Page 14 - CR31R.pdf

As directories were usually one
year behind, it would appear that the
Richmond Theatre probably ceased
functioning as such during 1926. At
this stage, the building became the
Richmond Temple of the Pentecostal
Church and fulfilled that role until
June 1989.
At some stage prior to 1962, the
ornate front of the building facing
Bridge Road was modernized, with
the façade being remodelled to better
represent a church building. It is
possible that there were also internal
alterations at the time. However, the
Gleadell Street (or west) side of the
building was not altered greatly and
retained telltale evidence that the
building had once been a theatre.
By 1987 the Pentecostal Church
had outgrown its Richmond premises
and secured a warehouse in nearby The ‘Crystal Palace’ in 1900. Photo: Kevin Adams Collection

Griffiths Street to develop as its future
home. The Bridge Road property (ex
Richmond Theatre) was sold in
October 1987 but, by arrangement with
the purchaser, the church continued to
occupy its former building as a tenant
until such time as the Griffiths Street
premises were ready for occupancy.
This was in June 1989.
The Richmond Cinema was
located at 313 Bridge Road, a little
west of the Town Hall. It was
constructed as the Crystal Palace
Skating Rink around 1900 and was
converted to a cinema around 1920.
Conversion of this building from a
roller-skating rink would explain the
vast capacity of 2,406 seats, long flat
stalls, recessed dress-circle area and
unlined, lattice only ceiling. It was
possibly rebuilt in 1926/27 and Hoyts
Theatres operated The Cinema from
this time until its closure in 1958. It
subsequently became a car showroom
and, after further alterations, now
houses a “Barbeques Galore” store.
Just why the Richmond Theatre
closed is not clear. It could be that the
Pentecostal Church wanted a home in
the area and offered an acceptable
price to the owners. Or perhaps the
owners could see difficult times ahead,
so far as the continuity of a supply of
suitable films, once the Richmond
Cinema opened.
Almost from the start, (according
to a report I once sighted), the
distribution of motion pictures in
Hoyts Richmond ‘Cinema’. The old Richmond Theatre can just be seen 3 doors away on Australia was confined mainly to
the same side of the street exhibitors with chains of theatres and

14 2002 CINEMARECORD