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We had two Cinema's in Norton, an old one called the Avenue and a nice new one called the Modern. We kids spent some time in those cinema's, I got my first kiss off Christine P, for taking her to the fourpenny rush. We did live dangerously when you think we all thought that kissing a girl made her have a baby.
Saturday morning was the Two penny rush at the Avenue or the Four penny rush at the Modern, same films same kids just more refined screaming.
I was allowed to go to the cinema in Norton on my own if there was a big picture I wanted to see though we usually went as a family, often going to Stockton were there were five cinema's. One had an organ that rose up from the floor and made wonderful music. We would take a bus down for the early show followed often by fish and chips or hot baked potato's and even at the right time hot chestnuts. I really enjoyed those nights though they were curtailed during the early war years.
I had gone to the Avenue on this particular night and remember it was a gung ho swashbuckler with a second film or "B" picture and the news. There were two shows a night and the program changed twice a week.
As the film was ending the sirens went, the lights came up and an announcement was broadcast that we were not to leave the cinema.
We sat a long time and nothing happened so they started to show the big film again, I did not mind that at all. They then showed the "B" picture and the news once more. The audience was getting restless by then, I had visions of my mother crashing into the cinema and dragging me home sirens or not.
They then found some old cartoons and played those and all hell broke loose overhead. We could hear the planes over the sound track and the guns were banging away. I think the mobile Bofer's guns must have been on the road outside the noise they made.
Have you ever tried watching a film from under a seat, I can guarantee it makes your neck ache.
The all clear finally went after hours in that cinema and as we all piled out Dad the Fire Watcher was standing there waiting for me, thank goodness for that as Mum in her panic always clipped my ear first then asked what had happened, I knew my ear was safe that night.
Both Cinema's are still there, the Modern became the Fiesta Night club and we saw many famous faces on that stage before it became a kids dance club then a drug house. It is now being converted into a church.
The old Avenue is a bingo hall and has been for many a year but each time I pass them the memories of the Fourpenny and the Twopenny rush plus that night we saw the big film at least two and a half times still flood back. I see Pearl White tied to that railway track every week always managing to be rescued in the nick of time, I also wonder what happened to Christine my first love and first real kiss, great days for us kids, even with a war on.
Frank Mee Researcher 241911

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