Page 34 - CinemaRecord Edition 3-2003 #41

The Prince Edward, Woburn

A theatre with an original décor suited local sensibilities,
and matched a tourist's image of rural New Zealand.
by Tony Froude

The theatre, on Cambridge Terrace
Lower Hutt, was on the corner opposite
the Woburn Railway Station, within
walking distance of a significant
residential area. Designed by WJ
Prouse, architect of the Majestic
Wellington, assisted by Mr Wilson, it
opened on 26 August 1930.
The opening was performed by the
Mayor of Lower Hutt, Sir Alexander
Roberts. ‘The picture screen, to his
mind, was developing in the right
direction. The people of the district had
no need to go elsewhere to find a
(1)
beautiful theatre.’
The Chairman of Directors Mr J The walls were draped to enhance
Toogood also spoke. He thanked the the sound presentation. As part of the
architects and contractors and made the hunting lodge theme, two open hearths
claim that “…there was no other theatre - one either side of the stage - had
of like design in New Zealand.” In the electric simulated fires, although they
interval Mr J.W.Andrews rose from the actually hid the central heating
audience calling for three cheers for the appliances fed by coal. The chief
management, which received a hearty projectionist for 30 years, Les
response. The Honourable Walter Nash, Bloomfield remembers how the boilers
Member for the district and later Prime sometimes filled the auditorium with
Minister, also spoke before the start of smoke, ruining image clarity. From my
the feature, Radio Pictures’ Alias experience this problem was common
(1)
French Gertie. in the South Island also.
The projectors were Ernemann 2 Downstairs the seats were a mixture
(2)
models, with Fisher soundheads. of hide and plush upholstery. Upstairs
‘Viewed from the outside the was reached by way of a wide staircase One of the impressive coach lamps
imposing and massive structure gives a to a lounge hung with old English Enhancement: Barrie Wraith
good idea of the spacious interior. The tapestries. The adjoining circle featured As an extra revenue earner the
main entrance on the comer leads rich drapes and deep pile carpet. Green building had four shops and two flats,
directly into a large auditorium where palms, we read, added to 'the cool one of them used by the manager. Les
wide aisles and cosy seating shows that delightful appearance of the lounge'. told me that initially the Prince
the management has not considered box Upstairs in the auditorium, thick Edward was not a great money spinner
receipts at the expense of patron ease carpets were laid on the stair risers and due to the Depression and the number
’(3)
and comfort. the seats were upholstered in moquette. of cinemas in the valley, but its fortunes
The cloakrooms were excellently
The theatre was planned on the improved when it turned to double
appointed, and the theatre had the latest
lines of an English hunting lodge - features on a flat fee basis. In the 1937
in talkie equipment.
heavy drapes, deer heads on the walls refit, seating was reduced from 1,000 to
and dark-stained beams. This rural, old- Initially the Prince Edward only 850. With 600 seats permanently
world appearance was unique in a operated on Tuesdays, Thursdays and booked on Saturday night, only 250
(4)
cinema in New Zealand, even though it Saturdays. Les remembers that when more tickets needed to be sold to get a
suits an image of New Zealand as the it opened the seats were fastened by full house. At the same time it gained
mountain haunt of deer. one-inch thick boards in groups of five. the nickname The Barn, not exactly the
As movies were only on three nights a
Perhaps the Tudor in Remuera sort of endearment a cinema manager
week the theatre was used for other
(Auckland), built by Hayward Pictures, would like to hear.
purposes, and for a time badminton was
came closest to the same idea. The curtain was a waterfall type, but
played downstairs with the seats shifted
Suspended from the beams were six the drums over which the cables ran
to the back of the stalls. Following the
electric chandeliers, while wall lighting were not sufficiently grooved, and from
renovation of 1937 it switched to six
was from coach lights on scroll time to time gave trouble. Les
days a week.
brackets. remembers that there were also curtains
34 2009 CINEMARECORD