72nd Year! 
72nd Year!
The Whole Story of The Famous Kinema Ballroom Dunfermline
(and the Cinemas of Dunfermline & Rosyth)
72nd Year! |
| Dunfermline & Rosyth Cinemas Having been the son of an enthusiastic and highly popular Cinema Manager and lived in the Dunfermline / Rosyth area for more than 44 years, you'll perhaps understand where my interest in the cinemas of the area comes from. Most people I know have no idea of the rich Cinema heritage we have in this area and so I thought you may like to share in my research, completed initially to satisfy my own curiosity. For instance did you know that around 1922 Dunfermline had five full-time cinemas and a couple of occasional ones too, plus a couple in Rosyth! If you can enhance this page in any way, maybe by submitting further information, corrections, photographs or memories, I'd be delighted to publish them and credit you as my source of course. Click on any of the images below to see a larger size. Here we go, ... Full-Time Cinemas: Part-Time Cinemas: Also, not a cinema but interesting too:
Full-Time Cinemas: The People’s Picture Palace (c 1910?) Location: Unclear, possibly in former Co-operative Hall Architect: Not Yet Known Opened: c1910? Later became a naval cinema of 300 seats Closed: 1922
The Pavilion (almost 1911) Mr. WE Potts' plans to open a cinema / variety theatre named 'The Pavilion' in the failing 'Dunfermline (roller) Skating Rink' at Upper Station Road (built in 1909, between James Street & the Upper Rail Station) were scuppered by fire on the 6th of June 1911.
The Olympia Picture Palace (1911)
Location: Canmore Street with exits to the High Street and in the premises of the former 'Central Roller Skating Rink'. The location would later host The Regal then Littlewoods and currently Primark. (The 'Central Roller Skating Rink', opened in December 1909, was on the site of the old malt barns). Architect: Not Yet Known Owners: Opened: Thursday 17th August 1911 ('Animated Pictures interspersed with smart variety artistes', with two shows nightly at 7 & 9pm). Admission Prices upon opening: Pit, 2d, Pit Stalls, 3d, Balcony, 4d, Stalls 6d, Reserved Stalls, 9d A journalist described the hall as "one of the prettiest & most compact theatres". It was equipped with plush, tip-up seats and the 'cine' box was a separate entity located behind the screen equipped with 'The Pathe Lamp' described as 'Flicker Free'. Messers Potter & Co of Glasgow fitted the electric lighting system but with gas as a stand-by, while Messers John Baxter & Sons also of Glasgow were responsible for the conversion works. The opening night included performances by 'Ella Duncanson' - (Illustrated Songstress) and 'Harmon' - (Musical Entertainer & Dancer), though the opening night's film(s) are not recorded. The following week's bill included 'McAskell' - (The Talking Comedy Conjurer), 'Miss Marie Beresford' (Ideal Vocalist) & 'Bob Campbell' (One-Legged Comedian & Dancer!) Expanded into neighbouring buildings to create vestibule & frontage in High Street - March 1914 Programme in 1914 included: ‘Massacre of the 4th Cavalry’ Presented ‘cine films’ & live acts (including Harry Gordon, Will Fyffe and comedian Fred Karno) Seats: Around 1350 (400 in the 'Pit') Prices: 1/- to 3/- in 1920 Closed: mid 1921 Re-opened: 19th September 1921 Closed again: Re-opened again: 15th May 1922 Closed finally: October 1922 Whole site purchased by Mr. Peter Crerar of Crieff and the building demolished and site cleared: 1929/30 for construction of Regal Cinema.
