The Ritz Cinema, Warrington as it used to be.

[Saronie]

I well remember the Ritz Cafe as the place our family went after funerals, I think they had a contract with the undertakers

[Dizzy]

That could have been a bit strange depending on what film was advertised as being on at the time

 

I guess they didn't have films like 'Dawn of the Dead' then though.

[Peter T]

That could have been a bit strange depending on what film was advertised as being on at the time

 

I guess they didn't have films like 'Dawn of the Dead' then though.

 

 

You had a Datsun????? :roll: :roll: :roll:

[Dizzy]

Errr me having once had a Datsun has what exactly to do with films or the fact that Saronie remembers his/her family going to the Royz Cafe after funerals Peter ?

 

You can have some too for that unless of course I am missing your point again

[Bill]

I never thought I’d ever find myself correcting Harry on his historical facts, which makes me wonder if I’m right at all? I think I am.

 

This is about the building behind the cinema that Harry called Garlands. I stand to be corrected but I think it was called SNOT RAG's or at least that’s what we called it as kids, it being the name GARTONS spelt backwards. I think it was a seed factory or something like that and they had their name Gartons painted in huge letters on the roof.

 

As for the ABC, I have memories of Saturday morning shows back in the black and white days. I distinctly remember once watching something like Tarzan of the jungle and the projectionist inserting a green filter to whoops of delight from us kids. Colour was still not the norm at that time.

 

I also remember that when the film finished, you didn’t exit through the front but through a side exit doors that got flung open to let the marauding masses out. Having sat for a couple of hours in semi-darkness, the combination of sunshine and the white painted walls at the exit used to make us temporarily blind and so we’d always do our impression of zombie like blind people.

 

Just one final little point I shared with Baz the other week. Back in my bachelor days, I once decided to leave my pride and joy Corsair behind the Ritz / ABC because I’d had a drink. When I returned the following morning I was gutted to find my shiny new hubcaps had been nicked. I did notice that Baz’s prize-winning car had identical hubcaps! Now I wonder….

 

Bill

[WireWarrior97]

Is this now Halo or whatever?

[algy]

Bill, you are correct Garton's was the seed factory situated behind the Ritz on Arpley Meadows, Garlands was the garage across the road and opposite the Ritz.

[Peter T]

And what other popular event took place on Arpley Meadows as well?

[harry hayes]

Bill. Think you mis-read my posting. The building on the right on the first photo is Garlands - didn,t say behind.

 

I certainly wouldn't have confused it with Gartons. I spent many years trying to hit a cricket ball on to the roof from Warrington cricket ground at Arpley. I never succeeeded.

 

Don't know if it is a fact but Leary Constantine and E.A. Martindale are reputed to have done it in the testimonial/charity matches held just after the war.

 

Thames Board mills and the air raid at the start of the war was also in the vicinity. Also the dog track which closed in 1958. The totalisator was a feature of the land-scape. Before the war tere was a speedway track on Arpley meadows. And of course, the railway station was behind the Ritz before Gartons.

 

Happy days

[Saronie]

here is the wikipedia link about Gartons http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gartons_Agricultural_Plant_Breeders I found it very interesting

[Saronie]

on the "ice cold in alex" picture there is an Austin Metropolitan - I wonder if it was the one owned by Mr Bridge who owned a DIY shop on padgate lane?

[Bill]

Sorry about that Harry, thought you were slipping for a moment. I was looking at the roof just visible over the top right of the cinema rather than the foreground right. I knew the name Garlands Garage but couldn’t quite place it until you pointed out my mistake and then the memories all came back and I could visualize it again. BTW If the building behind was Gartons, then those huge letters don’t appear to have been added yet on these photos?

 

I remember do the train station (and the bus station) being round the back, in fact let me tell you a funny story that I most probably have told before but here it is anyway.

 

Back in 1975, I used to travel each week between Reading and Warrington. One time the prices had just gone up and the ticket bloke at the station had a new book of prices. The expected increase would have put the price up of my return ticket by about 2 pounds but he was asking for nearly £20 extra. After a short argument he showed me his new book which gave the exact price from Reading to Warrington Arpley Street. “Ah but” said the bloke, “if you want BankQuay then that’s a whole lot cheaper.”

 

The point was of course that Arpley Street Station had closed down back when I was a kid and yet twenty odd years later it had found it’s way back into the timetable and I could even buy a ticket to go there. I Wonder if I'd have booked the ticket, the train might leave from platform 9 and three-quarters.

 

Bill

[Teessidewire]

Absolutely brilliant pictures Algy. 1 and 9's at the back. Cafe upstairs for posh people, but not us Orford scruffs. Probably a bit superior to the Odeon and Empire. They started doing Saturday morning childrens films after the success of the OCC (Odeon childrens club - who had their own song to which all the urchins delighted in giving the wrong answers e.g is everybody happy? - No.

 

Happy days, very much.

The ABC Minors had their own song as well Harry. I can remember the bouncing ball going over each word on the screen like it was yesterday.