I remember the ABC at the standard, used to go most Saturday mornings. There was a song along the line s of 'we are the boys and girls' If it was your birthday, the following week you got free admission the following week , but had to go on 'stage' with a birthday card to get it...... Some people like the Queen had more than 1 birthtday a year?. Quite a few of the kids from Sherrington used to go there, so it was almost like a Saturday school?. I used to ask my mother for the bus fayre, and spend it on sweets and we would walk there, and play opposite the 'bombsite' in Bramshope lane. Went to CAFC with my dad, then mates in the afternoon......
saw the Beatles here in 1963, only saw them, didn't hear a thing for the screaming. And just across the road on the way to Blackheath Hill was the Rex, yet another famous, fantastic little fleapit, now a used car lot
Strictly speaking its the housing and an access road next to the car lot, which was there even when the Rex became Studio 6 and 7.
Saw the who at the Lewisham Odeon, what a show? what a band?. The Woolwich Odeon used to have a late night showing, on a Saturday night...... I saw '17' there....... a soft porn flick, we 'sophisticated men about town', after a few pints at the Fox under the hill thought this was 'it' in the latter '60's.
Then there were the 3 Pullman Cinemas in Bromley, Lee Green and Lewisham. Remember me and the Lass walking down the road to the Lewisham Pullman to see The Sweeny on the night before our wedding
New Sweeney film coming soon Lancashire lad......with Ray Winstone. Of course if you are that 'romantic' you could take 'lass' for a 'bender' in the local Wimpy bar......before or after the film, depending on your 'sausage' preference?
New Sweeney film coming soon Lancashire lad......with Ray Winstone. Of course if you are that 'romantic' you could take 'lass' for a 'bender' in the local Wimpy bar......before or after the film, depending on your 'sausage' preference?
Used to go to Saturday morning pics at The Granada, Dartford where we'd sing " We're the Dartford Grenadiers !"and you'd get your card stamped every time you attended . Not sure why....
Memories of Flash Gordon and Lone Ranger ( I think!) It's now a Gala Bingo Hall.
Won tickets for "Anastasia" from a colouring comp and had to go on stage to be presented with them . Not exactly a film for youngsters though....
There was also The Century in Lowfield Street where my cousin had to be removed , sobbing her heart out aged 5 when Bambi's mother died. Remember my first film there sans parents..." Tommy the Toreador" with lovely Tommy Steele followed by several Elvis films which I endured because same coz wanted to see them.
Graduated to Bexleyheath aged circ 15yrs where , after applying mucho eye shadow in BHS Ladies, managed to get into an "X" rated Adam Faith film...and told my Mum we'd watched " Don't eat the daisies " starring Doris Day .
Then there were the numerous shows at The Granada watching groups such as The Tremeloes, The Troggs etc plus some American artists such as Duane Eddy - very exciting for a 16yr old swot from DGGS !
Used to go to Saturday morning pics at The Granada, Dartford where we'd sing " We're the Dartford Grenadiers !"and you'd get your card stamped every time you attended . Not sure why....
Memories of Flash Gordon and Lone Ranger ( I think!) It's now a Gala Bingo Hall.
Won tickets for "Anastasia" from a colouring comp and had to go on stage to be presented with them . Not exactly a film for youngsters though....
There was also The Century in Lowfield Street where my cousin had to be removed , sobbing her heart out aged 5 when Bambi's mother died. Remember my first film there sans parents..." Tommy the Toreador" with lovely Tommy Steele followed by several Elvis films which I endured because same coz wanted to see them.
Graduated to Bexleyheath aged circ 15yrs where , after applying mucho eye shadow in BHS Ladies, managed to get into an "X" rated Adam Faith film...and told my Mum we'd watched " Don't eat the daisies " starring Doris Day .
Then there were the numerous shows at The Granada watching groups such as The Tremeloes, The Troggs etc plus some American artists such as Duane Eddy - very exciting for a 16yr old swot from DGGS !
Ah, those were the days....
That card stamping was a kind of attendance bonus. After so many stamps you got free admission. I used to get a card on my birthday from the Gaumont (later Odeon) in Lewisham. All the birthday boys and girls had to go on stage while the rest of the audience sang happy birthday. There were a few stale bun throwers, but they mostly came from Downham or New Cross so could be excused. Those indeed were 'the days' before colour TV, computers/internet, central heating, washing machines, family cars and CDs.. that reminds me .. where's the old Dansette gone.
