A Hucknall History
Huthwaite Entertainment
Lyric Picture Palace
Huthwaite was introduced to big screen entertainment before projecting very earliest movies in a 1913 Gem Picture Palace. Year 1916 finds a Mr M Howard had proposed a new Sutton Road cinema, although wartime denied chance cornering Beech Avenue.
Tomlinson family moved from Skegby taking over this past 105 Sutton Road shop. Surname did become synonymous finally running the nearby Huthwaite Lyric. But finding premature death 1932 of Harry Tomlinson dismisses beliefs behind that husband and wife team starting the cinema. Report reveals full time duty was clerk at New Hucknall Offices, who'd left his widow with two children running the newsagent business. It's shown displaying promotion sign as the Lyric Snack Bar
, when memories fondly recalled buying sweets off daughter Miss Dorothy Tomlinson. Her other roles long working inside the Lyric presented the most recognised face and name before last taking over directorship.
Reliance Pictures Ltd
It was a Nottingham company based at Bentinck Buildings, Wheeler Gate, named Reliance Pictures Ltd, who'd finally managed to build their grandly titled Huthwaite Lyric Picture Palace. 
These owners had secured a prominent site facing the main Sutton Road, between Mill Lane entrance and directly adjacent a Cemetery Lodge House.
Tomlinson's newsagents happened to be directly opposite. Their shop did gain handiest advantage further selling treat refreshments to long queues of excited children eagerly awaiting weekly entrance.
Unconfirmed opening date can only best suggest year 1920, which is when announcing four hours of films were to be continuously shown starting 6pm. Photo presenting clean grey exterior may equally capture some later known updates. Adding 1921 heating chamber within newer front entrance soon after improved a 1922 front lantern room, affording repairs to side walls under persistently leaky roof.
The fuller titled Lyric Picture Palace was just called the Lyric by many residents sharing fond childhood memories attending Saturday afternoon matinees. As commonly realised among most other cinemas entertaining crowds of youngsters, it soon became known as the Huthwaite "Flea Pit" or "Bug Hut". The Lyric was designed to seat 350, although weekend popularity often crammed in far higher numbers. And in the warmth of densely packed young audiences, they could all expect being treated with a very liberal spraying of insecticide.
Huthwaite Lyric Theatre
A small stage invited a variety of live acts typically known as Friday night "Turns". It was nonetheless the stars on big screen who regularly attracted and enthralled audiences of all ages, especially after the talkies era burst to the forefront following 1927 release of The Jazz Singer. That musical hit with synchronised dialogue raised standards and demand for American motion picture films.
Lyric Theatre promoted its 1932 birth of sound in Huthwaite grandly proclaiming itself The Picture Palace with the Silver Screen and the Golden Voice.
Never being a regular advertiser in the Notts Free Press, Huthwaite columns simply note talkies films from March, adding August arrival of colour movies describing All the latest improvements have been incorporated in the apparatus at the Lyric Theatre, and it is now, both in projecting and recording, one of the most perfect systems that can be met with. A first-class selection of films has been secured for the autumn season, and one of the earliest will be "King of Jazz," a masterpiece in colour.
Same progressive year swapping trams for 101 omnibus services, 1932 gazetteer confirms Reliance Pictures Ltd proprietors held telephone number 179 for the Lyric Picture Palace when managed by Mr Hirst. 
One of his special programmes aided fund raising for the Old Peoples Treat Committee. He must have employed my grandfathers brother. Joseph Elliott had keen electrical interests assisting projection rooms. Remembrance on a neighbouring Huthwaite Cemetery War Memorial dates this young man killed in action, same year Mr Hirst took charge providing welcoming entertainment for 366 children and teachers in 1940, which included a large party of visitors on a holiday break from Southend.
Living memories noted and kindly shared by Mrs Betty Smith adds names for some later known Lyric workers, while sharing personally perceived descriptions through her own excited teenage visits as Miss Fox.
