Now there would have been a time , when you could have made your way across the twin cities playing in a different Temperance Billiard Hall every night of the week.
Although Sundays may have been the exception.
They were built by The Temperance Billiard Hall Co Ltd which had been founded in 1906 and was based at 3 Ford Lane in Pendleton.
In 1911 the temperance empire, included sites on Moss Lane East, Stockport Road, Rochdale Road, Ashton Old Road, Bury New Road, Broad Street, Eccles New Road, Liverpool Road, Station Road, Altrincham, Cross Street Sale, Manchester Road, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Wilmlsow Road, Rusholme, Hyde Road in Gorton, Stretford Road, Old Trafford and Cheetham Hill Road. and
And with an eye to a good site and perhaps a captive audience some at least of the more enterprising early cinema owners chose to site their picture houses beside temperance halls. The Chorlton hall, n was next to the lavish Picture House built in 1920 while across in Cheetham the Circuit Cinemas Ltd opened their Premier Picture Hall in 1925 which changed its name to The Greenhill when the company opened a new luxury cinema opposite.*
They can still be found across Greater Manchester and beyond, and while some retained their sporting links until quite recently, others were converted a long time ago into shops, restaurants and industrial units.
This one in Gorton has retained its familiar appearance, but long ago forsook billiards, and today is occupied by a bookies, a charity shop and a Christian mission. The latter I suppose retains a sort of link with its past, although until recently space now given over to the mission and the charity shop, was a carpet business.
Picture; the old temperance hall, Hyde Road, 2020 from the collection of Andy Robertson
*The Golden Years of Manchester Picture Houses, Derek J. Southall, 2012
 |
| Temperance as was Hyde Road, 2020 |
They were built by The Temperance Billiard Hall Co Ltd which had been founded in 1906 and was based at 3 Ford Lane in Pendleton.
In 1911 the temperance empire, included sites on Moss Lane East, Stockport Road, Rochdale Road, Ashton Old Road, Bury New Road, Broad Street, Eccles New Road, Liverpool Road, Station Road, Altrincham, Cross Street Sale, Manchester Road, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Wilmlsow Road, Rusholme, Hyde Road in Gorton, Stretford Road, Old Trafford and Cheetham Hill Road. and
 |
| The Temperance empire, 1911 |
They can still be found across Greater Manchester and beyond, and while some retained their sporting links until quite recently, others were converted a long time ago into shops, restaurants and industrial units.
This one in Gorton has retained its familiar appearance, but long ago forsook billiards, and today is occupied by a bookies, a charity shop and a Christian mission. The latter I suppose retains a sort of link with its past, although until recently space now given over to the mission and the charity shop, was a carpet business.
Picture; the old temperance hall, Hyde Road, 2020 from the collection of Andy Robertson
*The Golden Years of Manchester Picture Houses, Derek J. Southall, 2012
And Station Road, Urmston. Don't forget us!
ReplyDelete