Page 22 - CinemaRecord #76C

Bijou and Gaiety Theatres, Melbourne. Harry Gratton Jnr at the Padua Theatre in 1968.
Melbourne Gaiety, Interior.
Brunswick Empire.
Padua Theatre, Brunswick.
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Harry Gratton - Junior. Having attained his Cinematograph
Operators Licence, Harry moved to a
Born in July 1909 in Manchester (England), succession of theatres in the Hoyts/
Harry Jnr. was the second child and first son Associated chain, including the Gaiety
of Harry and Florrie Gratton. Bourke Street in 1929; Lyric Fitzroy;
Cinema Richmond; back to the Empire
At around age 12, Harry contracted Polio Brunswick; Mayfair Bourke Street
leaving him with a physical disability to Melbourne; Barkly Footscray in 1934;
one of his legs. The disability restricted Plaza Essendon 1935 and Circle
Harry in some activities although he Essendon 1950 where he remained until
was a very good swimmer, and when old the theatre closed in December 1966.
enough to have a licence, a competent
motorcyclist. This was followed by a short stint at
the Trocadero Footscray until it closed
He often told of his youthful exploits, in March 1967 which was immediately
when he and his mate, Harry Arney followed by sixteen months at the Padua
(who also became a projectionist) would Brunswick until its closure under Hoyts,
ride their motorbikes along Sydney in July 1968.
Rd in Brunswick and grab homeward-
bound workers kitbags from the open For his “day” job Harry worked for many
doorways of moving trams then return years at the Hoyts publicity despatch at
the bags when they were further the rear of Melbourne’s DeLuxe/Esquire
down the road. Theatre in Bourke Street. This was
followed by a long period at Val Morgan
His start in the picture business at age 15 & Sons, Elizabeth Street until 1965.
happened on the 20 October 1924, when
th
his father, Harry Snr, arrived home that In his final years of employment, having
afternoon and told Harry Jnr, “you start run out of theatres - Harry worked
at the Empire tonight!” in the accounts section of Repco in
Elizabeth Street.
In the late 60’s Harry and his wife Una,
went on an around the world cruise.
While having an extended stay in
England, Harry returned to Manchester
to visit his old home. Once there he could
not get over just how small and confined
were the streets and house in which the
family had lived all those years before.
The Grattons had three sons, none of
whom had any desire to follow their father
or grandfather into the picture business.
After a short illness, Harry Jnr. passed
away in June 1988.