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Voices of the Hunter

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Jack Delaney

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Voices of the Hunter

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Cessnock, NSW

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Sam Robinson (c. 1910-1992) - Managed cinemas. Recorded 12 June 1982. Part 1/2.

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SummarySAM ROBINSON
Recorded 12 June 1982
Part 1 of 2

0:31
Born in Victoria. His father was the General Secretary of the Plate Mill Employee's Union. Travelled due to his father’s work. Bill Murdoch was in the War and finished up in charge of all the military police. He and Alec Husband were in charge of the 13th Battalion for years. Talk of Murdoch's produce business, Sam’s father bought a fourth share in the business then bought them out but "went broke" in 1923 strike. He was in debt for five thousand pounds. Sam thinks it was called the "Major Crane" strike in 1923.

2:56
Lived at Junction Hotel with mother’s sister and her other sister in Patrick Street lived with them for two and a half months. Worked selling papers in Newcastle in November 1920. Came to Kurri Kurri at end of January 1921, and at the end of February began work at Miners' Theatre in Kurri at the back of Chelmsford Hotel, run by E.K. Lambert. Sam worked for the miners first as a "spool boy", what his work entailed, the assistant operator was "Snitch" Peters. Recalls pulling down covers when it was raining and an accident while working.

5:36
In Kurri there was the Lewis' Hall picture theatre, ran by Mrs Lewis, Miner’s, King's Theatre run by Peter Olsen, Bob Galloway had a two story place near the school and Bill had the electrical shop, they had The Royal Theatre. Kings Theatre was built by P. Murdoch, in 1917 and the issues. In 1923 Peter Olsen formed the Kurri Kurri & South Maitland Amusement Company, they built the King’s theatre up so they could show eisteddfods there.

7:58
When King’s opened they had the open air picture theatre called "The Garden", if it rained you would go inside to the King’s. One of the early films was "Over the Hill". They used to have boxing held at "The Garden" and the Royal Theatre. The seating capacity of Royal Theatre. The building of the School of Arts Theatre, "Nobby" Kirkwood managed it. The first sound pictures in Kurri was the later end of 1928, a travelling road show owned by Hoyts. Sound system was installed in March of 1929. Closure of Royal Theatre in 1931. Before that, in 1924, they sold it to Kurri Company and Sam was the Royal Theatre operator and was paid a guinea for three hours work when he was not even 15 years old. Closure of School of Arts pictures around the War days, then the closure of King's Theatre the night when Sam opened the drive-in at Heddon Greta in 19th of December 1967. Ted Horne was a licensee when they still had the Kings and leased it to him.

12:49
Phelan's travelling picture show, they had a truck and would book a hall, sometime before 1920. Type of lights used in the different theatres. Sam went up to Reg Henry and got a pipe specially made for the Royal. Dave Beveridge's had a picture show at Pelaw Main and took his truck out to Neath. Weston had the Olympia picture theatre, and an open-air theatre, where it was located. 17:52 President of the Kersley Shire Council was Bill Vardey, through him Sam took the lease of the school of arts. Olympia Theatre was the first to close down. The reason for the closure of Weston theatre. Sheddon's Hall would have been hosted by Phelan’s travelling theatre during the first War. At Abermain the theatre called the Star was run by Jim Garrett. His brother Ernie Garrett owned the Australia Hotel

20:55
Star Theatre built in 1916. Talk of the theatres and the people who ran them, when they put the sound into their theatre, when they bought Abermain. Theo Bradstreet managed the sound for them, for seven years. Just before the War they sold it to Ken Waller who had previously been the manager of Armstrong & Royce's joinery at Cessnock. Ken had it for three years before he sold it to Keith O'Donnell.

23:42
Keith put a skating rink in at Abermain. Lowe Brothers ran Paxton picture theatre, Jack, Jimmy and John. Joe Lowe leased Star Theatre at Aberdare. Fred Hallam had Paxton Theatre lease, his brother Frank Hallam is Sam’s brother-in-law. Location of Craft's picture show, and the fire that destroyed it in 1929. Sam went to Cessnock in 1932. Those that worked with them and recalling switching films between the theatres. The first pictures were in the original Empire Theatre, Strand was built, and one at McCulloch's blacksmith shop at Cessnock. Harry Smythe ran the Empire with his brother, a Greek ran the Strand Theatre. There was a week difference between the opening of the Wentworth and the Empire Theatre around September of 1923.

32:46
The Davis’s built the Regent Theatre, Ray’s mother built it. Jones owned the West End theatre, he also built it. It ran from 1923 to 1932. Recalls selling of The Star of West End Theatre, Davis refused to sell to Jack Smith so Sam had to get creative so they could purchase it for six thousand pounds. Peter Olsen temporarily held the lease before they bought it. The shares they had in the Union Theatre, and the company they leased and bought Star Theatre from Joe Lowe in 1931 for ten thousand pounds. Building of Boggs’ theatre.

40:19
End (Tape 239/Side A) Part 1 of 2. Last edited by: Dave Trimble

SubjectKurri Kurri (N.S.W.)Motion picture theaters -- New South Wales -- Kurri KurriMotion picture theaters -- New South Wales -- CessnockMotion picture theaters -- New South Wales -- MaitlandCinemasCessnock (N.S.W.)Maitland (N.S.W.)Picture showsRobinson, Samuel George, c. 1910-1992 Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

PersonJack Delaney Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

CreatorRobinson, Samuel George, c. 1910-1992CollectionVoices of the Hunter Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

PlaceCessnock, NSW Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

Date Created12th June 1982Location^[1]Cessnock, NSW Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

^[2]Maitland, NSW Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

^[3]Kurri Kurri, NSW Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

Identifier239A Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

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