In 1906 when pioneer film maker Arthur Cheetham, the subject of previous posts in this blog, opened his Silvograph Cinema in Market Street, Rhyl, he had no serious rivals until Henry "Harry" Kirk.
In 1911, Mr. Kirk opened a cinema named The Picturedrome in a converted High Street shop near where McDonalds is now. At the time he was a member of Gilbert Rogers' Jovial Jesters, a concert party that entertained on Rhyl sands:
This portrait of Harry Kirk in stage costume is on a card posted in 1909:
Unlike Mr. Cheetham, Mr. Kirk did not make films - his Picturedrome is said to have shown mainly American movies. Appropriately he took to wearing a Stetson hat.
Personally, I prefer his straw boater.
Like Mr. Cheetham, Harry had other interests. In addition to being an entertainer he was a postcard publisher, stationery wholesaler, and toys and fancy goods importer at numbers 3 & 74 High Street.
Here is a postcard published by - and featuring - the man himself:
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Here is a postcard published by - and featuring - the man himself:
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Mr. Kirk let go of his cinema in 1917 to Saronie's Enterprises. It went through changes of owner & changes of name, and closed down in 1921 by which time is was called the City Picture House.
All the cinemas mentioned in this post were ‘silent’ cinemas. The talkies did not arrive until the end of the 1920s.
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BRUSH OFF
Current re-jigging of the interior of Rhyl Library, Church Street, has meant the permanent closure of the art gallery (oriel is the Welsh equivalent of the English word gallery). The space is to be used for offices.
BRUSH OFF
Current re-jigging of the interior of Rhyl Library, Church Street, has meant the permanent closure of the art gallery (oriel is the Welsh equivalent of the English word gallery). The space is to be used for offices.
