PLYMOUTH |
The Encyclopaedia of Plymouth History |
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LYRIC THEATRE / NEW LYRIC PICTURE HOUSE Although the building of new cinemas had stopped by the outbreak of the Great War, the changing of names certainly had not. By March 1915 the old Picture Lounge in Union Street had become known as the Lyric Theatre and the licence was held by a Mrs H Farrell of 6 Flora Street. However, with so many cinemas in Union Street the competition must have been tough and within months the theatre was in the hands of Mr William Caston of the People's Popular Picture Palace in Harbour Avenue. The following year the licence was transferred to Mr Frederick Wardle and it reopened on Easter Monday April 24th 1916 as the New Lyric Picture House. Entirely redecorated and repainted and with cheap prices of 3d and 6d, it had a 'successful reopening'. It had seating for 400 people. Although the films shown at the start have not been identified, the films booked for the week of May 1st 1916 were "Burned Alive" and "The Mystery of the Empty Room", both dramas, supported by a two-reel Charlie Chaplin comedy. Within a month the licence of the New Lyric had again been transferred, this time to Mr Walter T Ellis, but the decline was already well set and despite plans being announced for alterations, it must have closed shortly afterwards.
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