landed the thrower in an interesting predicament.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) sjspye@hotmail.com

Sandra Dorne gets a mention on the web and seems to have been struttin' her stuff on the big screen at least until 1987: http://movies.yahoo.com/shop?d=hc&id=1800060766&cf=gen&intl=us
Doesn't look like she featured in the bike film though...: http://movies.go.com/filmography/credits?movie_id=21179&id=472439
As far as the DT Haigh libel is concerned, I'll let him know he got a mention, and that might prompt him to confirm or deny....???

Allan - are you still in contact with Dave Haigh?
I lost touch with him in 1979. Please e-mail me contact details.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) sjspye@hotmail.com

Allen Jones alerted me to the forum and yes Shaun it was me who dropped the bits of a chair out of the 4S1 form room window into Lord St. I wanted to get rid of the evidence of having broken the chair but unfortuantely Harry Blinks - deputy head at the time - was underneath and brought the bits back in to find out who had dropped them. The punishment was odd in that I was taken off lessons and spent the afternoon repairing the chair in Bill Midge's workshop which had more going for it than the timetabled events.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) DTHaigh@aol.com

Either Terry Marston has been lying about his age all these years or he had indulgent parents who exposed him at a very early age to cultural giants such as xylophonist Teddy Brown, who evidently died when Terry was five - 30 April 1946. Brown weighed 24 stone and snuffed it after declaring he wasn't feeling too good while thumping the keys at the Wolverhampton Hippodrome. His real name was Abraham Himmelbrand, and he lived at Xylophone House, Littlehampton. Whether or not he had a little hampton is not revealed in his obituary in the Wolverhampton Star, but when you live in Littlehampton and die in Wolverhampton it's obvious your hampton is a primary cause of demise.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) pedwards@nex.net.au

Probably assassinated by Lionel Hampton.
Anyhow - good to see Dave Haigh posting on the site, and also good to see his confirmation that my memory isn't completely shot yet.
Dave, can you confirm my memory that, in a separate incident, you nutted someone in the school yard. If so, who, why and what was the outcome?

Paul Edwards yet again shatters my illusions -= I was hoping that the Teddy I saw was Teddy Wilson subsequently to move over to piano like a goodman to let Lionel (Hampton of course)take over with the hammers. Incidentally, ever heard a marimba duet. Fantastic!

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) terrymarston@hotmail.com

If this topic 'the cinema at the back of the school' smashes through an incredible 1,000 viewings mark do I receive the 'Chris Firth Award' of a free trip to Singapore.

I notice some postings have also mentioned the Keighley Hippodrome and all the names that appeared there. I too remember Albert Modley and later Norman Evans, Gracie Fields, earlier still Florrie Ford,Harry Lauder, Wheeler and Wilson and many others. This (around 1936-39 as I remember it) was the heyday of 'variety'. I was taken there frequently by my father who I am sure enjoyed the blue jokes which he imagined I wouldn't take in but I did and enjoyed them enormously. Afterwards we would eat delicious hot roasted potatoes sold from a kind of steam-engine contraption. I also remmber the characters such as 'Freddie Gramophone'.

Does anyone know whether anyone wrote a history of the 'Hippodrome' or whether it gets much mention in any general histories of variety theatre? An even greater treat of course was to be taken to the Alhambra in Bradford still in existence I believe and I last visited it on a business trip c.1982.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) tomtpunt@aol.com

I have vague recollextions of seeing Wilson, Kepple and Betty as a youngster. Could that have been in Keighley?

.... and Joseph Locke too?

Photos of former Keighley cinemas on the way - 3 so far.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 58-65

Current location (optional) Leeds

Does anyone remember when we all were taken across the road to see a screening of "Gisselle(?)" performed by the Bolshoi Ballet I think

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 58-61

Current location (optional) Blue Mountains, NSW, Australia

KBGS lads expected to sit through the Bolshoi Ballet. Are you serious?

Like John Felvus, I have distinct recollection of a (proposed at least) visit to watch the Bolshoi Ballet. With which teacher I couldn't say, as I'm quite certain that I never went.
If indeed such a "treat" did take place, then I've forgotten how I got out of it, although the "Queensbury" card was always an invaluable trump in such instances!

