GOING to the cinema is a past time that many people enjoy – whether as a day out with family, friends or even on their own.

A well-known cinema in the Gwent valleys is the Maxime in Blackwood – bucking the trend of the city cinema chains to offer cheaper prices for the same films.

South Wales Argus:

Blackwood High Street in 1910. The shed-like building in the distance is the Pavilion. Picture: Phill Walkley

But in days past, Blackwood didn’t just have the Maxime, it also boasted three other cinemas. As we celebrate Blackwood’s 200th birthday in 2020, we took a look at the 'forgotten' cinemas of Blackwood, with the help of Crumlin-born Phill Walkley – who has researched the cinemas across Wales and founded Europe’s largest touring cinema, Moviola Company in 2001 – and with some memories from you, our readers.

The Capitol opened in October 1923 as a full-time theatre called the Playhouse – with standards matching the West End in London.

South Wales Argus:

Blackwood's Capitol cinema in 1976 as it laid derelict before being demolished and turned into a Quik Save. Picture: Phill Walkley

Mr Walkley, said: “Tom Diacoff’s ‘Real Rodeo Circus’ was advertised in September 1924 with a ‘big parade of horses, ponies, steers and mules’ which must have stopped the traffic in the High Street.”

Despite this ambitiousness from the theatre, located on Hall Street, it did not last long, going bust in the summer of 1925, paving the way for it to be the Capitol Cinema which opened in 1926.

South Wales Argus:

Capitol Cinema in the 1950s. Picture: Jeremy Morris from Cinema Treasures. Creative Commons licence applied. http://cinematreasures.org/members/jmbrighton/photos/3916

In January 1955, it became the first in the district to have Cinemascope on a large 40-foot-wide screen, as well as stereophonic sound.

Films were shown until 1969, when it was knocked down and replaced by a Kwik Save. Today, the Law Courts stand where the Capitol once did.

South Wales Argus:

Blackwood Law Courts now stands where the Capitol cinema was. Picture: Google

According to Mr Walkley the 1,000-capacity cinema was “the place to always see Elvis movies.”

South Wales Argus:

Blackwood Capitol cinema in a derelict state in 1976. Picture: Phill Walkley

The Pavilion was the first cinema in Blackwood, however, just like the Capitol, it also began life as home to a different form of entertainment.

Mr Walkley said: “The Pavilion was opened as a roller-skating rink on February 17, 1910, by Mrs J.E Treharne. It was a corrugated iron building, erected in just eight weeks.

“It had great initial success and on January 25, 1911, Percy Gittens gained the world record for distance roller-skating by covering 213 miles in 24 hours.”

A cinema licence for the Pavilion was issued by the county council to Mr William Stone on March 6, 1914.

There were films shown once a night, and continuous films on Saturdays from 5.30pm. The films were silent and they would last between 15 minutes to an hour and live acts were on stage during breaks.

In the 1920s, the films got longer and were accompanied by a full orchestra. But, when the 'talkies' were introduced in 1929 the Pavilion closed in the summer of that year.

South Wales Argus:

Blackwood High Street in 1910. In the distance, the shed-like building is the Pavilion prior to it becoming a cinema. Picture: Phil Walkley

The building was marked as being derelict on the 1940 Ordnance Survey map, but it did not fully disappear until the 1960s.

Despite the Pavilion being gone, there are still some remains that can be spotted by the eagle eye. Mr Walkley said: “As well as the entrance from Pengam Road (Cefn Road), there was a stairway up from the High Street, just to the north of the Bargoed Emporium.

“Its remains can still be seen today, the red brick social housing – which was built about 10 years ago – occupies the footprint of the old Pavilion.”

South Wales Argus:

The red brick housing is now on the location of the Pavilion. Picture: Phill Walkley

Much less is known by locals of the town’s second cinema – The Palace – despite it being a popular location today, as the Sirhowy Pub, part of the Wetherspoons chain.

The Palace opened on January 26, 1914 and was designed with a steep, sloping auditorium and balcony by Maesycwmmer architect George Kensole.

In 1922, the manager, Mr Ebley, arranged a beauty contest to try and increase business for the failing picture house. 140 people entered and 20 were shortlisted.

The finalists were filmed doing activities including tennis, dancing and running and they were shown over several nights at the cinema.

MORE NEWS:

The competition was successful in creating interest, with more than 4,000 audience members voting in a ballot for the winners.

However, The Palace was not as successful as its counterparts – going bankrupt in 1926 before being taken over by the owners of Capitol and reopened.

In 1943, a fire broke out in the cinema, but wartime restrictions prevented the repairs. It remained empty until 1954 when it was taken over by Babers and turned into a furniture shop. The remodelling of the building to create the furniture shop is still seen today in the front of the Sirhowy.

South Wales Argus:

The Sirhowy Wetherspoons pub sits in the location of the Palace cinema

Jean Cammell said: “I remember the Palace when I was a child, but it was already closed down. It had a huge trellis style steel gate all across the front. My mother used to go there when she was younger.”

Jm Brighton said: “It is understood that the Palace offered live stage shows and later films, mostly silent films accompanied by a small orchestra. When the Capitol in Hall Street started to show films, the Palace continued with limited performances of silent movies and some sound movies which required installation of a sound system.”

The most well-known of the four cinemas is The Maxime, which began showing films in July 1938 and remains for the same purpose today.

South Wales Argus:

The Maxime Cinema circa 1973. Picture: Jeffrey Morris from Cinema Treasures. Creative Commons licence applied. http://cinematreasures.org/members/jmbrighton/photos/3917

Between 1988 and 2014, the cinema became a bingo hall but during the prime time of the 1960s there was a lot of activity in the cinema as up to 1,200 people would pack in to watch the likes of West Side Story and Lawrence of Arabia.

South Wales Argus:

The opening night of the Maxime in 1938. Picture: Jeffrey Morris from Cinema Treasures. Creative Commons Licence applied. http://cinematreasures.org/members/jmbrighton/photos/9920

On the Maxime, Mr Brighton said: “The Maxime continued without stereo sound, just mono. This was odd because it was the flagship of the circuit’s cinemas.” When the Capitol turned to bingo, it left the Maxime as Blackwood’s only cinema – how it remains today.

South Wales Argus:

The Maxime Cinema in 2014. Picture: Mark Lewis

Mr Walkley is continuing his research into the history of cinemas in Newport and the old county of Monmouthshire. He would like to hear from anyone who has any memories and or photographs of the old cinemas from around the area.

Anyone with any information or photographs can contact Mr Walkley on phillip.walkley@btinternet.com