History Electric Palace Cinema, Harwich

the electric palace in 1912

in years of 20th century travelling fairground showman charles thurston touring east anglia bioscope shows. such travelling moving picture shows common @ time, introduction of cinematograph act 1909, imposed strict fire prevention regulations on venue in films shown public, became impossible put on legal film show in fairground tent. hence thurston decided build permanent picture palace in continue screen films public.

in 1911 able obtain lease on site in kings quay street, harwich had become vacant due previous building on site being destroyed fire. engaged young architect harold hooper design building, known electric palace, him. hooper dynamic young man of 26 years demonstrated imaginative flair first major building.

the electric palace built in 18 weeks @ cost of £1,500 , opened on wednesday, 29 november 1911, first film being battle of trafalgar , death of nelson .

the cinema immediate success , continued financially successful through ww1 presence of navy personnel in port of harwich. war on business @ palace , cinema called, went decline due loss of population harwich nearby dovercourt , competition newer, plusher, cinemas there.

for 4 decades palace struggled on, never doing badly enough close, never doing enough justify enlargement or major facelift. coming of sound in 1930 gave boost, short-lived. in 1953 cinema inundated seawater due east-coast flood of year, forced close. although dried-out, repaired , reopened, floods had affected more cinema, nearby housing had been affected reducing further local population. proved last nail in coffin , , palace closed after 45 years of operation, following final showing of glynis johns comedy: mad men , on 3 november 1956.

1972–present

electric palace cinema in 2009



electric palace cinema interior

for next 16 years building lay abandoned , largely forgotten until in 1972 discovered gordon miller of kingston polytechnic, leading group of students on survey of harwich. amazed find virtually unaltered relic of period of cinema architecture lying forgotten in harwich side-street. disturbed discover town council intending demolish entire block of cinema part provide additional parking space lorries.

with aid of harwich society obtained listing cinema being building of sociological interest in september of year.

this action infuriated council, , split opinion in town. local newspaper carried letters variously describing building derelict flea-pit of no interest , or potential asset town . unknown wit wrote:

they came kingston survey town,

and stopped pulling old palace down.

if much,

this tumbledown shack,

to kingston-on-thames may carry back.

for couple of years arguments flew, made national newspapers. meanwhile, gordon miller researched history of building council archives, contemporary newspaper reports , interviews surviving members of electric palace staff.

in april 1975 electric palace trust formed avowed aim of restoring building could, again, used operational cinema. council granted repairing lease trust in may of year , restoration started, using volunteer labour. later council sell freehold trust.

the cinema, having reverted original name of electric palace, re-opened in 1981. grand re-opening on 29 november 1981, 70th anniversary of original opening, filmed bbc children s programme blue peter .

the electric palace runs community cinema showing films every weekend. typically, there 5 film shows each weekend including matinees. sunday evening slot given on world cinema, arthouse cinema or classic films, while more mainstream movies occupy other slots. special films can booked groups such local schools of relevance school curriculum, or societies specific interest. live events include regular jazz concerts , productions amateur drama groups.