Did you know Norfolk had all these cinemas 100 years ago?

It wasn’t until the end of 1922 that radio came along followed by those expensive television sets.

So it was the flickering silent films which people queued to watch – in amazement. A window into another world in places run by a collection of enterprising characters across the county.

The Empire Cinema in Great Yarmouth. Photo: Archant Library (Image: Archant Library)

As Norfolk cinema historian Stephen Peart explained in his book What happened to the Cinema Near You? published in 1996, the early cinemas were built for silent films and then converted when the “talkies” came along in 1929.

Many of the first picture houses have been forgotten about so let’s take a peep at some of the places where you could have a night at the “flicks” in Norfolk of 1922.

Attleborough – the Cinema/Regal, Exchange Street, opened 1919.

Aylsham – the West End, Penfold Street, and the Town Hall, Market Place, both opened 1921.

Burnham Market – the Electric/Cosy, Herrings Lane, opened 1913.

Cromer – Regal, Hans Place, opened 1914.

The Regal Cinema at Cromer, with Cromer church in the background. Dated February 1985/ (Image: Archant Library)

Dereham (East) - Picture Palace, Norwich Street, opened 1915.

Diss – Picture House, Victoria Road, opened 1916.

Lost cinemas. Pictured: Diss Picture House. Picture: Supplied (Image: Supplied)

Downham Market – Electric, Paradise Road, 1913.

Fakenham – Cinema, Norwich Road. (1916) and the Electric Pavilion/Regal, Holt Road (1920).

Fakenham cinema, 1976. Picture: Archant Library (Image: Archant Library)

Fred Williams, projectionist, and George Mayes, manager on the last day of Fakenham Cinema Dated -- October 1976 (Image: Archant Library)

Gorleston – Pavilion, Pavilion Road, 1908. Filmland, Beach Road, 1913. Coliseum, High Street, 1913.

Great Yarmouth – The Gem/Windmill, Marine Parade, 1908. Empire, Marine Parade, 1911. Regent, Regent Road, 1914. Central/Plaza, Market Place, 1915. Royal Aquarium/Royalty/Hollywood, Marine Parade, 1914. Hippodrome, St George’s Road, opened as a circus also showing films in 1903.

Regent Cinema on Regent Road at Great Yarmouth Dated August 1979 (Image: Archant Library)

Harleston – Picture House, Market Place, 1920.

Holt – The Cinema, High Street, 1916.

Hunstanton – Mikado, seafront, 1920. Town Hall, The Green, 1896. Electric Theatre, Broad Street, 1911. Empire, Broad Street, 1913. St James Theatre, County Court Road, 1921.

Mattishall – Electric, Dereham Road & Burgh Lane, 1916.

Watch this space as we continue our visits to Norfolk cinemas one hundred years ago. The year one of the Norwich picture palaces, which opened in 1912, closed. This was the Prince of Wales on Prince of Wales Road which became the Grosvenor Rooms where The Beatles played in the 1960s.

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