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Wallaw Cinema - Bedlington


keith lockey

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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

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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.

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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.

post-1337-0-81833500-1357506573_thumb.jp

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  • 4 months later...

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'

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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

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

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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 ?

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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.

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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.
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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.

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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 :icecream:
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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.

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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!!!

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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 by foxy
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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 ?

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  • 1 year later...

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.

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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.........

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