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By
David
Wellington's Largest Picture Theatre Lascelles

oday shops and offices picture the
Tlandscape of Willis Street in
Wellington’s CBD, capped off by the
Majestic Tower - a monument in name
only to a theatre which rose like a
phoenix from the ashes to become the
capital’s largest picture palace - Fullers
Majestic.
Early in 1912 a group of
businessmen formed a company to take
over the Electric Theatre. After
renovations they renamed it the
‘Adelphi’, opening on 21 May 1912.
October 1913 saw another makeover
before re-opening as the ‘Empress’ on
18 October 1913 under ownership of
Canadian-born Australian showman J.D.
Williams. Within a few years Williams
had sold out to Fullers and some years
later on 12 April 1928 the exhibition
arm of New Zealand Picture Supplies,
Fuller-Hayward, closed the theatre.
The 1920s were a decade of growth
and expansion for cinema in New
Zealand. Existing houses and locations
were being upgraded with bigger more
modern theatres constructed around the
country; each of the five major chains
was competing to outdo each other. At
the time those chains were Williamson
Films, Fuller-Hayward Theatres,
Kemball Theatres, Thomas O'Brien
Theatres and John Fuller and Sons. All
embarked on ambitious programmes to
satisfy a public that demanded more,
none more so than Fuller-Hayward.
Rising from the ruins of the old
Empress at a cost of £180,000 emerged
the mighty Majestic, a new modern
theatre with seating for 2,500. (Despite
The Majestic had seen better days – November 1984 a few months after closure. newspaper reports, actual seating was
Photo:David Lascelles Collection.
around 2,350.)

Creating an atmosphere of Friendliness, Hospitality and Good Cheer in and about
the Theatres under their control is the aim of the Fuller-Hayward management ...
-Opening Programme

22 2010 CINEMARECORD