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 58 -65

Although not the Bolshoi Ballet, we were certainly taken to the Ritz to watch Don Giovani, so a screening of a ballet does sound feasible.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 59 - 66

Current location (optional) Embsay

One memory I have of the Ritz is from primary school. Every Saturday morning we went along to the ABC (probably Associated British Cinemas) Minors, we used to wear these ABC Minors badges that glowed in the dark, in retrospect, there was probably so much radiation leeching from them that it lowered the sperm count.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 58-61

Current location (optional) Blue Mountains, NSW, Australia

Yes, John, but can you remember the songs you used to sing to the words on the screen assisted by the bouncing ball ? {or was that the Alhambra panto with either Wilfred Pickles or Norman (over the garden wall) Evans leading the singing?} Do you remember the road safety song to the tune of The Lambeth Walk. And the "ABC Minors' song". I think Chris should be offering prizes for all correct answers.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 52-60

OK, here goes,
"We're the boys and girls well known as,
The Minors of the ABC.........."
So much for memory

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 58-61

Current location (optional) Blue Mountains, NSW, Australia

You can not believe how interesting it has been reading these memories.
The Ritz cinema was a beutiful example of Art Deco architecture and very very upmarket. There is a architectural style known as 'early ABC cinema' not sure if it is a recognised tag or just a fun one. My memories include Errol Flynn in Robin Hood, what an entrance when he kicks those enormous doors open and throws the dead deer on the king's table. They don't make ' em like that anymore. and that enormous queue to see Mrs Minniver. Right down Alice Street and back up Lawkholme Lane!!!!
I used to come out of school and wait by the bottom exit until someone came out put my foot in the door and then sneak down the steps and inch the fire door open and then when there was a quiet moment I would go inside to the toilet which was right next to the exit, wait a couple of minutes and then come out and sit down and watch the picture. I've seen me get home at 6 or 7 o'clock in the evening. The tales I had to fabricate to explain that!!!!

Well done, Arthur. Was this "trick" known only to Lawkholmelaners? Was a similar practised at the Cav, the Cosy - or even at the Oxford and Bronte? The "flicks" definitely were superior to the wonders of telly, internet and MP3. You had to get off your a*s* to enjoy.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 52-60

Anyone remember more of the 'ABC Minors' Saturday song?

...and every Saturday all line-up
to watch the films we like and sing-along with glee ...

What baout the 'ABC' lapel badges - the standard one and a lumious one?

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 59 - 66

Current location (optional) Embsay

My recollection of the words is as follows.........

We are the boys and girls well-known as
Minors of the ABC.
And every Saturday all line-up
To see the films we like
And shout aloud with glee.
We like to laugh and have a sing-song.
Just a happy crowd are we -e.
We're all pals together.
We're Minors of the ABC.

Sung to the tune of the march, "Blaze Away", often played for the military two-step.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 52-60

You'll be having us singing the Ovaltineys next!

The road safety song went thus - to the tune of The Lambeth Walk.....

Any time you're down our way
Any ev'ning any day
You'll find us all
Doin' the safety walk...

Halt at the curb
Look right there, left there, right there
When we see that all is clear
We have nothing then to fear
You'll find us all,
Doin' the safety walk

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 52-60

Current location (optional) Lincoln

'glee' - why don't we have words like that any more??

With my proven lousy memory, I hesitate to post but I agree Terry with the possible amendments: ???

And shout ABOUT with glee. [or I may have been deaf]
and
We like to laugh and have OUR sing-song. [Pronounced ar]

Let's have a bit of reight. I confirm the extended we-e.

A slick bit of advertising for ABC even 55 years ago.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 53-58

Thanks, Peter. Now a further challenge....
What about the words ABC Minors sang for the road safety song to the tune of "The Lambeth Walk"? - OI!

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 52-60

Current location (optional) Lincoln

Sorry Terry, no recollection whatsoever? Surprising, as it wasn't a place one could easily drop off. Unless larking on the balcony counted.

