A NEW book has been written telling the history of cinema in Salisbury.

It coincides with the 90th anniversary of the Odeon in New Canal, this September.

‘Projected Passion – The History of Cinema in Salisbury’ (Hobnob Press 2021) by Richard Nash and Frogg Moody tells the story of cinema in Salisbury to the end of the 20th Century.

The showing of moving pictures first captured the attention of Salisbury citizens at the annual charter fair and later via old city theatres like The Palace Theatre which at one time stood on the corner Endless Street and Chipper Lane.

Salisbury Journal: The Palace Theatre on the corner of Endless Street and Chipper Lane (now demolished). The Palace Theatre on the corner of Endless Street and Chipper Lane (now demolished).

Cinema pioneer Albany Ward played a major part in establishing our local cinemas and it was through his foresight that garrison theatres were established to entertain the troops that flooded onto Salisbury Plain during WW1.

Albany Ward built on this success and was instrumental in the golden years when Salisbury could support three state-of-the-art cinemas (with a fourth in nearby Amesbury) as this new book highlights with many photographs and images.

Salisbury Journal: The early cinema pioneer Albany Ward who had the foresight and entrepreneurial skills to operate a large circuit of cinemas. He based his operations in Salisbury.The early cinema pioneer Albany Ward who had the foresight and entrepreneurial skills to operate a large circuit of cinemas. He based his operations in Salisbury.

The decline of the film sector is covered as one-by-one these old ‘picture palaces’ fell away until the last of them, The Odeon, was saved from closure and redevelopment by a local campaign headed by Alan Richardson.

Salisbury Journal: Alan Richardson – the man who led the ‘Save the Odeon’ campaign to stop the Odeon cinema being demolished in the 1980s.Alan Richardson – the man who led the ‘Save the Odeon’ campaign to stop the Odeon cinema being demolished in the 1980s.

Projected Passion compliments the authors’ previous books about the history of popular music in Salisbury and their prose style deals with both the entertainment and potentially stodgy planning processes in a serious but readable manner.

Richard Nash and Frogg Moody will be signing copies of their new book outside the front area of Salisbury Library on Saturday, September 4 from 10.30am.

Salisbury Journal: Projected Passion by Richard Nash and Frogg Moody

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