Growing up in Woolwich in the 50's I remember my mum telling me there used to be 5 cinemas. By the time I was a lad there were only 3 left - the Odeon on Parsons Hill, the Granada opposite and ABC in Wellington Street. Remember queuing round the block to see Mary Poppins at the Granada in '64. Just too young to see the Stones there the previous year! Shortly after the Granada became a bingo hall.
Not many may remember The Trafalger at Greenwich it stood on the opposite corner of Maze Hill to the Baths. I saw my first movie there (Bambi) when I was about 5-6 and can still remember it a bit. Great old cinema long gone but lovely memories.
much of the building is still there but has been converted into flats
Back in the mid-90s, remember taking my lad when he was a nipper to see Jurassic Park at Well Hall Odeon, although it was called something else by then, Coronet maybe?
Also took him and his sister to ABC Sidcup.
Of course when I was growing up in the 60s and early 70s there were cinemas everywhere. Old stamping grounds were the Granada Welling, Woolwich Odeon, Eltham Well Hall Odeon, Commodore Orpington, ABC Sidcup, ABC Bexleyheath and others including the ABC Eltham, where me and my then GF went to the very last showing in 1972.
As a kid I remember the display frames containing the latest film posters mounted on convenient walls/fences on street corners, etc. Etched on each frame was the name of the cinema ...... one name I clearly remember seeing was The Gaumont at Eltham Hill, but I can't recall ever going there.
Comments
There was a song along the line s of 'we are the boys and girls'
If it was your birthday, the following week you got free admission the following week , but had to go on 'stage' with a birthday card to get it...... Some people like the Queen had more than 1 birthtday a year?. Quite a few of the kids from Sherrington used to go there, so it was almost like a Saturday school?. I used to ask my mother for the bus fayre, and spend it on sweets and we would walk there, and play opposite the 'bombsite' in Bramshope lane. Went to CAFC with my dad, then mates in the afternoon......
Strictly speaking its the housing and an access road next to the car lot, which was there even when the Rex became Studio 6 and 7.
The Woolwich Odeon used to have a late night showing, on a Saturday night...... I saw '17' there....... a soft porn flick, we 'sophisticated men about town', after a few pints at the Fox under the hill thought this was 'it' in the latter '60's.
Of course if you are that 'romantic' you could take 'lass' for a 'bender' in the local Wimpy bar......before or after the film, depending on your 'sausage' preference?
Memories of Flash Gordon and Lone Ranger ( I think!) It's now a Gala Bingo Hall.
Won tickets for "Anastasia" from a colouring comp and had to go on stage to be presented with them . Not exactly a film for youngsters though....
There was also The Century in Lowfield Street where my cousin had to be removed , sobbing her heart out aged 5 when Bambi's mother died. Remember my first film there sans parents..." Tommy the Toreador" with lovely Tommy Steele followed by several Elvis films which I endured because same coz wanted to see them.
Graduated to Bexleyheath aged circ 15yrs where , after applying mucho eye shadow in BHS Ladies, managed to get into an "X" rated Adam Faith film...and told my Mum we'd watched " Don't eat the daisies " starring Doris Day .
Then there were the numerous shows at The Granada watching groups such as The Tremeloes, The Troggs etc plus some American artists such as Duane Eddy - very exciting for a 16yr old swot from DGGS !
Ah, those were the days....
By the time I was a lad there were only 3 left - the Odeon on Parsons Hill, the Granada opposite and ABC in Wellington Street.
Remember queuing round the block to see Mary Poppins at the Granada in '64.
Just too young to see the Stones there the previous year!
Shortly after the Granada became a bingo hall.
Also took him and his sister to ABC Sidcup.
Of course when I was growing up in the 60s and early 70s there were cinemas everywhere. Old stamping grounds were the Granada Welling, Woolwich Odeon, Eltham Well Hall Odeon, Commodore Orpington, ABC Sidcup, ABC Bexleyheath and others including the ABC Eltham, where me and my then GF went to the very last showing in 1972.
As a kid I remember the display frames containing the latest film posters mounted on convenient walls/fences on street corners, etc. Etched on each frame was the name of the cinema ...... one name I clearly remember seeing was The Gaumont at Eltham Hill, but I can't recall ever going there.