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The Eclipse,
The Eclipse,
Port Melbourne
Port Melbourne
The People’s Favourite
By Noel Kerr
The hinges on the almost worn out
letterbox on the front fence of number
10 Garton Street Port Melbourne Drawing by Les Tod
creaked as the lid was raised and a
hand retrieved the contents. It was early After the introductions the six piece shareholders are promised in the
October in 1924. orchestra - piano, violin, bass, drums, Prospectus set forth in another part of
A quick glance informed May cornet and clarinet – played selections the paper.’ On offer were 12,000
Trumble that amongst the mail was a to the delight of the audience. At cumulative preference shares of £1
brochure heralding the opening of a interval, praise could be heard for the each, and 18,000 ordinary shares of £1,
new picture theatre, the Eclipse in ‘American-style’ design, and the ‘lift’ a total of £30,000. The shares were
Crockford Street. The theatre was just that this acquisition would give to Port. payable at 2/6 on application, 5/- on
around the corner from where May, her The opening of a picture theatre in allotment and the balance in calls.
sister Dorothy and parents Rita and Jim 1924 was a major event. The competing Gilbert Macpherson Johnstone was
Trumble (my grandparents) had lived entertainments were live theatre (not Chairman of Directors and his
for the greater part of their lives. They much of it in the suburbs), radio and colleagues were James Duncan,
had been anticipating a notice such as dancing. The ritual of booking, often Frederick Nomens, William Hugh
this, having followed the gradual for the whole family, and dressing-up Harper and Arthur Page. Five thousand
construction over many months. was part of the glamour of a night out. shares of £1 each were to be issued to
After much deliberation that A special dispensation for the the promoters as fully paid up.
evening, the whole family decided to bayside area allowed the Eclipse to Herewold G. Kirkpatrick, architect
book for the opening night on 25 open of a Sunday evening, much to the and consulting engineer submitted the
October 1924, at 7.30 pm when an ‘all delight of the residents of Port who plans for approval in April 1924. The
star feature programme would be could take a cable tram to the front theatre was ready six months later. His
submitted for their approval.’ What to door. To the locals the Eclipse was the practical design was one of the first in
wear was discussed for this very special Rolls Royce of theatres, far above the Melbourne to show that cinema
evening when a six-piece orchestra standard of the opposition Port and the specifications could be fitted to a
would ‘fit and follow each picture with Ozone (the town hall). ‘tapered’ site. It would be another ten
beautiful music symbolic to the action Plans for an Eclipse theatre were years before other theatres on
on the screen.’ first made public in September 1923 asymmetric allotments would be seen
The Trumbles joined a buzz of when Mr. A. L. Page and other in the suburbs.
activity at the theatre. Ladies were businessmen of Montague and Port The original seating plan for the
dressed in their finest and many of the Melbourne placed an offer in the local Eclipse was 1,176 in the stalls and 379
men wore dinner suits. Some paraded paper The Record. Their advertisement for the circle, a total of 1,555 persons.
in constant motion to be seen by those urged people living in the area to take In the publicity of the time it was usual
who mattered. up shares in a new picture theatre, to exaggerate the seating capacity
The theatre was officially opened by stating that ‘handsome profits for (compare the total above with the
the Mayor of Port Melbourne,
Councillor P. F. Murphy.
Sharing the stage were the
directors of the Eclipse
Picture Theatre Limited.
Amongst the
congratulations and
plaudits was the
announcement that
contracts had been secured
to show films from
Paramount, Fox, Universal
and United Artists.
As was often the case, the sketch for the Prospectus was more grandiose than the reality (top).
14 2004 CINEMARECORD