Bedford
Cinema History

Sources

You can find more information about the history of cinemas in Bedford at:

Bedford Library
Harpur Street, Bedford MK40 1PG
Tel. 01234 718178
Ask for the Local History section and the Heritage Library (NB the Heritage Library is open every Tuesday)

Bedfordshire Archives andRecords Service
BARS
Riverside Building, Borough Hall, Cauldwell Street, Bedford MK42 9AP
Tel. 01234 228833

Starting Points at Bedford Library
Each part of the project includes more detailed references but you might like to begin with these ~

George Peck. Bedfordshire Cinemas, Bedfordshire County Council, 1981

Philip Standley. Cinemas in Bedford 1898-1978, Bedfordshire Magazine, vol.17, pp.122-127 (Winter 1979)

Newspaper cuttings on cinema in Bedford. Check the newspaper cuttings filing cabinet under Bedford: cinemas, for information about individual cinemas, cinema proprietors, architecture and design, memories etc.

Press reports on cinema debuts (the newspapers are available on microfilm or as originals in bound copies in the Heritage Library)

Picturedrome
The New Picturedrome, Bedfordshire Times and Independent, Friday 6th May 1910 p.10
Palace
Easter Entertainments, Bedford Palace, Bedfordshire Mercury, 12th April 1912 p.8
Empire
Bedford Entertainments: The Empire, Bedfordshire Mercury, 31st May 1912 p.8
Plaza
The Plaza Bedford's New Entertainment Hall Opened, Bedfordshire Times and Independent, 8th March 1929 p.10
Granada
The Granada: arrangements for the opening ceremony, Bedfordshire Times and Independent, Friday 14th December 1934 p.13
Granada Opened, Bedfordshire Times and Independent, Friday 21st December 1934 p.10
Touchstone. The Many Cinema Successes of Ernest Blake: a tale of tenacity and skill, Bedfordshire Times and Standard 5th October 1956 p.10
Touchstone. The Astonishing Career of Ernest Blake: more about his early days, Bedfordshire Times and Standard 12th October 1956 p.8