The Cinema House / The Cinema / The Orient Express / Robin’s (1913)
Location: 44 Viewfield Place, East Port Dunfermline (now vacant) Style: Classical Art Deco Listed building ‘Category B’ Architect: John Fraser (of Crawford & Fraser) cost £6000 Owner: Dunfermline Cinema House Ltd. / CAC Opened: Friday 19th September 1913 (Manager: Mr. David Longmuir) Prices 3d, 6d & 9d. Prices: by 1922 were 9d & 1/3d and by 1946 were 1/- to 1/9d! Local Name: The Flea Pit The Cinema pioneered experimental three-dimensional films as early as 1925 though it was the last cinema in Dunfermline to show talkies! Closed: Saturday 21st August 1931 for redecoration & installation of British Thomson-Houston sound reproduction equipment Re-opened: 14th September 1931 (Cafe in the 40s?) Seats: Originally 711, later 650. Reported as 536 by 1976 (366 Stalls & 170 Circle) Manager 1951: Mr. Donald Cameron Prices 1951: Stalls 1s 6d, Balcony 2s 1d. Closed: 8th August 1959 Sold to CAC: 1959 and operated bingo Re-opened by CAC: 4th January 1965 by Provost Forker after extensive modernisation & renovation and described as “a luxury cinema” and “hardly recognisable” (Architects & Surveyors Gibson Laing & Partners and Wilkinson & Love Dunfermline) Renamed Orient Express: August 1982 now seats 466 (cost £250,000) Later tripled with seating capacities of 217, 175 and the 100-seater third screen for video which only lasted a few years Closed: & sold to Hank Duncan local property speculator 14th May 1992 Renamed: ‘Robin’s’ & re-opened 9th October 1992. They later re-opened the third screen for 35mm projection The receivers were called in 1999 JD Wetherspoon considered opening as a pub but pulled out April 2000 Robin’s closed: 1st June 2000 (loss of 12 jobs) Carnegie Leisure Group considers an Egyptian themed club but fail Converted: Commercial Pub Company approved for ‘All Stars’ sports bar & ‘Déjà Vu’ nightclub in October 2003 Closed finally: 2006 Building existing - now vacant
The La Scala Picture Theatre / The New Scala (1913) Location: In the premises of the old (Clark’s) Music Hall (see below) between Guildhall Street and Music Hall Lane, now the DHSS Opened: 2nd October 1913 by Edinburgh Councillor & Scottish theatre impresario R.C. Buchanan of Edinburgh (only three weeks after The Cinema House opened in East Port!) Owners: La Scala (Dunfermline) Ltd (R.C. Buchanan & Mr.Sanderson, both of Edinburgh) Seats: 800/850 Manager: July to October 1917 - Mr. H.P.Dunn, then Mr. J. Gardiner Prices: 1921 3d to 1/- Local Name: Apparently it was affectionately known locally as ‘The Scratcher’ Rebuilt & renamed: 'New Scala' - April 1922 Demise: It was destroyed by fire with several shops in Guildhall St on Sunday 13th April 1924 The location is now occupied by the Department of Health & Social Security building I thought you may also like to know something of the previous premises, ... The (Clark's) Music Hall (1852) Opened: Fife’s first purpose-built Music Hall was opened by a grand concert on 30th December 1852. There were three separate auditoriums: 1. The main (upper) hall was fitted with a proscenium (arched) stage and originally had a seating capacity for 1400 though the later addition of two galleries increased this to approximately 2000. 2. Below this was a smaller hall which originally served as a Corn Exchange although later this became a venue for plays by touring companies. 3. At the front of the building was a third meeting hall with approx 600 seats which was often used by local drama companies. The Christy Minstrels Company were regulars. The principal entrance was from Guildhall Street though there was also an entrance through a narrow porch in Music Hall lane. Proprietor: Mr. William Clark (bookseller, entrepreneur and inventor) of The Dunfermline Journal & Clark’s Guide to Dunfermline, was the proprietor. The marriage of the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) to Princess Alexandra was celebrated on 10th March 1863 with a banquet in the Music Hall, a review of the Volunteers, and illuminations at night In 1868 the smaller hall was closed as a theatre and became a rehearsal room and dancing academy. Toward the end of its time as the Music Hall in the 1870s it was used for religious meetings and eventually became a fully fledged variety theatre with religious meetings on Sundays. In February 1888 Professor Beatton ('champion scientific swimmer of the world') and his wife performed at the Music Hall in a large tank erected on the stage where they smoked, ate wrote and played music under water. In 1889 a panorama show was presented, but time was running out for the Music hall and in its final years it was plagued by a leaking roof. Closed: January 1898 probably due to competition from St. Margaret's Hall & as the plans for The Opera House were being finalised. In November 1898 the building (which was owned by the Dunfermline Journal) was leased as a printing works and in 1912 the newspaper moved to new premises and left the building abandoned. Reopened: Later again on 2nd October 1913 after extensive rebuilding it was re-opened by R.C. Buchanan of Edinburgh as The La Scala Picture Theatre. I'm indebted to Bob Bain (Secretary of The Scottish Music Hall & Variety Theatre Society) for much of the information above.
