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Post by jeffery07 on Jul 2, 2008 20:01:01 GMT 1
???When did the Castle Cinema close, please? Why? What was the last movie shown and is another cinema in the pipeline? Anyone remember the old Aberfan cinema,whose manager was a Mr. Loyd? Thanks.
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Post by Lloyd on Jul 6, 2008 15:35:02 GMT 1
Hello Jeffery, We have some information regarding the Castle Cinema on our website. This page can be accessed by clicking the link below: www.alangeorge.co.uk/castlecinema.htm To answer your question regarding a new cinema; yes, there is a new cinema currently in development at the 'Rhydycar Leisure Village' complex. This 8 screen cinema will be operated by 'Vue Cinemas'. There was also speculation, some time last year, that a cinema would be constructed in the centre of the town, near the bus station - nothing has materialised from this! Hope this helps! Lloyd.
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Post by jeffery07 on Jul 7, 2008 17:59:20 GMT 1
Thank you kindly.
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Post by catherine on Feb 3, 2010 11:49:42 GMT 1
Does anyone have any fond memories of the Castle Cinema? Remembering nights out with friends or anything?
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strat
Full Member
Posts: 32
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Post by strat on Feb 3, 2010 17:56:40 GMT 1
sunday nights were the best nights in the castle i had a friend who worked in a butchers and he put some elastic through a pair of pigs ears and put them on his head and just sat there wearing them then he offered some girls sitting behind us a sweet what we didnt know they were not sweets but sheeps eyes riots followed with all the all the girls screaming and us being thrown out but laughing till the tears run down our leg good times no trouble just laughter
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Post by jeffery07 on Feb 3, 2010 19:51:50 GMT 1
Used to take a girl friend there from Angus street, Troedyrhiw. 'Snogging and a' kissing in the back seat...' Mind, some dates never used to turn up...Fickle women! Or ugly me? Never found out. Usually went on a Friday or Saturday night. I recall an Elvis Presley movie playing there (name eludes me) where our hero is in a car, or comes across one that has developed a fault, and it will not start. Lots of the usual gorgous girls present. Elvis appears on the scene, lifts up the bonnet, scouts around inside and then discovers the fault. At this the blokes in the cinema jeered! Thinking that he was just another film-star with no experience of motor-cars, pretending, so to speak. Years later, however, I read that he did in fact train as a motor mechanic in his younger days!! I recall the old boy who used to sell the Echo newspaper on the steps outside the cinema. His lips were permanently swollen blue, my mother said it was caused through placing notes or coins inside his mouth while counting out change for a customer. Strange what sticks in one's mind after all those years...
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Post by catherine on Feb 4, 2010 10:39:47 GMT 1
Thankyou so much! I am writing a feature on Merthyr, basing it on quotes from local people, so this really helps me! Thankyou
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Post by catherine on Feb 4, 2010 11:11:57 GMT 1
I have other areas of Merthyr which I hope to gather quotes from locals on...if anyone has anything they can offer in memory form, it would be a great help!
Working in the mines - anyone who remembers their parents/grandparents working the mines? Hard times?
Unemployment around the 1930s - any bad experiences?
Any women who suddenly started working during and after WW2. The changes.
The opening of the Hoover factory
When the Gurnos was first built and also, how it was viewed through the years, even up until today.
1987 - when the Dowlais ironworks closed
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Post by mjones7 on Feb 4, 2010 15:09:13 GMT 1
The ABC Minors for kids on Saturday morning at the Castle was a must in the 60s and early 70s. The shop in the foyer exchanged it's usual adult selection in favour of penny bubblegums, sherbet lollies and that type of thing! If I recall , it cost 1 shilling and sixpence to get in. Then a quick visit to the library over the road to change my books (usually The Secret Seven) before catching the bus up to the Gurnos!
