Back at the Imperial Cinema on Chorlton Road

The Imperial in 1980

I am back with the old Imperial Cinema on Chorlton Road with some of Andy Robertson’s pictures.

Like so many of our old picture houses it suffered from a shrinking cinema audience although it lasted into the 1980s.

But the building has survived and Andy was able to record some of its interior which gives a hint at its former grandeur.

And as I have promised over the next few weeks it will reappear on the blog and I am hoping these pictures will encourage people to come up with their memories of the place.

Inside the Imperial, 2014

In the meantime I remember that Derek Southall in his excellent book on Manchester’s picture house quoted at least one person who thought the Imperial was a cut above the other cinemas in the area.*







Pictures; the Imperial in 1980, m09229, courtesy of Manchester Libraries, Information and Archives, Manchester City Council, http://images.manchester.gov.uk/index.php?session=pass and today from the collection of Andy Robertson, with a thank you to Imperial Timber 166-172 Chorlton Rd Manchester M16 7WW‎ 0161 226 9190its former grandeur.

*The Golden Years of Manchester's Picture Houses, Derek J Southall, http://www.thehistorypress.co.uk/index.php/the-golden-years-of-manchesters-picture-houses.html#sthash.K4JJYJv9.dpuf

The Imperial Picture House, Whalley Range

The Imperial on Chorlton Road, 1961

Now I am of that generation who went to the cinema before split screens, multi studios and the one film programme.

Back then there were still two films, a short cinema news review and the programmes showed continuously so whatever time you went in you sat through until you got to the bit of the film you had started at and then left.

These picture houses were still theatres of dreams with thick carpets plush decorations and that distinctive smell and of course a big screen which could take you almost anywhere.

The best had been built in the 1930s when this was the cutting edge of entertainment and even in the 1950s and early 60s they offered up something special.

The Imperial in 2014

The smaller and older ones often past their best might not have been as impressive but once the lights went down they too could work their magic.

All of which dear reader will mark me out as an old fashioned cinema goer.

And so here and over the next few weeks will be a short series featuring just one picture house.

This was the Imperial on Chorlton Road which was still showing films in the 1980s.

It has long been converted into another use but my friend Andy knowing my fascination for old picture houses set about recording the place.

The Imperial in 2014

He started with the outside and then began on the interior.

So here is the Imperial as it was and as it is now with a little of its past glory revealed.

And as with all good serials there is lots more to come and who knows we may elicit some memories.


Pictures; the Imperial in 1961, A H Downes, courtesy of Manchester Libraries, Information and Archives, Manchester City Council, http://images.manchester.gov.uk/index.php?session=pass and today from the collection of Andy Robertson, with a thank you to Imperial Timber 166-172 Chorlton Rd Manchester M16 7WW‎
0161 226 9190

Standing in the road at Brook’s Bar …………. now that is a daft thing to do

Brooks Bar has long been a busy junction, but I am intrigued by the number of people who have stopped in the middle of the road to observe the photographer at work in this picture.

I can’t date it, but there may be a clue in the buildings stretching down Chorlton Road on the left-hand side.

On the corner there is that striking rounded building, which is still the today, and back then was the Post Office.

The name of the proprietor should offer up a time slot, and only requires me to go looking in the directories for the period.

Until then, I suspect it will be down to look very carefully at the other buildings and try and identify the presence of the Imperial Picture Theatre and Café which is now a timber warehouse.

The cinema opened in 1917, could seat 760 people and only closed in 1976.

By then the tall houses on the opposite side had been cleared away and trams no longer ran along Chorlton Road.

There will be someone who knows, leaving me just to ponder on whether this was a Sunday, given the lightness of the traffic and send you my history of the Imperial which has appeared on the blog before. *


And quick as a flash, John Anthony Hewitt, responded with the comment, "the number of full length skirts worn by the ladies, suggests pre-WW1 - post-war cost of materials had risen so much that ladies of the time switched to cheaper (shorter, less full) designs. 

The lady holding the umbrella is wearing a shorter skirt, whilst the boys are wearing knicker-bockers, which suggests Edwardian period. 

Three of the ladies in the road are holding a dog, a baby and long gloves. But, the mother with the pram was standing between the handles, and not behind the handle. 

Researching vintage photographs suggests that style of pram was late-Victorian to Edwardian, circa 1905. GMTS Website records electrification of the tramways as completed by 1903, but that Hulme to Chorlton-cum-Hardy was still served by horse buses in 1905. Princess Road tram depot opened in October 1909, but it is reasonable to assume that depot was built to relieve over-crowding at Hyde Road and Queens Road depots. Taken together, I would suggest a time-slot of between 1906 (earliest) and 1914 (latest)".

All of which just leave me to thank John Anthony.

Location; Brooks Bar

Picture; Books Bar, date unknown, courtesy of Steve.

*The Imperial Cinema, https://chorltonhistory.blogspot.com/search/label/The%20Imperial%20Cinema

Lost images of Whalley Range part 10............ the Imperial at Brooks's Bar

There will be those who mutter darkly that the Imperial was not in Whalley Range, but I bet plenty of people will have crossed over the road and spent time there.

And as the smaller picture houses around Whalley Range closed this was an obvious local choice with that added attraction that if you were old enough there was the Whalley Hotel for afterwards.

Now I have written about the old Imperial Cinema at Brooks Bar a couple of times focusing on its history, its final closure and some fascinating pictures of the interior and given that it was always deemed to be superior to its near neighbour near the old Carriage Works it deserves to be included.

Of course some will have opted for the three picturehouses in Chorlton or made a night of it and headed into town but the local cinema like the local pub had its attractions.







Pictures; the Imperial in 1980, m09229, courtesy of Manchester Libraries, Information and Archives, Manchester City Council, http://images.manchester.gov.uk/index.php?session=pass and today from the collection of Andy Robertson, with a thank you to Imperial Timber 166-172 Chorlton Road Manchester M16 7WW‎ 0161 226 9190

*The Imperial Cinema, http://chorltonhistory.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/The%20Imperial%20Cinema

Recapturing memories of the old Imperial at Brooks's Bar

Now I have written about the old Imperial Cinema at Brooks Bar a couple of times but I couldn’t resist this picture taken by Andy Roberston.

For anyone who has fond remembers going there  Andy’s picture should bring back memories.
And I have to say the exterior has fared better than many picture houses which long ago went dark.

Picture; the Imperial Cinema, 2014, Andy Robertson

*The Imperial Cinema, http://chorltonhistory.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/The%20Imperial%20Cinema