Lost images of Whalley Range part 5 the cinema and a mystery

Now here is a mystery I haven’t been able to solve.

I am looking at what I thought was an old cinema, long since converted into other uses.

It was on that stretch of Upper Chorlton Road, just before the Whalley Hotel and has gone now but back in 1960 it was the home of Ferodo Ltd and thirteen years later Advance Motor Supplies Ltd.

The building resembles the sort of picture house which began to go up  in the early decades of the last century, and might also have doubled as a variety theatre.

All of which made me assume that was what we had here in an earlier story.

But it is not mentioned in Derek J. Southall’s book on the cinema’s of Manchester* and the local historian Philip Lloyd has no memory of there being a cinema there.

So that is the mystery.

I suspect when I can get access to the street directories for the middle decades of the 20th century I might be to track down its earlier history and get a date for its construction which was sometime after 1911.

So in the meantime if anyone has anything to add I would like to hear from you. And pretty much righy away Chris Geliher, posted "1933 directory has it as Brooks's Bar Billiard Hall Co. Ltd. Andrew".

*The Golden Years of Manchester Picture Houses: Memories of the Silver Screen 1900-1970 by Derek J. Southall and

Pictures; Whalley Range, Upper Chorlton Road, north east side, 1960, A.H.Downes, m40806 and again in 1973, photographer unknown, m40728, courtesy of Manchester Libraries, Information and Archives, Manchester City Council, http://images.manchester.gov.uk/index.php?session=pass

Lost images of Whalley Range part 1 the cinema

I am on Upper Chorlton Road in 1960 with A.H. Downes who took a lot of pictures of the area.

In the distance you can just make out the Whalley Hotel and the junction with Brooks Bar beyond.

But what interests me is the Ferodo building which I must have passed countless times over the years and not given much thought to.

It vanished before I realized it was under threat and I wish I knew more about it.

That said I know there will be someone who does and kick myself for not taking more careful note of Derek Southall’s wonderful account of Manchester picture houses because I am pretty sure that he mentions this building.*

It is similar to many which were built in the early decades of the 20th century, and was one step up on the simple wooden huts and old vareity halls which were converted into picture houses as the novelty of cinema caught on.

But then I could be wrong we shall have to wait and see.

It certainly looks similar and  a little grander than the one further up Upper Chorlton Road which has survived as a furniture store.

So I shall just leave it there on Upper Chorlton Road in 1960 and wait for the memories, stories and details of the place to flood in.

Picture, Whalley Range, Upper Chorlton Road, north east side, 1960, A.H.Downes, m40806 and again in 1973, photographer unknown, m40728, courtesy of Manchester Libraries, Information and Archives, Manchester City Council

*The Golden Years of Manchester Picture Houses: Memories of the Silver Screen 1900-1970 Derek J. Southall