Theatres & Cinemas during the war

[Guest Old Canny Street Kid]

It would be interesting to hear how the local cinemas and theatres coped during the war.

Here is an item I picked up re the Empire...

An Empire note

Henry Hall, the bandleader, was top of the bill at the Empire on the night of the Sheffield Blitz in December 1940. He had just announced that his band would play a popular song called “Six Lessons” when there was a tremendous explosion. The back of the theatre was wrecked, but the band played on. Manager of the Empire, Fred Neate, dashed round and asked the audience to leave as quietly as possible.

Henry and the band kept on playing…and for some days that was the last the public heard of him. The next day he was due in Bristol, two days later he had a radio date…but nobody heard from him and rumour had it that he had been a victim of the Sheffield raid by the Germans.

But he was safe. He later explained the trouble. He and his boys, disorganised by the bombs, had left their instruments behind and simply got out of town as quickly as possible!

Incidentally, at the time of the Blitz, Jack Buchanan, Fred Emney and Nat Jackley were in two rehearsing for the panto Cinderella. They ended up completing their rehearsals in Manchester, and when the panto began it was staged at 10.30am and 2pm daily.

[dunsbyowl1867]

Hi OKSL

I recall and note below a couple of people were killed outside the Empire - recorded in the Civiliam War dead roll of honour. I wonder if that was the same blast?

Spencer, Frederick, 36 yrs , 12 Dec 1940 Outside Empire Theatre

Slack, Stanley, 29 years , 12 Dec 1940 Outside Empire Theatre