The organ was removed and is now currently at Stockport Town Hall. A Selection of Union Cinemas. Union Cinemas was a cinema circuit in the U. However, before turning his attention to cinemas, Mr. Bernhard had entered the fields of film distribution and production by financing British Exhibitor Films Limited B. These companies were later amalgamated and B. David Bernhard. With the advent of talkies, Mr. Bernhard quickly realised the potential of cinema entertainment. As a result, he turned his attention to cinemas themselves and in acquired seven cinemas and set up Union Cinema Co.
Initially Mr. Bernhard had planned to produce films to be shown in Union Cinemas , but soon left production to concentrate on the development of the cinema chain. Within a few years, Union Cinemas were to be found throughout the U. There was to be cinemas in the Union Cinema Chain. In , Union Cinemas were experiencing managerial and financial difficulties. The Circuit was renowned for its presentation of live shows Cine Variety , which it was now forced to cut back on.
The situation came to a head with the death of Mr. Bernhard and, by the end of the year , Union Cinemas went into receivership. Many of the Union Cinemas of the s were installed with Wurlitzer Organs. Although Union Cinema organ consoles appear to be the most elaborate than those of other cinema circuits, they were in fact standard box-like structures much like earlier models and painted with gold paint, but it was the addition of illuminated surrounds that made them look fancy.
The first consoles produced had illuminated rainbow-style surrounds, which had been popularised earlier by Compton Organs. Later Union Cinemas installed consoles with an illuminated pillar-and-vase design, which had been built by R. Beard Limited in its factory in South London. A number of the examples were dubbed jelly moulds, as a result of the shapes of the surrounds. Seemingly the heat from the illumination, which was no doubt intensified should the organ bench also be illuminated, as it was at the Embassy Cinema Maldon.
This caused organists to refer to it as The Hot Seat. The concept of illuminated surrounds proved to be a feature unique to British consoles and was not employed in the U. The photographs of the Buttermarket Wurlitzer appear with permission of the Buttermarket Shrewsbury.
We are unsure what features distinguished these from UNN3 organs since we are not in possession of the specifications. It is possible that the organ installed in the Union Cinemas at Chatham, Hastings , Luton, Richmond and Stockport were of the UNN3 type, but we cannot say this for certain at this time.
If a reader has any information regarding the classification, please contact us. Gaumont British Cinemas, owners of the Gaumont State Kilburn , ordered a copy of this narrower console model and had it installed together with its organ 3-manuals, 12 ranks at its intended sister cinema, the Gaumont Holloway.
Other one-off console models to built to specific designs were built by the Wurlitzer Organ Company for installation along with their organs to cinemas in the U.
Such a case was with the organ 3 manuals, 6 ranks installed at the Rex Cinema Coventry , where the console was built with exaggerated fluted surrounds together with stripes adorning its top. Another example of a special console with an exaggerated appearance was the one built for installation at the Leicester Square Theatre.
Here, shell- or scallop-shaped surrounds were added to the organ. Although not otherwise strange in appearance, the console of the Wurlitzer Organ installed in the Ritz Cinema Workington was unique in that it was painted silver. It is interesting to note that the majority of the consoles of Wurlitzer Organ installed in the U. In addition, gold trim was often added to them.
The owners of the consoles in the U. American consoles were often more likely to be brightly coloured — gold, red etc — as well as in cream or white together with exaggerated and detailed artwork. Photograph of Miss Rosa Rio at the centre. Click here to hear various bits of interviews with Miss Rosa Rio over the years. One, or rather two of the most famous of all black consoles are at Radio City Music Hall where two Wurlitzer Organs are installed.
In contrast to organ consoles installed in the U. There were no red or black consoles here, that is, until recently. With the adding of additional ranks to the Wurlitzer Organ of the Organ Stop Pizza Parlor in Mesa, the number of stops required on the console out-grew the space available to accommodate their number.
It was decided that a new and larger console should be built to house all of the stops and that the original console be put up for sale. The console was brought to the U.
This organ was built using a variety of pipework that was also brought from the U. The Organist, Andrew Gilbert , wrote to say:. This page is an interesting read as always. My old organ mentor and veteran U. With a bit of work, I found that I could. By my second or third visit, I was very comfortable with it.
It was also nice to hear a few of my friends in action too. This photograph was taken by Ms Andrea Easton Gilbert. I would like to thank Mr. Andrew Gilbert and all others that helped produce this page. Picture of Len Rawle is not the ex granda Welling Woking Wurlitzer but the ex Trocadero elephant and caste Wurlitzer when it was installed in the southbank university.
Now at the Troxy Stepney. Beckingham: Thanks for your correction. Suitable changes have been made to correct my error. Your email address will not be published. Stadium exterior, 's. Console: ca.
Pipe Organ Database a project of the organ historical society. View All View Active. Status and Condition: The organ is no longer extant; destroyed. The organ's condition is unknown. We received the most recent update for this instrument's status from Database Manager on May 13, Technical Details: Chests: EP unit 51 ranks.
We received the most recent update for this division from Database Manager on May 13, Stop Action: Electric connection between stop control and chest. Console Style: Horseshoe style console.
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