Gaumont Liverpool
Camden Street,
Liverpool,
L3 8JR
Camden Street,
Liverpool,
L3 8JR
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Additional (but non-operational) info regarding the Trocadero’s connection to Beatles history is two of Julia (Stanley) Lennon’s usherette workmates accompanied her to her wedding to Alfred “Freddie” Lennon (who turned 26 that month) on Saturday, December 3, 1938 [Albert Goldman, “The Lives of John Lennon,” Wm. Morrow & Co., pp. 22]. The newlyweds–according to Mark Lewisohn’s 2013 Beatles bio “Tune In” [Crown, pp. 24]–took in a celebratory movie afterwards, Pathe’s ALMOST A HONEYMOON but if the “picture houses” sub-section of the Friday, December 2 edition of the Liverpool Echo is accurate for Saturday, the duo went instead to the local Forum Cinema (later Cannon Liverpool) for it along with an MGM co-feature, Mickey Rooney in LORD JEFF (UK title: THE BOY FROM BARNARDO’S) [pp. 1].
Grand opening ad as Trocadero posted.
And Garston Empire and Abbey Cinema have also been mentioned in relation to the fledgling Beatles, but the Allerton location was central to all three (pre-Ringo) at the time. Other than John’s mother working here, I haven’t found any reference yet to them going to the Gaumont Liverpool, though. I’ll keep my eye out for it. There’s lots of books to read.
John, Paul, and George usually went to the Gaumont Allerton (later Classic Allerton) near Penny Lane. It was the closest to John’s and Paul’s homes, and George would meet them there. Ringo wasn’t with the band yet, so he’d spend his afternoons at the Gaumont Dingle and an unlisted cinema in his area called “Barris.”
But… this DOES have a major Beatles connection, because John’s mother worked as an usherette here before she married John’s father. From Philip Norman’s biography of John:
[Julia] quickly gave this up to become an usherette at Liverpool’s plushest cinema, the Trocadero in Camden Street. Like Alf’s role at sea, it was a life of glamour by proxy, working amid deep pile carpets and soft lights, clad in a trim Ruritanian uniform with cross-buttoning tunic and pillbox hat. Her looks won her many admirers, and even the manager of the Trocadero, a magnificent personage who wore evening dress all day, also made periodic attempts to woo his prettiest usherette by leaving gifts of stockings or chocolates in her locker.
Thanks for the photo Eric.
Although i’m from Pwllheli in Wales and still live there,I have many relatives in Liverpool and had been to many of the city center cinemas by the time I was 11 or 12 during the 1950’s.
These included all three in lime Street as well as the Tatler,also The Palais De Luxe & the Clayton Square News Theatre.
But alas not the Gaumont,well not that I can remember anyway, here is a not to sharp a photo from the mid nineties.
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I bet KenRoe would know,if he did,I guess he would have added that info.
You know they did,tisloews.
I think thats very possible Mike.
I bet John,Paul,George,and Ringo saw movies here.
The projection box was equipped with Kalee 21 equipment with Gaumont Kalee President carbon arcs. For many years one of the projectionists was a Desmond McGreal, known as Des. When the Gaumont closed he moved over to the Odeon. Sadly Des is no longer with us.
In its final days as a snooker hall – photo here:–
http://flickr.com/photos/12494104@N00/331930528/
A 1986 photograph of the former Gaumont Cinema here:
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