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Issue 1 - June 2020

Introduction

The National Picture Theatre

The National Picture Theatre, Beverley Road, was designed for the Deluxe Theatre Company by architects Runton and Barry.  The cinema opened on 23rd December 1914.  It was reputed to be one of the city's most comfortable picture houses.  Every seat was upholstered in soft plush, "as cosy as father's easy chair at home" according to the advertising which accompanied its opening.  The Theatre's auditorium, which had a proscenium (screen window) opening of 24 feet, could seat 950 people in its stalls and balcony levels. Originally it had a 4-piece orchestra to provide musical accompaniment for the silent films.  In the 1930s a structure was added behind the screen to accommodate sound equipment.   Due to its significant heritage value The National Picture Theatre (NPT) site was listed Grade II on 2nd January 2007, nationally important as a 'rare and remarkable survival and a powerful symbol' of the wartime history of Hull, and of the country as a whole.  Fewer than 20 bombed ruins survived in England.  Most are churches preserved as memorials, or military buildings, and most are in the south of England.  The NPT is the only truly civilian example.

The Blitz The Blitz (shortened from German 'Blitzkrieg', "lightning war") was the period of sustained strategic bombing of the UK by Nazi Germany during the Second World War (WW2).  Between 7th September 1940 and the 21st May 1941 there were major aerial raids (attacks in which more than 100 tons of high explosives were dropped) on 16 British cities.     WW2 was the first time widespread bombing from the air was experienced by civilians.  Throughout the world, ordinary people, going about their everyday activities, were thrown into the front line of the war.   Air Raids on Kingston Upon Hull Air raids on Kingston upon Hull went on longer than on any other British city.  By the end of hostilities Kingston upon Hull had suffered 82 air raids.  In 1951, it was calculated that 1,472 houses had been destroyed, 2,882 would probably need demolition, and of the 81,660 houses in the city only 5,945 survived the air raids undamaged.  Although all British ports were attacked, in his autobiography the wartime Home Secretary Herbert Morrison concluded that, "in my experience the town that suffered most was Kingston upon Hull".

National Picture Theatre ... bombing

On the night of 18 March 1941, the audience was enjoying viewing Charlie Chaplin's 'The Great Dictator' when the air-raid siren sounded.  A short time later a 1,000kg German bomb exploded in the yard directly behind the cinema building, which resulted in the destruction of the screen and auditorium.   The following day, the incident was reported on the front page of the local newspaper, The Hull Daily Mail.  "When a bomb fell near a Hull cinema there were about 150 people sheltering in the foyer, and a few resting in the back rows of the stalls."   "It was a miracle that we all escaped" said the manager.  "It was impossible for the people to go home, as bombs were whistling down, so I payed gramophone records to entertain them.  Then the crash came at the back, and it was remarkable how well everyone behaved.  There was no panic, and no one received a scratch but it was sheer providence."   "The Foreman had the narrowest squeak, he had been to the back to bank up the boiler, and had just returned to the stalls when the back wall and the screen were blown in."   Much of the front facade, foyer, front offices and stairs to the balcony still exist to this day.

The Funding bid and grant award

Hull City Council, in collaboration with the National Civilian World War II Memorial Trust (NCWW2MT), secured a first stage National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) grant in December 2018.  The Council is developing the second stage of the bid which includes designs to transform the former National Picture Theatre, to support a bid that could secure a grant of over £280k.  Following improvements to the National Picture Theatre, the proposals would see the National Civilian World War II Memorial Trust manage the site as a memorial to the impact the Second World War had on civilians throughout the country.  This would be supported by a comprehensive educational and learning programme.

The project will stablise and preserve the Grade II listed remains of the bombed former cinema.  This will prevent the further deterioration of the structure, preserve heritage features and open the site to the public.  The site and its history will be interpreted through displays, activities and events so that present and future generations can learn about the experience of civilians in WW2.  A comprehensive Learning and Activity Plan will draw upon oral history and documented sources to engage people in the history and significance of the site.  It will also enable people with an interest in conservation to learn about the physical process of repairing and maintaining a ruined monument.

Repair & Conservation works includes:

• Removal of vegetation growth from the site
• Roof repairs
• Rainwater goods and new drainage system
• External wall repairs
• Repairs to masonry of internal walls
• Repairs/replacement of structural beams and floors
• Repairs/replacement to windows

New building work:

• Construction and installation of collapsible gates
• Doors to both sides of the entrance
• Paving works to the interior of the site
• New electrical connection 
• Up lighting to the facade
• Creating accessible entrance from the Beverley Road frontage

Other capital work:

• Interpretation boards
• CCTV and security system

Urgent works kick off the National Picture Theatre project

Urgent works to prevent the further deterioration of the listed National Picture Theatre started in March '20.   Local contractors Hobson & Porter began by removing excess vegetation and shoring up brickwork to prevent the condition of the building declining while the second stage application to the NLHF is developed for further funding to carry out the full conservation and interpretation project.

