~ Gallery - Amenities ~
Cinema
The Jack Darby Picture House.
Situated on the main Dudley Road, A459, Upper Gornal.
The Picture House opened in 1911 and was one of the first in the area.
1950
Kinematograph Year Book, 1950
The premises was originally built as a Public Hall in 1882 and a little later also used as a Drill Hall, after which it was converted into a Picture House, it was known locally as 'Jack Darbys' after the original Picture House proprietor, it was also called the 'Blood Tub' (due the regularity of horror movies no doubt),
The Sedgley tram depot occupied the side and rear of the building.
The Cinema closed in 1960.
The cinema, now closed and unloved in the above photo as a trolleybus passes by The Leopard on its way to Dudley.
1983 Advert
County Wallpapers who had other stores in the region, moved their head-office to the old cinema in 1962.
The building remained an independent wallpaper and decorating store trading from here for many years
'Super D' took over in 1974, continuing with decorating and DIY, later it reverted to trading as 'County Wallpapers'.
Since 2017 it has become a furniture store.
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