Our gang sat upstairs where we had our own seats enforced by numbers. The cliff hangers of the serials were a fraud. What a liberty. Entrance a tanner?

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 53-58

PS Vague memories now stirring; I obviously took little notice. That's maybe why I nearly got knocked down, failing to look both ways when crossing a one way street. Was that covered?

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 53-58

hi i stumbled upon this website whilst i was searching the web for my deseased grandfather Buddy Forbes,who was part of a comedy/slapstick act called The Four Graham Brothers,do you have any more information about them please? im also looking for my mother as she cannot remember him she was a baby when he died ,apparently from a heart attack on stage in birmingham,thankyou for reading and any information you could give me however small would be greatly appreciated.x

Re the Ritz cinema. I would lurk by the side fire exit on Alice Street until someone left and then duck in and hold the door ajar then quietly down the steps and inch the swing door open and peep through. By patience and slow cunning I would make the Gent's toilet door which was immediately adjacent to the fire door and then after an interval exit and take my seat. I often got home from school at 7-oopm after watching a whole movie through. It was the excitement of achieving the thing that gave me the greatest pleasure, the movie was a sort of reward.
The Fire Exit on the opposite side was, I believe the site for the Yorkshire Ripper's first attack, Anna Rogulsky.
The Regent was an appalling cinema if you got in late and the place was full you had to go right down to the front and over to one side and if you watched the movie you were so disadvantaged by your position that you got a severe crick in the neck.

You got more than a crick in the neck at the Cosy Corner Arthur.I only went once . The cheapest seats were648R 6 pence and a Jam Jar on the front seats which were just planks . From memory it had a gallery that ran down each side and only a seat width . Anybody tell me more . by the way I didn't sit in the 6 pennies . There always seemed to be Tom Mix and other cowboy films showing . A real dump .

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 43-46

Current location (optional) Tasmania

Johnny MacBrown, Gene Autry, Hopalong Cassidy etc were part of the Cosy and Cavendish repertoire but I remember meeting the Mummy there and Dracula and then having to dare the journey home through a wartime 'smog'.
There were bugs in the Cosy and a lady used to walk up and down the aisle pumping perfumed water from a spray.When the film broke everyone used to stamp there feet and cheer on resumption of service.
We used to pay to go into the planks and crawl back into the plush when the film got going.Film going was an adventure in those days.
We used the surplus to buy chips at Midgley's on the way home.Very posh chippy was Midgley's.
Oh Lord, I miss those days so much.

And did you run home - over Station or Lawkholme Bridge (we must have lived wrong side of the tracks!) - in a kind of hoppity skip style - clutching the reins in your left and slapping your withers with your right and shooting down any shoppers who got in your way?

I bet you did !!

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1952-60

Current location (optional) Nirvana

Reading all the snippits about those days is no good . I feel like booking a flight back to the reunion .

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 43-46

Current location (optional) Tasmania

Hi Terry, the tune I remember was BLAZE AWAY .
Words:-

"WE ARE THE BOYS AND GIRLS WELL KNOWN AS
MINORS OF THE ABC,
AND EVERY SATURDAY WE LINE-UP
TO SEE THE FILMS WE LIKE AND SHOUT ALOUD WITH GLEE.
WE LIKE TO LAUGH AND HAVE OUR SINGSONG,
SUCH A HAPPY CROWD ARE WE,
WE'RE ALL PALS TOGETHER,
WE'RE MINORS OF THE ABC!!

DO A JOSEF LOCKE AND GIVE IT A TRY !!

AFTER THE SHOW AND COWBOY SERIAL, IT WAS LICKETY SPLIT DOWN ALICE STREET TO THE FAMILIAR SURROUNDINGS OF LAWKHOLME !!
TERRY, WHAT DID WE ACT OUT WHEN FLASH GORDON (FLASH IS STILL ALIVE!!) BECAME THE WEEKLY SERIAL ??
DO YOU REMEMBER THE "ROCKETS" MADE FROM TOILET ROLL CORES AND SPARKLERS !!

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1950-1955

Current location (optional) KEIGHLEY

After much soul searching and sleepless nights, may I suggest the following as "close to" the safety song but it may provide a base for other suggestions.

