Stanley - Road, Aberford Road & Greenhill Road

In Wakefield, West Yorkshire, the Coliseum Cinema opened in November 1920. It was converted to sound in early-1930, showing its first sound film, "The Broadway Melody" on 21st April 1930. In 1933 the cinema was acquired by Walter Eckart's Star Cinemas group. Following a £2,000 transformation, which included a new screen and new Kalee projectors with BTH sound, it re-opened as the Star Cinema on 4th December 1933 with Laurel & Hardy in "Fra Diavolo". In 1945 Star sold the cinema to Park Row Cinemas Ltd. for £2,000. Its name was changed to the Rex Cinema.

The Rex Cinema closed on 7 February 1959 with, rather ironically, "The Killing", starring Sterling Hayden and Coleen Gray. It became a ballroom, the Rex Rendezvous, before moving over to bingo. By December 1998, when my photograph was taken, it had become the Rex Snooker and Pool Club.

By 2012 it had become the Vegas Sports Bar, and the façade has been covered with metal cladding.

I still live nearby after coming to Wakefield aged 5 in 1957 to our shop 106 Stanley road, I knew the Rex as a cinema, a dance hall and a bingo hall, at that time there was a long row of houses attached and a shop on the corner, of Jacobswell lane.

I remember the Rex as a cinema, a Saturday morning mini mecca for kids with a sandwich bar and glitter ball, a bingo hall and a ballroom, THE REX RENDEZVOUS. I remember dancing under the glitter ball, spinning on the ceiling and going up the steps to the little coffee bar for a drink and a sandwich.

We waited in our shop for rhe Bingo rush, as the bus stop was just outside our shop and the crowd would belt across the road, all wanting to be served before their bus came. We were an Off licence by then, so stayed open late. Happy days!

I remember the REX being many things but when it was a ballroom it was owned, or leased, by the MORLEYS, they ended up being something to do with the MISS WORLD contests. My Grandma used to cook them both large Sunday dinners delivered across to them. She charged them 2/6d.

We recall a smallish gentleman (nick-named tuppeny) who used to keep order in the picture house. He would walk up and down the two aisles shining his torch and shout out to any offender(s)to keep quiet. It was a sign of the times that he was usually obeyed. He also checked the rear emergency exit to ensure it had not been quietly opened to let in friends without payment.

I used to go to the Rex when it was a ballroom, learnt to dance there, took ballroom and Latin exams there, competed there and taught there, happy days.xx.

Saturday afternoon matinees we’re great, I went there every week after buying sweets at one of the shops at the end of Jacobs Well Lane. Happy days!!

I was taken every night for about a week to see The Jolson Story starring Larry Parks as Al Jolson. I was about 8, so maybe 1947. I also remember being taken every night to the Savoy to see Scott of the Antarctic. It was about the same time. I reckon my family were just real film buffs, but as an eight year old, not my cup of tea, preferred Musicals.

I was a manager here 27 years ago when it was the Rex Bingo my 1st Boyfriend's dad Stuart Nuttall owned it, the company was called Rowanstem. We then changed it to a snooker club because the smoking ban killed bingo. My old office was in the old projection room

The manager of the bingo for decades was Shirley McBride who hailed from Alverthorpe. The club was once robbed back in the 90's by a gang who followed Shirley home broke into her house and stole the club keys, probably 1995 or 96.

I remember those days! Mum used to be picked up by bus to go to the Rex ? Tues nights. She won a tv one week!

William Bagnall was a prominent builder of Eastmoor and was responsible for much of the property. He lived on Stanley Road for a period and when the Cathedral spire was repaired Mr Bagnall was asked to go up and make sure the repairs had been carried our correctly.

This photograph shows the Co-op on Stanley Road but the house on the extreme right was where William Bagnall lived for a period. The house front was altered just prior to the 39/45 War when Stanley V. Potter changed the bay window into a shop front for his electrical business. Although the Buildings are now pulled down the tree still stands which was in the garden of the house with bay window.

About 1912 Eastmoor got it's own entertainment when William Bagnall built the Coliseum on Stanley Road just across the road from where he lived. In 1933 sound was installed and the name was changed to the Star. Eastmoor residents had there own cinema until 1959 by then its name had changed to the Rex. Since then the building has been used as a Bingo Hall, Dance Hall and is now a billiard hall. A programme for March 1957 gives forthcoming attractions like "The king and I" and "Don't Knock the Rock" with Bill Haley.

Stanley Vere Potter was the son of the manager of the Empire Theatre in Kirkgate and trained as an electrician with the Tram Company. When he married Gladys Godwin they set up home at 108 Stanley Road. Stanley set up his own business building and selling radios and charging batteries. He converted the bay window into a shop front. The business had to close in 1939 when war broke out. Stanley, being a skilled electrician had to work repairing public transport.

In the Kellys Directory of 1922 in the "Wakefield Private Residents" section was listed "Bagnall William, 108 Stanley Road". This was not far away from his brother Harry at 19 Stanley Road.

I always loved the old POST OFFICE, on STANLEY ROAD. It was formerly known as MOORE VILLA, and stood on the left hand edge of BAGNALL TERRACE. It's address was 108 STANLEY ROAD, and as our shop was 106, and was a ginnel and two doors away, means that PRICE'S SHOP and bungalow were new additions.

As MOORE VILLA it was lived in by the POTTER family and MR. POTTER was the one who altered the building to make it into a shop by adding a large front window, I believe it was electrical items he sold. I don't know if he retired, but I came to know them as the family who lived in the house at the back of the shop at 106, when my Granddad leased it as a lock-up shop, we still lived in ROYSTON then, and my uncle FREDDIE WILTSHIRE ran it.

Getting back to the POST OFFICE, when I came to live in our shop, in 1957, the POTTER family moved out and we lived in the house, A MR. THEWLIS had the POST OFFICE, though I think it was owned by MR. HARDWICK, who lodged with them, he also owned our shop.

As you went in the door, after walking past Bagnall terrace entrance and the large impressive house up a large set of steps, you could smell the age of the fittings, all wood. In front of you was a large glass case full of envelopes string ,ink and other stationery items, but to the right was the case I loved, full of pen gift sets and BASILDON BOND writing sets.

From the left corner MR. THEWLIS would appear, walking down a wooden staircase with handrail and come to the long wooden counter. It was always special for me, going in there, I suppose it was because it wasn't a place you went in every day, and I always felt quite grown-up, to be allowed to go and send a parcel.

The PIECE" was the area below our house, 18 RAWLINGS YARD, opposite the "FOX AND GRAPES" it was used as a parking area by the many ballroom dancers that came to the REX, In the 60. We used to look in the back of the cars and marvel at the beautiful dresses.

Hi Richard

During a recent project I helped with, "180 years of Eastmoor: its people and their houses" the project leader Joanne Harrison provided us with some building plans obtained from the West Yorkshire History Centre in Wakefield. I have attached six plans to this email and I will attach a further six to a second email. These are the ones that are Bagnall related.

Sorry for the large file sizes (too big to attach to one email!)

If you have not seen them before, I hope they may be of some interest and use.

Best regards - Dave (Russ)

"Quizzed an older local resident abt Bagnall Buildings he hadn't heard the name applied to a terrace of houses but informed me that a Mr Bagnall built & lived at 174 Aberford Rd (situated between 2 of the terrace blocks) & that Mr Bagnalls son later lived at this address."