大象传媒

THE PRAM CINEMA

In 1940 I was just 14 years old and worked with Alf Jacobs a Cinema Projectionist at a small Cinema in Peckham South East London, we lived opposite each other about twenty minutes walk from the Cinema called 'Naborhood' formerly 'The Ideal' we were walking home one night chatting away about different things.
As we walked along Alf was ranting on about giving film shows in street shelters an idea he had been pondering for some time, we came across two surface shelters side by side, and he said let's see how many people get in there, we ventured into the first and found it was packed out, seemingly more than the thirty or so people than it was designed for , a warden in charge thinking we were seeking shelter from the air raid in progress, asked if we would go into the next shelter as they were so full, we had forgotten the air raid in progress, it being a common nightly occurrence at the time.
We looked in the other shelter and there were only about five or six people in there which really surprised us, but I suppose these were the few who for some reason didn't mix with the others, so we turned and proceeded towards home.
Suddenly a large figure of a man grabbed us by the arms and said I'm taking you to the Police Station, I think youv'e dropped from the sky, we said don't be so stupid! but Peckham Police Station was just along the road and after explaining all to the duty seargent the man said well you were acting suspiciously, so we went on our way.
Time passed and Alf started the film shows, with portable equipment and we usually managed two shows a night at selected sites, and to cover costs a collection was made, the people appreciating the entertainment which was about two hours duration, consisting of a feature film, and a couple of shorts, we drove around in a small car.
The equipment was a 9.5mm sound projector which we used till we had exhausted the supply on offer on this gauge, and were forced to change to 16mm, which gave us a much wider selection of film programs , we worked closely to Mr. Peel a Chief air raid warden in the peckham area, who found many sites for us to visit.
The selected shelters were visited every week,I mind we gave a show in Brayards road peckham a railway arch that had been converted into a shelter, the folk were very pleased and were looking to our next weeks visit, the week went by and we duly arrived at the shelter , hardly had we started to set up, when there seemed to be an unfriendly atmosphere about, we called the marshall in charge and asked what was wrong?, he said they believe your equipment can be detected by the enemy planes, just after you left us last week a large land mine was dropped close by, we said that was silly if it were the case all the cinemas would be bombed, and for what purpose? well they settled down we gave the show and we left there everybody had enjoyed the show and were pleased with the relaxation our films provided. Unfortunately a while later we learned another large bomb had landed nearby, needless to say we did not go back there again, thinking back it was obviously the railway was the target, and a shelter in the arches was not a good site, though many existed in London.
The shows were a success elsewhere then disaster, Alf was called up for service in the forces, I was not old enough to drive, so this seemed the end, suddenly he had a brainwave, he bought a pram, the early type large black model I carried on the shows with the help of a friend using this pram, but what a strange sight this must have been, thinking back, an air raid in progress, me with a tin hat on pushing the pram with its load of equipment, projector, films, record player and the screen which was rolled up in a black plastic waterproof bag and lie across the top of the pram it really did look like the barrell of a gun , Well once again I was ushered in to Peckham Police Station, this time by the police themselves, who got to know who we were, and the part we played in those troubled times, so we were able to carry on for quite sometime, it was really an exciting venture.
Almost a forgotten dream, but these were times we can never forget.
The Cinema we had worked in received it's fate one morning, a stick of five bombs was dropped in the area, and a direct hit on the building ended it's days, the front of the show , the projection room, the screen and stage were intact, the middle was one large crater, had the bomb been placed on the cinema it could not have been closer.
As I got older and grew up I worked in various cinemas until I too was called up for sevice in the Army, it would be almost four years before I was able to resume my cinema career, which I did on my return to civvy street.
Only those of you who lived in that time can remember the close comradeship, excitement and adventure that we had, and the speed we grew up in such troubled times, perhaps we don't miss the war, but the closeness of the people then we may never know again.
Sincerely.
TedDann.

漏 Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.