Wallaw Cinema - Bedlington

[the lone ranger]

me and my freinds used to get into the star at choppington also named the gaff with an cleen jam jar .

[Symptoms]

Returns on beer bottles ... we used to go around the back of the Red Lion and nick the odd crate of empties then go in the front and hand them over for the 'deposit' back ... I think we used to get a tanner* for a crate. We never got caught.

* 6 old pence for our younger viewers

[johndawsonjune1955]

Yes i know of this with bootles and jars. The Gaff was run by Ganny Mather, as they called her. This was the 50s - 60's and Rance Woodmass was the projectionist.

The Gaff (The Star) is actually in the record books as it was the smallest projection booth in the UK.

The projectionist was on his honkers when at work.

Ganny Mather ran the place with a rod of iron.

No noise or you were out and hard work for courting couples i hear.

Me parents told me a lot about it and its good to see the subject brought up.

[johndawsonjune1955]

Heres a pic of the Gaff.

You see its got timber supporting the outer wall. This was because of subsidence from the colliery workings.

The pic is from 1956, and i was only one year old then.

How times fly.

Look hard at the poster and someone maybe able to see what it said ?

It would be interesting to know.

The Travellers Rest was extended and built on the Gaffs laocation.

Who remembers going to Wally's as it was refered too then ?

And you could buy your bear from the side window too.

[the lone ranger]

i knew ganny mather very well the gaff had wood benches at the front of the hall ganny would shove as manny people as she could to get more people in ( no health and safety then ) just pack them in . happy days at the gaff

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

My granny said she could get into the Wallaw using milk bottle - or jam jars - as entrance fee. Can anyone shed any light on this?

Keith I am sure both cinemas, Top end and Station, would do the same but I can't remember getting into the Wallaw with Bottles. As we lived at the Oval the Wallaw was where we normally went to. Cue violins - perhaps it's cos we did not have a lot of money and did not get to the pictures very often. Had to stay off school on a Tuesday and use dinner money to get into the matinee, 6d. The youngest of three lads and I think when I was 10, other two therefore 11 & 12, I was given the responsibility of holding the money to get us in. Lost in in Pioneer Terrace. Didn't get to pics, didn't get ice cream, did get a good hiding of brothers.

What I do remember is Saturdays going to the Top end pics, with bottles, when we were shipped of to grannies in Beatty Row. Three Stoogies; Dan Dare etc and that was definitely with bottles, supplied by Mr Surtees, freind of the family, from Haig Road, that worked at the cinema - think he was more commonly know as 'Torchy'

[tonyg]

I was born in 1944 and lived at the station till 1972 you had to pay money to get in to the Wallaw ,

[johndawsonjune1955]

This was over the road from Lucy's but cannot remember Fat Mo's being there.

Spot on John, Only went there a couple of times. However, we had a little more than the kids these days i recon

[johndawsonjune1955]

i knew ganny mather very well the gaff had wood benches at the front of the hall ganny would shove as manny people as she could to get more people in ( no health and safety then ) just pack them in . happy days at the gaff

The "Gaff" had the smallest projection room in the country.

I got some details on it somewhere. If i think on i will post them

[johndawsonjune1955]

It's probably been asked and answered before elsewhere but when did the Wallaw cinema close in Bedlington?

Keith as soon as i get a chance a will look it up as i know i have a lot of info on the place.

BTW. Got some cracking pics of Super Mac at the Domino if you want them on-line ?

[keith lockey]

Keith as soon as i get a chance a will look it up as i know i have a lot of info on the place.

BTW. Got some cracking pics of Super Mac at the Domino if you want them on-line ?

To be honest John I'm not a big sports fan - but I would love some photos of the groups and bands they had on down there. I believe Tony Christie played there once. I'm fortunate in having seen it as a cinema and a nightclub - throughout it's transitions. Some good nights and bad nights had down there. Cheers.

[Keith Scantlebury]

Keith as soon as i get a chance a will look it up as i know i have a lot of info on the place.

BTW. Got some cracking pics of Super Mac at the Domino if you want them on-line ?

Built in 1896 as Palace theatre, converted to picture house by Walter Lawson in 1930's. Closed in August 1966 after showing Emile and the detectives. Re-opened as Club Domino in 1968.

[Keith Scantlebury]

Keith Lockey

[keith lockey]

Keith Lockey

Cheers, Keith. I laughed at one of those - the Temperance Seven...we had Pasadena one of their hits.

[John Fox (foxy)]

I would love some photos of the groups and bands they had on down there..

Billy Ward was the official photographer in there Keith, he was often to be seen taking pictures of the acts both onstage and backstage. When he retired I bought quite a lot of pictures from him but because he knew i was keen on music he gave me some "proof" prints F.O.C. Some he has identified on the back, I've got a canny few so here's a couple of starters.

[johndawsonjune1955]

To be honest John I'm not a big sports fan - but I would love some photos of the groups and bands they had on down there. I believe Tony Christie played there once. I'm fortunate in having seen it as a cinema and a nightclub - throughout it's transitions. Some good nights and bad nights had down there. Cheers.