Assistant Manager: George Gene - Projectionist: Arthur Cox / Kit Weaver
Ticket Office: Joe Walker / Nelly Stone / Dorothy Tomlinson
Pianist: Arthur Gunby - Caretaker: Mr Cheetham - Cleaner: Miss Cheetham
Others: George Blow / Gordon Whalley / Alan Hill / Derek Vardy / Joe Walker
Saturdays for most of us in Huthwaite was our most exciting day. We had to go to the Lyric to see if the baddies won the goodies or vice versa. The serials kept us going back weekly.
The Lyric was owned and run by the Tomlinson's who kept the paper shop opposite. Inside double doored central entrance, a glass case on the left was filled with forthcoming attractions. The lucky chance to get a displayed photograph of stars removed from this case would be a rare prized possession. Stood in awe at sighting photos of Alan Ladd, we didn't know he was a little man who had to stand on a box to look tall.
The small ticket office on the right was a 2ft square window with a half moon cut out the glass. Dorothy Tomlinson was the ticket seller who always wore a smiley face, looking like the tight box had been built around her before doubly serving as an usherette. Children formed a long queue around the cinema, all clutching a Saturday penny in readiness for 2 o'clock shows. We had to get there early to take our places in line. A lot of pushing and shoving as some bullied forward, plus cheering as Mr Wall stepped off a 101 bus.
Nobody liked sitting at the front, because the first three rows were wooden church pews and kids sitting behind would push the backrest back and forth. You also got neck ache having to look up at the close screen. We had to sit three on a seat, some of them wet with rain leaking through the roof. At least we hoped it was rain! The seats were very lumpy, we thought giving reason why lads kept running about. A Mr Wall who watchfully paraded blocking views, would switch on the lights stopping the film if it got too rowdy.
Mr Hirst left managers position notably filled from 1946 by Mr Alfred Wall from Sutton. Mr Wall had long experience running local cinemas, so could be similarly credited organising charity variety shows and concerts through war years. Following controversial decisions to open doors on holy Sabbath days, Huthwaite Lyric Theatre projected Sunday films from October 1949. Mr Wall also had reputed place on the Huthwaite Carnival Committee. That enabled him to demonstrate promotional skills when 1954 guest star for that popular annual event was Derek Bond. No coincidence the Lyric was then showing "Scott of the Antarctic", featuring the man himself to invite entry escorting the crowned Carnival Queen. Alfred Wall went on to take over the Ritz Cinema at Golcar.
The boardroom of Reliance Pictures Ltd seemed to have recognised loss of profitable viability in the Lyric by March 1955. But the Huthwaite Picture Palace is now understood retaining corporate name when Miss Tomlinson then took over running the business herself. The fact Dorothy had already gained broadest experience fulfilling many roles, maybe suggested she'd longer shared some vested shareholders interest. Nevertheless, her son Ian Topp informed how Miss Dorothy Irene Tomlinson and her mother Mrs Annie Elizabeth Tomlinson had been the last two known company directors eventually responsible for selling off the premises.
A frequently changed variety of programmes couldn't compete with modernised Sutton town facilities. But one good reason for a general widespread decline in regular cinema goers might well be affordable television sets beaming once marvelled entertainment into everyday homes. The Lyric doors finally closed after showing last film "The Harder they Fall", on Saturday 8th December 1956.
Birchwood Boat Company Ltd
Miss Tomlinson later became a married mother named Mrs Dorothy Irene Topp. Her son shared proof dating sale of their Lyric premises on 2nd October 1962, when the purchase price of £1,800 was actually paid by Birchwood Boat Co. Ltd., of Sutton. A rear side outbuilding proved to be sufficient enough size to start manufacturing 20ft river craft, and firmly establish their boat building repute based here in Huthwaite. Meanwhile, the past Lyric building became used by Kingswood and Morris Joiners Ltd. Alterations suitably advertising their own company still retained a familiar looking frontage into the 1980s. Mr Morris himself is shown courtesy of his son Glen, when ultimately surveying total site demolition from next takeover after Birchwood Boats moved to new premises.
A totally new rebuild upon original Lyric footprint presented modern workshops for P&L Bodyworks. They likewise chose to favour another rear side building by end of year 2012. After leaving the roadside building displaying a car showroom for a short period, the witnessing of subtle Sutton Road frontage changes can reflect various other enterprising business names throughout the years.
03 May 13 by Gary Elliott Updated 09 Sep 22