The Cinemas of Swansea
Over the past century Swansea has had many, many cinemas with each giving us happy memories of our youth. My aim is to highlight all of the Cinemas with photographs (then and now where possible) any additions would be greatly appreciated as this is a work in progress.
The Manor Cinema, Manselton 1938 -?
The Manor Cinema Manselton, Swansea
Same Site 2009
The Welfare, Fforestfach 1939 - 1976
The Castle Cinema 1913 - ?
The Castle Cinema , Swansea
The Tivoli Cinema, Cwmbwrla ? -1910
Opened with the film “A Modern Riding School and “A Life In Paris”
Closed on 28th February 1910
The Tivioli Cinema, Cwmbrwrla
The Plaza Cinema Kingsway 1931 - 1965
The Plaza, Kingsway 1959
The Plaza Cinema opened on 14th February 1931 opening with “The King Of Jazz” it featured Bing Crosby as part of The Rhythm Kings. It ran as a cinema right through to 10th April 1965. The final offering being “A Shot In The Dark” with Peter Sellers. Being a 3000 seater cinema it was the largest in Swansea. It was then demolished, and the Odeon Cinema was built on the site
Same Shot 2009
The original Christie Organ at The Plaza
The Odeon Cinema, Kingsway 1965 - 1997
The Odeon in 1968
The Odeon in 1971
The Plaza became the Odeon Cinema in 1967 opening on 17th May with “The Sound Of Music”. It became a multi screen in 1982(3 screens). A highlight for me being when the actual car - or so they said! From “The Love Bug” appeared outside the cinema during the run of the film.
It closed as a cinema on 14th December 1997
It closed as a cinema on 14th December 1997
The Albert Hall 1864 - present
The Albert Hall 1914
The Albert Hall c1900
The Albert Hall was built in 1864. Its first use was as a music hall. After it became a cinema it enjoyed a long run until it ceased being a cinema on December 3rd 1977 with the film “Suspiria”. It then became a Bingo Hall until its death Knell in 2007. It is now unused and is for sale.
Sketch of the Albert Hall 1860’s
The Elyseum 1912 - ?
The Elysium High Street in decay 2009
The Palace 1888 - ?
The Peoples Bioscope High Street 1904
The same year (1904)
The Shaftesbury Hall 1909 - 1950
The Shaftesbury Hall in 1912, the two gabled building to the left
The Picture House 1912 - 1941
Damaged during the Blitz, then demolished
The Picture house just visible to the extreme right after the Blitz in 1941. The last film was “Behind The Door”
The building took a direct hit and was then demolished.
The Picture House, High Street
The Carlton, Oxford Street 1914 - 1977
Rialto, Wind Street 1931 - 1958
The Grove, Uplands 1915 - 1939
The Regent Newton Road Oystermouth 1926 - 1955
The Olympic, Lower Oxford Street 1912 ?
The Electric, 13 Union Street 1913 - ?
The Maxime, Gower Road 1938 - ?
Landore Cinema, Neath Road ? - ?
Gem, Sway Road Morriston 1911 -?
Scala, St Thomas 1912 - ?
The Regal, Morriston 1912 - 1962
The Tivoli, Mumbles Road 1912 - ?
The Tower, Townhill 1937 - ?