Tony Christie, i am a big fan of him

[johndawsonjune1955]

Billy Ward was the official photographer in there Keith, he was often to be seen taking pictures of the acts both onstage and backstage. When he retired I bought quite a lot of pictures from him but because he knew i was keen on music he gave me some "proof" prints F.O.C. Some he has identified on the back, I've got a canny few so here's a couple of starters.

I see Billy Ward has died. It was in the newspaper about two weeks ago.

Lovely fellow his pics were great and he had a canny knowledge of the area too.

[keith lockey]

I see Billy Ward has died. It was in the newspaper about two weeks ago.

Lovely fellow his pics were great and he had a canny knowledge of the area too.

Yes, I saw Billy Ward had died, but I used to work with another Billy Ward when I was an apprentice painter for BUDC and got confused. I tell you what, Billy the photographer must have some incredible photos of Bedlingtom. As I said elsewhere, I believe he was the schools photographer as well. Can you imagine finding that cache in his attic!!!

[John Fox (foxy)]

Billy Ward was the official photographer in there Keith, he was often to be seen taking pictures of the acts both onstage and backstage. When he retired I bought quite a lot of pictures from him but because he knew i was keen on music he gave me some "proof" prints F.O.C. Some he has identified on the back, I've got a canny few so here's a couple of starters.

Some more. Does anyone know the Fella, he did'nt name this one,

Edited May 21, 2013 by foxy

[John White]

Some more. Does anyone know the Fella, he did'nt name this one,

Engelbert Humperdinck. (Arnold Dorsey)?

Edited May 21, 2013 by John W. SNRG

[johndawsonjune1955]

Yes, I saw Billy Ward had died, but I used to work with another Billy Ward when I was an apprentice painter for BUDC and got confused. I tell you what, Billy the photographer must have some incredible photos of Bedlingtom. As I said elsewhere, I believe he was the schools photographer as well. Can you imagine finding that cache in his attic!!!

Yes i can confirm he did school pics, you are right. I wonder what is going to happen to them pics he had ?

Maybe go to the Records Office at Woodhorn, or the family migh be selling them ?

[HIGH PIT WILMA]

I saw lots of GROUPS!....not BANDS!...GROUPS...at the Domino. In those days we were groups![iplayed lead guitar in a group,round the Northumberland/Durham club/dance hall  circuit,in the mid 1960's,for three and a half years.]

The Ivy League,Troggs,Los Zafiros,[Mexican flamenco style singing and playing..walking around the tables with their guitars and Sombrero's on]

Anybody remember Johnny Citrone..?....He made his name on Hughie Green's Opportunity knocks show,by blowing up hot water bottles,like balloons,till they exploded!...lifting an anvil with his teeth...etc?

Whey,a previous owner of the Buccaneer..[?],and the Howard Arms..[?],in Bedlington market place,was just a very young ,daft, drunk, lad,in aboot1968-ish,and when Johnny,as part of his act,invited members of the audience up on stage,to verify that there was no fakery,and this WAS a real 1 cwt anvil,

[approx. 25 kilos],solid steel blacksmiths full-size anvil....This lad got up to try and lift the anvil with he's hands,not he's teeth!!!,and couldn't get it up to he's knee-caps!...[but a bet HE canna remember daeing that noo!!....but aa can...cos aam tee-total and was sober as hell that neet!]

Other folks got up,ti try and blow the hot waata bottles up,thinking they were fake as weel,but they aal backed a losser an aal,cos they couldn't even start

ti fill the bottles wi air!!

These were folks that aa knew,local folks,not staged as part of his act,so it was proof of his enormous strength,that he did what he did!

A friend of mine,from Blyth,who played in a group caaled "Shades of Blue",locally,like us,in 1963-on........went ti London and changed his group's name ti

"Toby Twirl",made a record,and went into the charts.

Noo they came ti the Domino,at the height of their fame,and it was gud ti see me friend again,after not seeing him for a few years.

The lads name was Dave "Holly" Holland..,and he noo runs a pub in Blyth,with his Wife.

A came across an excellent site last neet,which is chasing up aal thi aad groups,memorabilia,chat forums,etc,and Davy has some nice comments on,reminiscing aboot them days.

Aal get the site name and post it on here if a can.

Aye,many happy memories aboot thi aad Wallaw,and Jack Tait,a real canny fella,was Jack.

[HIGH PIT WILMA]

"Toby Twirl on Manchesterbeat" [the group music scene in Manchester] is the site I mentioned in my last post.

Check it out!

[HIGH PIT WILMA]

Keith L.,did you work at the aad pit in thi  1960's?,or aam a being insulting??...like,maybe you were too young!!

Aam sure your name rings bells wi me.........

[keith lockey]

No, not me. My Dad was called James 'Nipper' Lockey. He was killed at the Dr Pit in 1956. he was a cutter and the roof caved in on him.