Bishopwearmouth, Crowtree Road, Kings Theatre

HER Number:
13554

District:
Sunderland

Site Name:
Bishopwearmouth, Crowtree Road, Kings Theatre

Place:
Bishopwearmouth

Map Sheet:
NZ35NE

Class:
Recreational

Site Type: Broad:
Music Speech and Dance Venue

Site Type: Specific:
Theatre

General Period:
Modern

Specific Period:
C20

Form of Evidence:
Demolished Building

Description:
The theatre opened on 24th December 1906. In 1913 it showed the first moving pictures in the town and in 1915 the first Kinemacolour film. It screened its first "talkie" film on the 26th January 1930. The theatre was taken over by the Black Brothers in 1918. During WW2 it hosted evening shows as well as showing films. It was very badly damaged during a bombing raid in 1943 and left derelict for ten years before being demolished in 1953. When built the theatre was flat fronted in line with other buildings on the street and had no protruding entrance way to distinguish it from other buildings on either side. Crowtree Lesiure Centre was built on the site (now demolished).

Easting:
393

Northing:
570

Grid Reference:
NZ393570

Lats/Lons:

Sources:
Anderson, A. (1995) A century of Sunderland Cinemas; Archaeological Research Services, 2015, Crowtree Leisure Centre site, Sunderland - Archaeological Assessment