Hello,

I'm a student at Sheffield Hallam University, and am currently working on a project for Abbeydale Picture House, which is undergoing restoration.

I'm making a history booklet of the building which they can sell to raise money to pay for the roof repairs.

Does anyone have any memories of visiting the Abbeydale at any point during it's history, especially memories of the ballroom and the days when it was a cinema that they wouldn't mind us using in the booklet?

Please post your memories here, or contact me directly at abbeydalepicturehouse@hotmail.co.uk

All memories big or small are welcome and greatly appreciated.

Thankyou.

Hi Lirael

See my email re ballet performances early 60s.

http://www.rockreunited.co.uk/
Hi, have a look at this site especially the bit about the Kay Gee Bee which was the name of the ballroom after it was a court school of dancing.
I used to work there and so know a bit about the place

I seem to recall my late brother-in-law telling me that he saw Bob Dylan at the Abbeydale on his "Dylan Goes Electric" tour, but I've never been able to confirm it

I seem to recall seeing Johnny Dankworth and his big band with Cleo Laine at the Abbeydale, it was a Sunday concert and there might have been another group on the same bill at the time. We all know, we're talking a long long time ago, is it still standing or what's in it's place now?

Thank you all for your responses so far they have been very helpful. :)

I used know the bloke who played the piano for the silent films there in the 20s and 30s

:thumbsup: and I remember dancing lessons there in the 70s

and watching Winnie the Pooh on a blustery day!!

I remember going to see West Side Story with my first boyfriend.

Thanks again for all your responses so far, there is a lot we did not know. Angelamary would you be able to private message me as I am interested to hear more information about your memories of the Abbeydale?

Thanks.

Hey Lirael

You didn't say what you were studying? I am offering some help, I am currently studying photography at Norton College and would be interested in taking some photographs of Abbeydale Picture House. Would you be willing for me to do that if they were to be used for the booklet?

I remember both the picture house and the Court School of Dancing. Great fun and fond memories. Did a lot of our "Courting" around there. In fact my ex was once crowned Miss Court Sheffield. Had a great trip to London for the finals. Anyone remember the trip...There was a bus full of us.

Lived in Heeley in the fifties the Heeley green, Abbeydale, Heeley palace and the Heeley coliseum were my local cinemas..
The pictures were still king then and they used to change films twice a week ..
Spent many happy hours watching the silver screen, once went 7 times in one week but twice was the norm..
Always seemed strange when you went to the Empire the cheap seats were at the back, go to the cinemas they were at the front obvious really but felt weired...

Can you recall any of the films grinder? We were having a think last night and decided we must have spent too much time "courting" on the back seats rather than watching the films as neither of us could remember anything other than The Student Prince...why that film I wonder as we've no idea! Abbeydale was definitely the best cinema, further to walk from where we lived but, it had the added bonus of going to Pops on the way back then a dark walk down, was it Primrose Hill onto Broadfield Road?

I can remember one I was too young to see, House of wax, a Vincent Price Horror film In three D,

Three men in a boat.
In those days you could smoke but we couldn't for Laughing all the way through it.
Laurence Harvey, David Tomlinson, Jimmy Edwards.... Hilarious..

Some one has all ready mentioned Fess Parkers visit, so I must have seen Davey Crockett there..

I think we went from about 1959 onwards but, I cannot remember the films, strange.

Duffems

Any Idea what the last film to be shown there was ?..

Duffems, If the only film you remember was the Student Prince, are you really supprised...

I know that it closed in 1975 (I think) but, I can't recall the name of the film, we were married and had left the area by then.

Duffems

The Abbeydale Picture House was taken over by the Leeds based Star Cinemas Ltd. in the 1950's and was advertised as the Abbeydale Cinema. It was closed on 5th July 1975 with Charles Bronson in "Breakout" and Perry King in "Lords of Flatbush".
Courtesy of http://cinematreasures.org/theater/22681/

Thanks David,
Going to the pictures was a part of my life I will always cherish, it was a gateway for a couple of hours to dreams and a life far away from the humdrum one we had....

You're welcome Grinder. I also have fond memories of the picture houses...as a kid the Paragon at Firth Park was my local but when we were courting the Abbeydale became a place for a little peace and a way to get out of the cold LOL. Maybe a little after your time but I remember them running a series of Bond films with Eastwood films as secondary. And of course Yes...I saw the Student Princs a few time in there. Great to think back to those days huh?

God the Paragon, where did they get the names from..
Most of my relations lived that side of town,what was the one at Sheffield lane top called .. remember going to the Forum on the Parsons Cross to see The Cardboard Cavalier Sid Fields and was the other one over there the Rex.....

Hi Lirael- Hope you got my PM OK, never know if they are being recieved. Thanks.

Hi Lirael- Hope you got my PM OK, never know if they are being recieved. Thanks.

I got it Lirael...did you not get my reply? Hope so.

Hi Everyone,
Just wanted to thank you all for your help with the booklet, it's been really useful and interesting.:thumbsup:

Thanks,
Lirael

God the Paragon, where did they get the names from..
Most of my relations lived that side of town,what was the one at Sheffield lane top called .. remember going to the Forum on the Parsons Cross to see The Cardboard Cavalier Sid Fields and was the other one over there the Rex.....

The one at Lane Top started life as The Capitol, in 1939 - later becoming Essoldo, then finally The Vogue. It closed as a cinema in 1975.

I used to go to the Abbeydale during WW2 and after I can remember seeing Carosel there and Annie Get Your Gun, State Fair. The ballroom we attended on Saturday night having first visited the pub opposite towards millhouses on the corner. We sang Al Jolson songs to a lad playing the piano, big room and packed solid. The cinema at Heeley by the railway bridge was the one my brother and I were in during the blitz, it was a Mickey Rooney film and we stayed the night under the railway arches which had been converted to an air raid shelter.

My late father took me to see the 'Cruel Sea' I was about 9 at the time!!!!!!!!! I think the last film I saw there was 'Up Pompeii' Frankie |Howard

Worked for a company called 'drakes office equipment' in late 70's
they bought abbedale cinema building when it closed and used it as office furniture showrooms.i was a typewriter mechanic and our workshop was the old changing rooms behind the stage.
I remember ripping out the old seats and selling them to a guy from leicster.
We also slept one night to show there was no ghost,this was covered by sheffield star.