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woollen blanket in the cabinet where the
bioscope apparatus was used”.

After that incident, the theatre’s career seemed
to be uneventful, still being under the control
of Robert McLeish. In the late 1930s the
theatre seating was reduced from 1,316 to
1,272.
It does seem that there were some changes
taking place at managerial level. A letter to the
City of Melbourne Town Clerk, dated 3 June
1938, advised that the Newmarket Picture
Theatre Limited appoints the following to be
enrolled in place of the corporation on the
Citizen’s Roll: Robert McLeish, Georgina
Hore and Robert James McLeish.
Robert McLeish remained in control of the
Newmarket theatre until his death in 1953.
McLeish theatre interests continued under his
son Robert McLeish Junior. A group of nondescript shop fronts occupy the site today.

Company correspondence dated 1955, shows In replying to a shareholder in September to venturing into moving picture exhibition.
the property to be owned by Newmarket 1959, the Company Secretary, stated that “the His first theatre was the Northcote Theatre a
Picture Theatre Limited and it to be leased to Moving Picture Industry is at a very low ebb.” sister theatre to the Moonee Ponds Theatre.
Newmarket Theatre Partnership, which at that He further stated that “Early this year, owing The Northcote Theatre still stands and is a
time was conducted on a 50-50 basis by the to a falling off in takings, we were obliged to heritage listed building.
Estate of the late Georgina Hore and the Estate close the theatre which remained empty for
of the late Robert McLeish. some time – it is now leased for picture In addition to Newmarket, McLeish also
exhibition part-time only.” acquired the Austral Theatre, Collingwood,
and the original Rivoli Theatre, Camberwell.
The Newmarket reopened that year as the In the late 1930s in association with Hoyts, he
Vesuvio Cinema, a continental film house, built the stunning New Rivoli, Camberwell,
specialising in a mixture of Italian and English and the Regal Theatre, Hartwell.
language films, under the direction of Sam de
It seems Petro. It struggled along until June 1960, Both Robert McLeish and Harry Gyles were
that about this time, the during which time screenings were reduced to notable Cinema Pioneers. ✶
Public Health Department became involved three nights a week, after which it closed again.
and wanted the management to install It was used short term as a dance hall and as a Notes:
additional ladies’ conveniences. As well, the wedding function centre prior to its demolition.
theatre needed the floor replaced. * The Life of a Jackaroo was an early Australian
Company correspondence dated 29 December drama produced by Franklyn Barrett, and is now a
The Newmarket was one of Melbourne’s first 1964 shows that the Health Department had Lost Film and is officially listed as a silent film. How
suburban cinemas to install CinemaScope, condemned the property, and the tenants had the Newmarket managed to advertise it and
opening on Thursday 9 December 1954 with vacated the building in 1962. The property was presumably add sound, one can only speculate on.
The Robe, which was followed quickly by a sold in February 1964 to Heller Developments
number of other CinemaScope blockbusters, Pty Ltd for the sum of £21,000 ($42,000), the
including Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, theatre having been passed in at auction at an Additional Information:
Three Coins in the Fountain, Beneath the 12 earlier time. By the date of the letter, the
Mile Reef, and How to Marry a Millionaire. purchaser had demolished the theatre and had Les Tod
built an arcade of shops on the site. Ross King
It is well known that the introduction of Ian Smith
television in 1956, devastated the Cinema A wonderful Edwardian façade was lost to Flemington Heritage website
Industry in the years that followed. The Newmarket and replaced by nondescript shop
Newmarket Theatre suffered along with most fronts. Robert McLeish, a singer of some
other theatres, closing in 1959. renown, had conducted vaudeville shows with
Harry Gyles (Moonee Ponds Theatre) prior

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