The Palace Kinema (1915)
Sources: 1, 2, 4 & 5. Scottish Screen Archive 7. Cinema Theatre Association Location: Pilmuir Street Dunfermline, next to the site of the North Congregational Church (now a car park) Architect: Muirhead & Rutherford (Manse conversion) Owners: Originally 'The Palace Kinema (Dunfermline) Ltd' then 'Fife Entertainments Ltd' (1955) Opened: 3pm, Thursday 23rd December 1915 by the Countess of Elgin (Manager: Mr. A. Patterson) The whole of the proceeds at the opening performance were donated to the local Red Cross and Combatants’ Aid Fund. It was said that, "No expense has been spared to ensure the comfort of patrons". Daniel Younger who was associated with building The Palace Kinema in 1915 was also involved in the building of the Kinema Ballroom in 1938 and his grandson (John Brewster) later invested in and was instrumental in the ballroom's transformation into one of Britain's of not Europe's finest discotheques (Night Magic) in 1980. Prices: 3d, 6d & 9d Managers: Prices: 5d - 1/6d Seats: 1200 Upgrades: Western Electric Wide Range Sound reproduction equipment was installed and ‘Talkies’ were introduced to Dunfermline at the Palace Kinema on 16th September 1929 with 'Showboat' a few weeks after their introduction in the Palace, Rosyth Last Film: ‘The Devil-Ship Pirates’ (1964) Starring Christopher Lee screened on 29th September 1967 after which the new owners used the building exclusively for bingo. (Mr. George Gilchrist was the manager) The Palace Kinema (Dunfermline) Ltd also built the original Kinema Ballroom adjacent, which opened on 23rd December 1938 exactly 23 years to the day since the Palace Kinema was opened! Closed: mid 80s? Demolished: 1987 Location is now a car Park
The Palace Rosyth (1921)
Location: 101 Queensferry Road Rosyth (now a public bar) Architect: JD Swanston Opened: 31st December 1921 Damaged by fire: November 1929 Seats: 900 Sound: Western Electric Sound Reproduction equipment Manager: 1965–1968 Mr William WM Gourlay / 1968-1971 Mr Brian Stobie Cinema operation ceased: April 1971 Closed: 5th June 1971 Used as a public house since 1979 “Talkies” were introduced to Rosyth in August 1929 at the Palace with the screening of 'Weary River', a few weeks before Dunfermline at the Palace Kinema on 16th September 1929 The Alhambra Theatre (Picture House) (1922)
A Short History of The Alhambra Theatre Dunfermline The 7th of June 2008 saw the re-launch of The Alhambra (at 33 Canmore Street in the City of Dunfermline) as a Theatre & Live Music Venue after many years in the wilderness of bingo-land but just as with so many other cinemas & theatres across the country, bingo saved the day! The Alhambra was built by G. Stewart of Blantyre as a dual-purpose entertainment venue for theatrical performance & cinema, for the original owners, Scottish Provincial Theatres Ltd. After a difficult build period of two years, during which time it was sold to ‘Alhambra (Dunfermline) Ltd’, it eventually commenced its illustrious life when its doors were first opened to cinema patrons on 22nd August 1922 with a screening of a black & white silent film called ‘Over the Hill’ (1917) starring Gladys Hulette. Local architect John Fraser (who was also associated with the design of Dunfermline’s Masonic Hall, the Cinema Picture House & Glen Pavilion amongst others) designed The Alhambra which turned out to be the largest brick building in Dunfermline. The maximum all-seated capacity was originally fixed at around 1700 but now a variety of flexible configurations of standing & seating can be offered to patrons who can marvel at the variety of entertainment on offer on the fourth largest stage in Scotland which at one time was home to two ‘Steinway’ grand pianos! The hall’s early years though were not without teething problems. John Henry Hare (best known for his long association with the local Opera House) took over as Managing Director in 1923 and curiously the building closed for 'refurbishment' between March 1923 & August 1924 and was operated largely as a cinema from then until January 1965 when the popularity of bingo began to sweep the land! The introduction of bingo has saved many a theatre & cinema building from the wrecker’s ball and the fact that the conversion to bingo need not necessarily require major alteration to the interior fabric and features happily means that The Alhambra’s Category B Listed Egyptian, Classical & Art Deco detailed interior survives largely intact and unaltered from its glory days. Over its illustrious history the Alhambra has hosted live performances by artistes as diverse as Harry Gordon, Marty Wilde, Jimmy Logan, Jimmy Shand, Andy Stewart, The Alexander Brothers, The White Heather Group, The One O'clock Gang, Anita Harris, Emile Ford, The Bachelors, Bert Weedon, Ricky Valence (who in 1960 was the first Welshman to have a #1 hit, with ‘Tell Laura I Love Her’) and most recently Nazareth, The Enemy, The Charlatans & Biffy Clyro together with contemporary comedians such as Jimmy Carr & Roy ‘Chubby’ Brown. One of the most noted dates in the history of the theatre is 11th August 1928 The then Duke & Duchess of York, later King George VI, and Queen Elizabeth (the Queen Mother) were given The Freedom Of Dunfermline on that huge stage. Some major upgrades took place in the early thirties with the installation of British Thomson-Houston sound reproduction equipment in 1930 and the addition of a new crush-hall to serve the separate entrance to the pit and stalls in the following year. The largest neon sign in Fife was erected on the Alhambra’s New Row aspect in November 1950. It was green, orange & cerise in colour and its 30" high vertical 'ALHAMBRA' lettering resulted in a sign of approximately 20 feet in height. I understand there are plans to restore it. Over the years many managers have come & gone including the author’s late father, Mr William WM Gourlay (who was Assistant Manager from December 1955–1964 & Manager 1977–1985) and a number of different operating companies have made The Alhambra their home including original owners ‘Alhambra (Dunfermline) Ltd’, ‘AB King’ in the mid 30s, ‘JB Milne’ in the mid 40s, ‘Caledonian Associated Cinemas’ in the 50s to the 80s, ‘Carlton Bingo’ in the 90s until Thursday 9th February 2006 (when they opened new purpose-built bingo premises in Dulloch Park). Despite a brave campaign by local entertainment historian Brian Nobile, most then thought that the end of the line had finally come for the building, until the opportunity came to the notice of Paul Gudgin (Director of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the world’s largest arts festival, from 1999 to 2007) and his associate Bill Fletcher of property developers ‘Linklever Ltd’. A public awareness/support & fundraising campaign called ‘Alhambra in the Raw’ along with some very hard work by many dedicated individuals has now paid off, resulting in a vibrant, exciting entertainment space. Tailoring the shape of the interior to requirements by using curtains & dimmers allows the balcony to be reduced by half or partitioned off altogether and to allow the stalls to be seated or standing, thus creating main auditorium capacities of between 600 all-seated or more than 2000 seated & standing. Additionally the Alhambra 2 ‘venue within a venue’ can accommodate as few as 140 seated or 300 standing. The transformation is as astonishing as it is pleasing to all who visit for a performance whether it be for live music, theatre, dance or comedy in a top class theatre for Dunfermline, Fife and indeed all of Scotland to be proud of and this is just the start! © Colin WK Gourlay (aka Ghoulz) The following details are from the Listed Building Document from the Alhambra.......
The Cinema House (early 1920s?) Location: Not Yet Known Probably a tin hut? Opened: Early 1920s?
The Regal Picture House (1931) Many of the photographs below show some of the original publicity work of my late father, Mr. William WM Gourlay.