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Post by davidj on Feb 5, 2010 19:59:02 GMT 1
Very similar to you mjones7. Used to go every Saturday to the Minors Club with my best friend. We all had to sing the Minors Song ... "We are the boys and girls well known as the Minors of the ABC and every Saturday we line up to see the things we like and shout about with glee. We like to laugh and have a sing song just a happy band are we. We're all pals together, the Minors of the ABC. HAPPY MINOR!! I might have some senior moments now but I still remember that! If it was your birthday you had to go up on the state and the whole auditorium used to shout out "Happy Minor" and then you got in free the following week! I took used to go to the library afterwards, but my choices were Treasure Island and The Famours Five. When I grew up and went to the cinema they had an A and a B film and you could go in at any time. You didn't have to wait for it to start. So half the time you didn't have a clue what was happening on the screen! Best viewing was Saturday night with the Hammer House of Horrors films - classic although those boobs and blood red teeth and black cloaks (and that was just the usherettes!!) Good times
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Post by jeffery07 on Feb 6, 2010 19:35:02 GMT 1
Catherine-I recall my grandfather, who used to live in Queen street, Abertillery, coming home from the local pit and bathing in a tin bath in front of the coal fire. His wife would have a ready supply of warm water at hand. I was about ten years of age or so at the time. He used to help run a local football team and his wife used to wash their kit each week (for a small sum I would imagine). I recall my late mother once saying that during the Great Strike one Christmas she received a small orange as her only present. Sad times. Hard times.
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Post by colin on Feb 14, 2010 11:23:44 GMT 1
I also remember the Minors Club, used to have a Birthday every 2 months!
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Post by twynboy on Feb 15, 2010 14:53:43 GMT 1
yep i used to go to the miners every sat.morning.i was friendly with howard and jeff smith,the managers sons,and we used to go in the middle bal.no one else allowed,hehe we thought we were special,and yes i used to go to the libary for books famous five,secret seven, and just william books, inocent days happy days.wondered wat happened to howard and jeff?anyone know let us know . cheers john evans
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Post by joseph on Feb 24, 2010 20:43:35 GMT 1
Around about 1965 I was a Policeman in the Merthyr Tydfil Borough Police.In those days the Sergeants were quite strong and could be very firm.We were posted to beats and had to stay on them until meal-break or otherwise(arrest or something) and had to be found on our Beats when the Sergeant came out to confer with us. On this particular day I was on the beat below Wethersthingys/Glebeland St/Victoria street etc another mate was on the Top of Town High st/British Tip etc the weather was a monsoon,the wind was gale force and we had been on Nights all the weekend so we decided to call into the Castle Cinema,dry off,tease the usherettes and watch a film.We were on edge because we had already fallen fowl of our Sergeant on the week-end over another incident and when he was riled "he took no prisoners " Anyway we met in Castle Street and in we went to watch a John Wayne western!! Horror upon horror within minutes one of the girls came in and said"Your Sergeant's coming up the steps he always pops in for a smoke" At this time we were at the back and could not get out so we made for the Emergency Doors which had a curtain about 12feet long in front of them,so what did we do in we hid behind the curtain.To our horror our Boots were visible as the curtain didn't reach the floor.Through a small gap in the curtains we could see our Sergeant and his lit Fag!!!!The worse was to come as one of our backsides activated the bar on the doors and we fell out backwards on to the pavement,our helmets rolling on the pavement.The wind was howling and the curtains seemed to be blowing halfway up the Cinema wall.A number of people were passing including some elderly ladies.We immediately ran back to our beats.One of the girls inside the Castle saw the door and in between fits of laughter shut the doors. Miraculously we got away with it as when we saw the Sergeant later he made no mention except to say"Your sooking go intio the Station
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Post by joseph on Feb 24, 2010 20:53:33 GMT 1
CONTINUED....AND GET A CUPPA........ WE never thought much about the incident except to have a good laugh but it came back to haunt us.....About 2 years later we were in a Pub in Merthyr when a local Hard man was being discussed by some regulars.....Quote from one"HE IS THE HARDEST MAN IN MERTHYR MY AUNTIE"SHE'S DEAD NOW" WAS PASSING THE CASTLE CINEMA A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO AND HE HIT TWO COPPERS RIGHT THROUGH THE DOUBLE DOORS"AND THEY WERE TOO SCARED TO ARREST HIM THEY RAN AWAY LIKE JACKRABBITS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The true story was as I stated but nobody would have believed us ....I just said"I don't know about that incident but you're right he is a rough handful"
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