Lambeth (Safety) Walk

Any evening , any day
You find yourself down Lambeth Way
You'll find us all, doing the Safety Walk. Oi !

Doing the walk is easy
Do as you darn well pleasey
Halt at the kerb look right there, left there, right there
If you find that all is clesr
Then there's nothing else to fear,
You'll find us all, doing the Safety Walk. Oi !!

***************************************
Or words to that effect
Over to you, Tel

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1950-1955

Current location (optional) KEIGHLEY

You were watching, Terry? Yup Pardner that wus me. Fastest two fingers in the West. I used to pull my thumb back to cock my colt.
The day the war started Cowboys and Indians died the death to be replaced by Us versus the Jerries.

Spot on with Blaze Away, Derek. In a later existence we used to play it for the Military 2 Step. Now your Safety Walk libretto needs some smartening up - and at this present point in time I am not your man - but 'appen I will be tomorrow.
You've left me on the Flash Gordon thing.I'm so non-Stephen Hawking - who's Dr Who?

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1952-60

Current location (optional) Nirvana

Arthur, I think I came in after that - although I remember the POWs being moved in open trucks to their places of work.For long enough after the war we still jeered and booed council workers in lorries - who were more confused by this than Osbourne was at the Olympics - with good cause.
I remember lengthy discussions when we were sitting on the kerb in Braddy outside our house opposite the bottom 'oller with the Phillipses, Pickards and Turners - maybe the occasional Rooke but no Bug-alleyers - listing which nations were on "our" side and those on the other.I think the UN was probably in process of formation. We allus had the most. I recall too very parentally-influenced political arguments (which must have been around the time of the 1950 General Election)- none of which took place at the back of the Ritz!!!
I suppose we knew sod'all but we took it seriously.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1952-60

Current location (optional) Nirvana

That bit about counting who was on our side reminds me of some evacuees, three of which stayed at my Grandmas in Bradford Street. I was in awe of one girl called Vera who told me her name was made up of Victory, England, Russia , America. She won my total respect.

So what got you going on all of this, Arthur, given that the main thread had been ignored for fully three years? As far as I remember, I only entered the Ritz once by your method (being a very timid soul at the time) and that was with the knowing assistance of a then mate, David Hazell (whom Derek will certainly remember - didn't he have a short spell playing for KRLFC in the late fifties?). At the Ritz I was lucky when at KBGS because one of my closest friends was Tony Barker and his mother happened to be the cashier there, certainly for all of my childhood, so Tony and I often got in free, especially on the afternoons of the 'merit' holidays.

You are right in your reminiscnces about the Cosy Corner - which I seemed to frequent a lot in my Eastwood days especially - The Three Stoogies, The Bowery Boys, Old Mother Riley, Abbot and Costello and, of course, the incomparable Laurel and Hardy were all standard fare there. In my time, in between films, there was often a 'sing-along', with the words and music appearing on the screen, never quite in time to the time of the tune, but still... There was also an old guy who looked rather like something out of the Bela Lugosi films, who sometimes played the piano at the front, as well as making sure you didn't slide off the planks onto the flea-ridden plush - hadn't the place been a 'music hall' before it became a cinema?

So, will we see you next week at the reunion Mike? Dare you!

Doug

Yes i have info on buddy he is my dads uncle my dad is Peter Forbes. 07776391930. Regards nathan peters son

The Hippodrome had already closed when I began my stellar scholastic career at KBGS in 1957, and was demolished around the time I was in the fourth year. I think the intention was to convert into shops and offices, which probably then got overtaken by the (typical 60's) town centre redevelopment.

I remember my cousin going to see one of the final performances - Syncopating Sandy, who I believe made a world record by playing the piano non-stop for the better part of a week. On the last day the audience was asked to keep moving round the auditorium to try and keep the guy awake. He would signal the need for a toilet break by launching into "Lady of Spain"' when stage hands would rush out with screens, and he kept playing, presumably with one hand!

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 57 - 62

Current location (optional) Rochdale

Current location (optional) Manchester