Who Do You Recognise ???
These photographs were taken around June 1969 by Alan Balding and can also be found on www.fastneck.fsnet.co.uk a companion site for those born 1951 - 1952
Please click on the thumbnails and view the larger image. The Thumbnails are to speed loading. These were in the main taken directly from 35mm Black and White negative, copied to JPEG files and can be downloaded from this site if required
The Party Photographs were taken in Chris Players Home in Somerset Road Laindon on Saturday 28th August 1970
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Radion Cinema - Laindon
Whilst most folk did paper rounds and other jobs at school, my job was as Assistant Projectionist at the Radion Cinema - Laindon High Road - So for those that remember old Laindon here are a few Kodachrome's and Black and Whites that I took in August 1969 and April 1968. In particular I remember showing James Bond " You only Live Twice" starring Sean Connery thirty two times and "633 Squadron" over twenty times. The projectors are illustrated with the hand driven rewind machine for the 35mm Sound films.
The two panoramic views above, I took from the Radion Roof across Laindon on a Saturday afternoon matinee in April 1968. The ticket pay kiosk in the foyer with Mrs Hayes seated behind the glass is also above. There are also behind the scenes area photos with Alf Hayes, Cinema Manager attending to the two 35mm Cinemascope Arc Light Projector's . Does anyone remember the names of the two usherettes. The Cinema was owned by a Mr Phelps, who also owned the Ritz in Billericay. The Cinema Closed on 3rd February 1969 with its final film "Wait Until Dark" starring Audrey Hepburn (Source Angel Fire on Closure date and Film ) It was torn down shortly afterward.
Then And Now - 1969 - 2002
When the Radion Cinema was demolished in 1969 the ground became a public car park for the Laindon Centre for many years. In 2000 Basildon Council built the New Laindon Library on the same site. Note that the lamp posts and telegraph poles in New Century Road are the same after thirty four years. These new colour photographs taken in August 2002
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