Regal Cinema Programme - September 1963 (Courtesy of www.scottishcinemas.org)
Location: Between High Street & Canmore Street Dunfermline on the site of the Olympia Picture Palace Architect: T. Bowhill Gibson of Edinburgh Owner: P.Crerar / Caledonian Associated Cinemas Opened: 31st December 1931 by P.Crerar The largest single-screen cinema Dunfermline ever had, at it’s opening the Regal was lit by three flood lamps which had previously been used to illuminate Edinburgh Castle and was the only floodlit frontage in Dunfermline. Together with the latest neon signage it was an impressive sight at night. Style: It had a similar interior styling to The Regal in Kelty, though on a much larger scale. Site: The extremely sloping site upon which it stood meant that the Balcony was pretty much at ground level, while the Stalls was situated down a long Terrazzo staircase. First Manager: Mr. Frederick C. Glenroy (assistant Mr. J. Menzies) Seats: 1805 Crush Hall capacity: more than 500 patrons First programme: ? The Regal band played on the stage to patrons between features and to diners in the Regal Restaurant. Café / Dance Hall above was known as 'The Regal Restaurant', then latterly, 'The Carousel' in the 1970s Sold to CAC: June 1938 Prices: 1946 1/- to 2/3d Sound System: Westrex with 4 track magnetic sound (This was state of the art in the 1950s) Projectors: Westar 18th March 1953: 3D films shown in early 50s Upgrades: Fitted for Cinemascope & Stereo sound in 1954 Power: Until the early sixties, The Regal generated it's own power by means of two diesel generators Manager: 1971–1976 Mr William WM Gourlay Final closure was to have been: 15th May 1976 with the last film presentation as, somewhat ironically – ‘The Hindenburg’ starring George C Scott however a two-week reprieve delayed the final closure. Closed: Saturday 29th May 1976. Last Film: ‘Hustle’ (originally X-cert now 15) Burt Reynolds & Catherine Deneuve (Stalls 60p Balcony 75p). Destroyed by fire: Sometime prior to 21:00 hrs 5th July 1976 a £1m blaze destroyed The Regal, the neighbouring St Paul's Parish Church and other nearby buildings. 13 fire appliances and over 70 fire fighters took more than 6 hrs to extinguish the blaze whose flames leapt 80 feet into the air. Remains of the building were demolished & location cleared for ‘Littlewoods’ retail outlet that same year. In 2007 the premises was taken over by Primark.
The Odeon (2000) Location: 1 Whimbrel Place, Fife Leisure Park, Dunfermline Multiplex: 11 Screens Opened: Friday 16th June 2000 Currently Dunfermline's only cinema
Part-Time Cinemas: St. Margaret’s Hall (1878)
Location: St Margaret's Street, adjacent to & South of the Carnegie Central Library (which it predated by three years) Opened: 1878 Cost: £9000 Seats: 1320 Style: Built in early English style with simple exterior decorations. It had a very fine organ (which cost £1300) with 26 stops, 1522 pipes, and a hydraulic blowing engine. Originally used as a multi-purpose facility for Music Hall & Drama, it also had a Lecture Hall, a Reading Room and Committee Rooms and was used latterly as a dance hall. Demise: The interior was destroyed by fire after a boxing match in 1961 amidst some controversy. Thereafter it was demolished. The extension to the Carnegie Central Library now stands on the site.
The Opera House (1903)
Location: Reform Street Dunfermline Architect: Roy Jackson Cost: £6000 Opened: 17th September 1903 Closed: 1910 for refurbishment Reopened: 30th December 1912 Seats: 1000-1300 Owners: Mr. W.E. Potts (lessee 1911) / Dunfermline Entertainments Ltd / John Hendry Hare (lessee 1915) / Scottish Provincial Theatres Ltd (1919) Films shown from approx 1914/15. Unfortunately, The Opera House never staged an opera! Altered: JD Swanston August 1921 with new name Hippodrome and Opera House Upgrade: British Thomson-Houston sound reproduction equipment installed June 1931 Re-opened: February 1934 Closed: March 1955 & used as a store In an publicly unpopular move, the interior was stripped-out and relocated to The Asolo Centre for the Performing Arts in Sarasota Florida USA Demise: A fire occurred in May 1982 and the grade B listed building was demolished shortly thereafter Admission charges: Boxes 2/6; Stalls 1/6; Circle 1/3 & 9d; Pit 1/-; Gallery 6d (when?)
The Carnegie Hall (1937)
Location: East Port Dunfermline Opened: 6th October 1937 with a programme of musical recitals. Seats: Originally 640, now 512 (2007) Carnegie Hall was commissioned by the Carnegie Dunfermline Trust and designed by local architects Muirhead and Rutherford. Louise Carnegie attended the sod cutting ceremony but was not at the opening.
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