IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Barnsley Road, ROTHERHAM, S63 9AA

Dearne View. I guess it might just be possible from an upstairs window to catch a glimpse of the River Dearne but I very much doubt it. However you do get a good view of a Network Rail metal fence and the course of the former Dearne Valley Railway in its deep cutting.

Although the track has long since gone the substantial bridges which crossed it remain as can be seen by the riveted girder in the foreground. The gap in the trees on the right is where the Wath branch of the Hull and Barnsley Railway crossed. This was a short lived line, opening in 1902 and closing in 1933.

On Barnsley Road. Opened as the Hippodrome Theatre on 24th December 1912, two years after the nearby Empire Cinema. Built of brick with a cosy auditorium of circle and stalls, it stood next to the Goldthorpe Hotel, whose owner Mr S. Hamilton had the cinema built. The architect was a Mr A. Whittaker. Seating was for 1,000 – 450 in the circle and 550 in the stalls, although by 1932 seating was said to be for 974. In December 1914 the cinema was taken over by a Mr J.H. Doyle who renamed it as the Picture House on 18th December 1922. A British Acoustic Sound system was installed in 1930. In 1932 it was leased to a Mr E.H. West who also leased the Empire Cinema around this time. In 1957, it came under the Star Cinema Circuit along with the Empire Cinema. It was fitted out for Cinemascope with “Between Heaven And Hell” being the first ‘scope film screened at the Picture House in July 1955. The last films were a double Walt Disney programme – “101 Dalmatians” and “Kidnapped” shown on 5th January 1963. Five days later the Picture House became a Star Bingo Club, continuing until the late 1980’s. It was then used as a carpet warehouse. The above information was obtained from http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/25847 .