Humber Field Archaeology are keeping watch over the process of revealing the site and will be reporting on what they find.  A sloping floor of the stalls and some loose steps has already been revealed and recorded.  There is also evidence of a basement, which will be cleared and made safe and recorded by the Humber Field Archaeology Team.

Trustee Hilary Byers said; "After so many years of campaigning it is great to see work starting on site at last.  We are excited to be able to see the full extent of the ruins now the over-grown vegetation has been removed and look forward to seeing the structure secured while, together with the Council, we put together our case for the next stage of funding"

Humber Field Archaeology - Watching Brief

What is a Watching Brief? 

The Humber Field Archaeology team have carried out a Watching Brief on the NPT, which is a method of preserving archaeological remains by record.  An archaeologist has been appointed to monitor the excavation of foundation, landscaping and any other intrusive work.

A watching brief is where the archaeologists attend site during work undertaken by the developer or their contractors to record any archaeological features or deposits that may be revealed during the works.  This is usually because a condition has been placed on a decision notice when planning permission is granted.  Historic England often also require a watching brief and/or Historic Building recording if works affect a scheduled monument or listed building or their setting.

In the case of the NPT, the specification for the work required a photographic and descriptive record of the building in its current condition and also as the work progresses.  This is because as the site is cleared and renovation work takes place, architectural features, buried since 1941, will be revealed.  This has already happened with stairs and part of the stalls floor being revealed.  As the work nears completion further photographs will be taken and finally a report will be produced.

This will then leave a permanent record documenting the transformation from derelict bombsite to an event space and memorial.

Any archives generated will be deposited at the Hull History Centre and be available to the public. 

National Civilian World War 2 Memorial Trust (NCWW2MT)

In the late 1990s a group of local people realised that this ruined cinema was a very special survivor.  Hull at the end of the WW2 had been pock-marked by numerous bombed buildings, but all had since been either demolished or repaired.  The National Picture Theatre had survived, frozen in time, behind an advert hording, almost unaltered since the bomb dropped, 58 years previously.

The group came together to preserve the ruined cinema as a tribute to the part played by civilians in the war effort; the Firefighters, Home Guard, Air Raid Wardens, Ambulance drivers and many more who gave their skills, and sometimes their lives, to save others.  The local enthusiasts formed themselves into the National Civilian World War 2 Memorial Trust and set about finding ways of securing the future of the ruins and site.  The Trust is now registered as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation. It now has 5 trustees and over 80 members.

By 2007 English Heritage had realised that the ruined building was a very rare survivor; there was nowhere like it in England and the site was listed as being of historic interest and worthy of being preserved.  It was especially appropriate that this was a cinema, as cinemas played a big part in the war effort to keep people informed on the progress of the war and entertained. 

Another breakthrough came in 2018 when Hull City Council acquired the site and the Council and the Trust together applied for funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.  We have been awarded the first stage of funding and are now preparing plans which will form the application for the second round of funding.  This will enable the permanent conservation of the ruins to take place, interpretation panels to be installed and various activities to take place to inform everyone about the significance of the site.

The Trust is very grateful for all the support which you, Trust members and supporters, have given to them over the long years of campaigning and fundraising, and are excited now to be making real progress towards conserving the site and interpreting it, so that everyone can learn about and understand the contribution of civilians to the war effort.  Please continue to support the Trust's fundraising events, and look out for many more activities to come.  Persuade others to give their support too.  Why not ask the Trust to give an illustrated talk to your club or organisation?  Just get in touch via the contact details below.

More information

We need you!

You, our supporters, are a very important part of this project!  We want to keep you informed and there will be more opportunities for you to join in the many activities which will take place.

Hull City Council have produced a survey for the National Picture Theatre project, to find out what the public know about the site. The link to the survey is: https://www.snapsurveys.com/wh/s.asp?k=158046286700 

To sign up for future newsletters or if you would like more information, please email the NPT email address: NPT@hullcc.gov.uk;  Tel:  01482 612576. Or follow us on FB National Picture Theatre, Hull and Twitter @NPTHull.

To contact the Trust or become a member email:  hilary@amskaya.karoo.co.uk; Tel: 01482 445747 or alan@canvess.karoo.co.uk; See also facebook: National Picture Theatre and Twitter: @ncww2mt.