Tower Bridge Road

Yesterday & Today
How we lived then & How we live now
bermondseyboy
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Pagoda Tower Bridge Road

Postby bermondseyboy » Thu Jan 12, 2017 8:29 pm

This was Posted by Hudsonsl

I wanted to know a bit more about The Pagoda Pub, hopefully someone will remember. The pub used to belong to my family, The Chapman's. Horace Chapman (my great great grandfather) was the owner at the time in the 1940's his son William was the landlord with his wife Ethel. my nan Barbara Chapman was a little girl at the time living there too with her sister Dorothy.

i was wondering if anyone remembers the stories of the gambling (which was how we lost the pub) and if anyone remembers stories of Tommy Steele singing in there too?

bermondseyboy
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Re: Pagoda Tower Bridge Road

Postby bermondseyboy » Thu Jan 12, 2017 8:41 pm

Hudsonsl wrote:
I wanted to know a bit more about The Pagoda Pub, hopefully someone will remember. The pub used to belong to my family, The Chapman's.



PagodaChapman.jpg
Pagoda - Chapman


The address seems to have been amended more than once over the years, with the earliest address at 7 Pagoda Terrace, Bermondsey New Road or 7 Bermondsey New Road ; then at 95 Bermondsey New Road. The pub was recently renamed the Hartley. The Pagoda is at 64 Tower Bridge Street by 1910
paddy.jpg
Pagoda






















The Pagoda closed as a public house and renamed The Hartley, it became a gastropub serving meals.
It would seem it was not a great success and was the renamed The O Tower serving Caribean food and Thai food.
The building was gutted by fire in June 2014.

bermondseyboy
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Trocette/Super Cinema tower bridge road

Postby bermondseyboy » Tue Jan 17, 2017 8:13 pm

Super Cinema 1930 Tower Bridge Road.jpg
Super Cinema 1930 Tower Bridge Road
It was was built for George Smart and opened in 1929 as the Super Cinema, complete with a Wurlitzer 2 Manual/8 Rank theatre organ which was opened by organist Arthur Jenkins. The proscenium was 25 feet wide, the stage 14 feet deep and there were five dressing rooms.

It was taken over by the Hyams and Gale circuit and closed on 1st February 1932 for minor alterations to be carried out by the original architect; George Coles, re-opening on 8th February 1932 with a seating capacity of 2,500.

In October 1935 the H&G Kinemas chain operated by Hyams and Gale were taken over by Gaumont British Super Cinemas who continued to operated the theatre. By 1937 it had been re-named Troc-Ette Cinema. It closed for a month in February 1941 due to war conditions, when Hitler’s bombers were pounding the London Docklands area to the East of the city.

In 1944, Gaumont Britsh Theatres took full control of the building, but it became an early casualty in the downturn in cinema-going when television started to become popular in the mid-1950’s and it closed on 7th January 1956 with Jack Hawkins starring in “Touch and Go” and Victor Mature starring in “Veils of Bagdad”.

After laying derelict for many years it was demolished in October-December 1975. The land first became a public space, but was eventually re-developed in 1989.

Trocette 1929-1956.jpg
Trocette 1929-1956



The Super Cinema - Opened in 1929
Architect - George Coles
By 1937 was renamed The Trocette
Closed 7th June 1956


Trocette - Tower Bridge Road
Opened in 1929 (as the Super) Closed in 1956
Designed by George Coles

bermondseyboy
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Re: Trocette/Super Cinema tower bridge road

Postby bermondseyboy » Sun Jan 29, 2017 6:31 pm

Posted by dannystupple

I haven't seen any reference to the Saturday morning Picture Club at the Troceette. It was run by the Gaument British Cinemas, and it cost six pence old money from 9 am until 12 noon. There used to be a cartoon, a short film such as Laurel & Hardy and a serial. Sometimes the organist used to play and all the children used to sing along.

cheers dannystupple

bermondseyboy
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Re: Trocette/Super Cinema tower bridge road

Postby bermondseyboy » Sun Jan 29, 2017 6:33 pm

Posted by junebarnes61juno

Hi Danny,

I remember Saturday morning Picture Club at he Trocette very well,I remember the noise
of the wooden seats, when everyone got up to leave!, then we would go to Edwards the
bakers and get hot doughnuts, then onto the Pie and Mash shop. I lived in Neckinger Estate
down Abbey Street, and on te way home we would play on the bomed ruins, making out
we were Roy Rodgers or Gene Autrey, they were great childhood days,

cheers junebarnes61juno

bermondseyboy
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Re: Trocette/Super Cinema tower bridge road

Postby bermondseyboy » Sun Jan 29, 2017 6:35 pm

Posted by dannystupple

I wonder how many people remember the wooden seats in the old Trocette,you came out of there so sore and when someone was leaving , the seats used to make a terrible banging sound. In fact sometimes a group of young people used to leave and bang a row as they left , just for devilment
dannystupple

bett
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Re: Trocette/Super Cinema tower bridge road

Postby bett » Sun Jan 29, 2017 6:36 pm

Hi Joe

Yes I remember well the saturday morning picture club - queing outside with the sixpence clutched tightly - especially all the boys shouting, standing and waving of ams when the cavalry arrived !! My favourites were Roy Rogers and Gene Autrey. I can only ever remember being taken to the Trocette once (when it wasnt for sat morn pic club) and that was when me dad took me to see Charlie Chaplin in Limelight. We seem to go to the Globe in the Old Kent Road alot more with mum - we saw all the Norman Wisdom films there whilst she did her knitting in the dark !!!

Sorry i cant help you with the words to the song

Bett

rodebdon
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Re: Trocette/Super Cinema tower bridge road

Postby rodebdon » Sun Jan 29, 2017 6:36 pm

Hi Joe,

The Trocette, yes I remember it. but the song oh! no! strangely when I saw your post headline the tune went through my head.
I could remember most of the first verse but the second, did it start with,

As members of the A B C
we all come here to see
de dun de dum
de dum de dum
la la, le la, le la,

then reprise.

Not very good I know but I do remember sometimes if we had a few Penny's going to Edwards to
have one of their wonderfull doughnuts, fresh from the oven on those big trays, in all that
lovely sugar, I can here that shushing sound they made in the tray as they were shaken back and
forth.
We did bunk in round the side sometimes by getting someone to open an exit door.

Rod.

bermondseyboy
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Re: Trocette/Super Cinema tower bridge road

Postby bermondseyboy » Sun Jan 29, 2017 6:38 pm

Hi Joe

Could it be.

We come along on Saturday morning, greeting everybody with a smile;
We come along on Saturday morning, knowing it's all worthwhile.
As members of the Trocette Club we all intend to be
Good citizens when we grow up and champions of the free.
We come along on Saturday morning, greeting everybody with a smile… smile… smile;
Greeting everybody with a smile (followed by shrieks and cheers).
The Odeon Promise:
I promise to tell the truth, to help others and to obey my parents;
I promise to be thoughtful of old folks and to be kind to animals and always to play the game;
I promise to try to make this country of ours a better place to live in;
I also promise to come to the cinema lots.

I remember Saturday Morning Club at the Elephant ABC as well, they sang this or a similar song there.
I think you could also have your name called out and go on on the stage if it was your Birthday.

Bermondseyboy

fosney
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Re: Trocette/Super Cinema tower bridge road

Postby fosney » Sun Jan 29, 2017 6:38 pm

Yes I think you have it

Jo


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