Tudor Cinema

Older residents may remember the Tudor Cinema in the village. In its time it played an important part in the lives of children, adolescents and adults, including many on the nearby Ford Bank estate. For that reason, it is included here and a brief potted history is given of its chequered career, a career that included several changes to its name.

The cinema was opened in 1913 and was originally named the Bijou Electric Palace. Seating 350, it was run by H. Merryweather.

It was still named the Bijou Electric Theatre until 1929 when it was closed due to damage by a fire. Plans were made to renovate the cinema. By 1932 the cinema had been renamed the Didsbury Picture Theatre, quite possibly following the installation of a British Talking Pictures sound system in 1932. In 1932, a 14-foot-deep stage and two dressing rooms were added, and the proprietor was Didsbury Picture Theatre Company.

By 1938 the cinema was owned by B.H. Franks Cinema Circuit; the following year the owners were Raymond Garforth and Frederick Stonier. At this time there were 585 seats, so there must have been some enlargement and modernisation at around that time. In addition, its name had apparently been altered to simply Picture Theatre.

In the late-1940s and into the 1950s Mr Garforth left Mr Stonier in control but then, from 1953, R.L. and N.S. Ward took over and the cinema became the Tudor Cinema, by now with Duosonic sound.

This continued until its closure on 12th August 1967, with Fahrenheit 451, starring Julie Christie, albeit with the seating slightly reduced, at 555.

Bingo then took over operated by the Ward Cinema Circuit until at least 1969. The building then stood empty until it was demolished for new housing.

In its day the Tudor Cinema would have been well supported by many local people of all ages, including residents of the nearby Ford Bank estate. In the pre-television era, Saturday morning matinee was especially popular with children. Courting couples, married couples and single men and women attended in large numbers at other times in the week.

The Tudor Cinema is fondly remembered by some as the following posts indicate:

“Along with Pollyanna, Donald Duck & Mickey Mouse etc, Hopalong Cassidy, Tom Sawyer and the rest. Happy days in the late Fifties and all that for ‘Sixpence’.”

Another memory:

 “Saturday children’s cinema, Flash Gordon!  Brilliant.”

Another quote:

“Excellent value entertainment in the late ‘50s. Sunday afternoon 3 shillings [15p] for 2 films and a short one.”

Another memory:

“Spent many happy nights at the Tudor with my girlfriend, later my wife, in the late 1950s.”

Such then was Didsbury’s Tudor Cinema.

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