Palladium Cinema, Peter Street

Palladium Cinema operated between 1916 and 1924 and was converted from the The Grand Temperance Theatre of Varieties. To do this the interior had to be reconstructed and the balconies changed in order to make the auditorium smaller. In its earlier iteration as a theatre, it employed successful rosters in the variety tradition, very popular at the time.

Short lived in its time showing films and mostly overshadowed by the many larger and more successful picturehouses in close vicinity, it closed to become a church in 1924. The Facade was demolished and replaced in the 1970s, however, it is still possible to see some parts of the building underneath Peaky Blinders Bar which now stands there.

Reg Cordwell recalls the struggle of running the Manchester and Salford Workers Film Society at cinemas such as the Palladium between World Wars. Non-profit making and educational societies such as these were common but did encounter many run ins with the law due to their attempt at showing controversial content for the time.

Image: Churches, Christ Scientist, 4th Church of Christ, Peter Street, Old Futurist Cinema and Grand Theatre, CPO February 1973 for new police headquarters, Manchester, 1973 Ref: m68819