1946 Spilsby, United Kingdom
Simon Barrow
1936
Spilsby, Lincolnshire (UK)
Interviewed on 18th September 2019
by Freddie Elwes
“I grew up in a cozy city house in Westminster, London where there were a number of glamorous movie theatres scattered across the area. I remember passing such impressive buildings frequently as we walked around the city. I do not, however, ever recall going inside any of these theatres as I moved away to the countryside when I was 13.
“My first memory of going to the movie theatre was during a visit up to Spilsbury, Lincolnshire to see my Auntie Dom. I was 11. She was a lovely lady, quite elderly at the time. We used to go and visit her quite a lot when we were living in London. We were all very fond of Auntie Dom. She drove me into town one afternoon and I was ecstatic when she told me we were going to the movie theatre to see ‘The Hound of the Baskervilles’ with Sherlock Holmes. I’m trying to think who the leading parts were, one was Basil Rathbone* who played the part of Doctor Watson, however, my favorite character was of course Sherlock. He was the intelligent one. I can’t remember the story completely but it involved Sherlock and Dr Watson going out onto the lonely moorlands of Dartmoor, Devonshire on an investigation of some sorts. I recall being terrified of this huge hound as it appeared out from behind a rock.
“I had an unforgivable sweet tooth when I was younger but I can’t quite remember what I had at the cinema that day. I’m afraid it’s too long ago. Like hells bells its over 70 years ago but my dentist might have remembered with the assault of sugar on the teeth. I’m sure I would have had something. I probably had an ice-cream, a Cornetto, something like that. I don’t remember the exact cost of these little treats but I think aunty paid so it wasn’t really my concern. Of course, these days you go to the cinema and you get your popcorn and I cannot bare the smell of popcorn. I would have to move away if someone started eating popcorn near me. It’s disgusting! But I guess it all depends on how hungry you were when you went in. My favorite chocolate when I was young was Kit-Kats and mars bars so I probably would have brought either of those in on the odd occasion.
“I remember the theatre being pretty dark. Rather fusty, musty and dusty I would say. I think my aunt bought the tickets so I wouldn’t know what it cost. I would estimate around 2 and six pence but you probably wouldn’t know what that’s worth today. I would have thought there were ushers as well. There always were in the cinemas in those days, in 1947. They would show you to your seat which always made me feel very well looked after.
“I don’t think there was anyone who played the piano before the film opened, which is how it used to be in the very early days of the cinema. Way back even before I was born there were certainly some places which had near well a full orchestra playing but I didn’t go to the cinema enough to see this. From what I’ve heard it was truly remarkable but it’s not quite Glyndebourne** that’s for sure!
“What used to happen before these main feature films is that you always had a Pathe news reel beforehand. That was very much part of the course. What it told back in Spilsbury back in 1947 I cannot think but it was basically a news reel that would give you pictures; probably more often than not on the UK though equally that from around the world. This was far more engaging for me than reading the paper because I would always get bored and be distracted by the crosswords. You would also always get a trailer of the film that was being viewed the following week. Whatever it was on this occasion I have no idea. They also played the national anthem at the end. Oh yes, it was so English. I loved it. We needed all the propaganda we could gather in those days. You stand up at the end of the film, they play the national anthem, and then you go home. You don’t get that nowadays do you… you have to go to the last night of the proms for that.
*Basil Rathbone actually played the role of Sherlock, Dr Watson was played by Nigel Bruce).
**Glyndebourne is a popular country style opera house located in West Sussex, England
