Post by Les on Dec 23, 2017 7:27:11 GMT
Maidstone I remember it well:
My grandfather William Vernon managed the central cinema king street maidstone for several years in the late thirties and early forties. He lived in a flat above the cinema and as a youngster I recall spending many magical hours viewing the screen from the projection box.
He was always seen around accompanied by his scottie dog Angus.
He was a regular at the Royal Oak pub further along King street.
In those days this was a prestigeous position requiring him to great his patrons in formal attire.
His reign was of course during the second world war years and the lower levels of the auditorium were often used by members of the public to shelter from the bombing.
As an ex serviceman he had great respect for those in service billeted in the area at this time and on more than one occasion had been known to allow free seating to those whos service pay did not extend to the cost of a ticket.
From this time my fascination with the cinema has never lessened although I do wonder what HE would have made of todays multiplexes and incredible technical advances.Was not bad when for less than
10p you could see a double feature and newsreel with a programe change every Sunday Monday and Thursday.The most memorable films were weterns (Roy Rogers ,Hopalong Cassidy,Johnny Mack Brown)and the comedy of Bob Hope and the Marx Brothers.Ah happy simple days.Please contact for more memory gathering