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PETER RICKETTS - Cinema Runs in the Family by Tony Tibballs

live in Fairfield, Vic. and buy my
Inewspapers at the local newsagent. When I
moved to the area in the late 1990s, I had no
idea that this business was located in the former
local cinema building. I decided to do some
research at the CATHS Archive on the
Fairfield Theatre. In the file I found an oral
history recording from 1999 by Peter Ricketts,
a CATHS member, with his mother, uncle and
a long-time childhood friend about this theatre.

Peter now lives in Moe, 130 km east of
Melbourne, and is a retired electronic
technician and projectionist. I decided to visit
Peter to find if he had further information, and
was soon fascinated by his own story.
Peter Ricketts was born in 1942 in Melbourne,
growing up in the suburb of Fairfield, near his
mother’s family.
Peter has very early but vivid memories of
being taken to the Fairfield Theatre in nearby
Station Street by his grandfather as a very
young pre-school boy. His grandfather, on his
mother’s side, was William ‘Old Bill’ Davies,
employed by the McLeish Theatres as the
caretaker from the late 1920s till 1948, Peter Ricketts, c. 1960
becoming a Fairfield ‘identity’. All the Davies
family had spent many hours there in all types
of roles, at some time or another, either As a young teenager, and due to his family After recommendations from his teachers, Peter
assisting in the cleaning or other duties involved upbringing, he loved going to the local cinema. was apprenticed to Ditchburn’s Electrical shop
in the smooth running of the cinema. Peter He says he continually pestered the owner of that was repairing and servicing TVs and other
remembers seeing his first projected images on the Broadway Theatre in Rosebud, then run appliances, as well as also pursuing his other
the big screen and being shown the bio-box and by Frank Whitaker and his son Lloyd, for passion, to be a trainee projectionist. This also
projectors that created this mesmerising offcuts of 35mm film to stick on his window to involved placing the ‘Coming Attractions’
movement of sight and sound. This was the start illuminate the image, or to be allowed to see advertising posters around the Peninsula. Under
of Peter’s fascination with film. Apparently all inside the projection room. the tutelage of Frank Whitaker at the
the family had access to see any film screenings Broadway, he was urged not to be a smoker,
in the rear seats of the stalls, just in front of the The Broadway had opened for Christmas in as this would jeopardise his future path in the
projection room at any time. Peter’s mother and 1928. Frank Whitaker took over before World cinema industry in Frank’s eyes. It was a fire
sister, spent many hours helping their father at War 2. To reach the auditorium, you entered a safety and employment security warning rather
the Fairfield Theatre, and loved collecting the passageway between two shops that fronted the than a personal health warning!
promotional ‘lobby’ cards. main street, where you would meet the
ticket box window on one side, as there was Former Broadway, Rosebud
(See more information in Peter Ricketts’ no real foyer. The cinema had a high,
articles: “Through the Porthole’ in CR 44 & A-framed roof with exposed girder beams.
47). It also had 1930s Art Moderne features at
each side of the stage/screen, as well as at
Peter’s father, Morris Ricketts, a plumber by the rear. The projection box was set far back
profession, moved to Rosebud where Peter on the roof, exposed to the full impact of
started school. It soon became apparent he had the northern sun, which would have been
an aptitude for all things electrical and, by High close to unbearable on really hot days and
School, was the monitor for the school’s 16 mm nights. It seated 678 patrons in a stadium
projector and sound equipment. style seating arrangement.

Former Fairfield Theatre The Whitaker family had
started a local bus company in He had to attend night school in Melbourne to
1921, eventually running a service attain his electronic technician’s license and, by
from Rosebud to Melbourne in the 1970, was a member of the Television and
1930s and, in the 1940s, it was Electronic Technicians’ Institute of Australia.
known as the Portsea Passenger Peter was also a night watchman in his early
Service, taking in the popular adult life in the area. Night work was becoming
seaside holiday resort towns. It was the norm.
a great way of getting patrons to
the cinema, as well as catering for Finally, television took its toll on attendances
army servicemen from the at Rosebud, with the theatre forced to operate
Balcombe Army Camp at Mount on restricted screenings although still operating
Martha. full-time during holiday periods.

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