The Electric Pavilion, 643 Holloway Road, Highgate, London
Later - The Highgate Empire / Gresham Ballroom
Above - The Main Entrance and Facade of the Electric Pavilion, Holloway Road when it first opened in 1910 - From The Bioscope, 18th of August 1910.
The Electric Pavilion was the first Cinema built for Israel and Minnie Davis who would go on to build bigger and grander Cinemas and Theatres over the following years including the Pavilions at Clapham, Brixton, Edgware Road, Putney, Shaftesbury Avenue, Marble Arch and Lavender Hill. Their later buildings included the impressive Pavilion Theatre, Shepherd's
Bush and the magnificent Davis Theatre in Croydon which was the last of their ten Theatres to be built. I don't normally feature Cinemas on the website unless they had a stage and dressing rooms but this being the first of many such buildings erected by the Davis Family, and because it would have a Stage added when it became the Highgate Empire in 1914, I thought it was important enough to make an exception in this case.
Right - An Advertisement for the new Electric Pavilion, Upper Holloway - From the Holloway Press, 29th of July 1910.
The Electric Pavilion on the Holloway Road was the Davis Family's first enterprise and opened on the 30th of April 1910. It had seating for 700 people on one level in its large auditorium and an elegant vestibule with marble steps leading into it. The Cinema was designed by Israel Davis.
The Bioscope reported on the Electric Pavilion some months after it opened in their 18th of August 1910 edition, along with many of the images shown here, saying:- 'We are enabled this week to give illustrations of the Electric Pavilion, 643, Holloway Road, N., one of the finest theatres devoted to pictures in the Metropolis.
Left - The Entrance Vestibule of the Electric Pavilion, Holloway Road when it first opened in 1910 - From The Bioscope, 18th of August 1910.
Well equipped and of handsome proportions, the hall stands par excellence in picture theatre construction. The elevation, as may be seen from the photographs, is a striking and original one. Entrance to the spacious vestibule, which is handsomely decorated and furnished, is gained by broad marble steps. During matinee performances free teas are supplied to all patrons.
The auditorium is well proportioned with a length of over 100 ft. and height of about 50 ft. The pilasters supporting the arched roof and the columns to the proscenium are of marble, which blends with the color scheme. The well raked floor, which is provided with with carpets, has been provided with seating for 700.
Right - The Auditorium of the Electric Pavilion, Holloway Road when it first opened in 1910 - From The Bioscope, 18th of August 1910.
The lighting, heating, ventilating and electric installations are perfect throughout, the latter being provided by the A.E.G. Company, Limited, of 121-125, Charing Cross Road, W.C., the well-known cinematograph electricians, and are especially noteworthy.
All that can be devised for the public safety has been adopted. Wherever possible brick or stone has been employed, but where wood was essential, solid teak has been utilised throughout the building. Ample exits have been provided at each corner of the auditorium, in addition to the main entrances, and the broad gangways round three sides of the building, leading to a separate thoroughfare, make the situation ideal for a picture theatre.
Left - The Vestibule of the Electric Pavilion, Holloway Road when it first opened in 1910 - From The Bioscope, 18th of August 1910.
The programs are extremely well selected, much to the credit of Mr. A. E. Hermann, who has been in charge here for some three months, bringing with him the valuable experiences gained during his engagement at the Electric Vaudeville in Bishopsgate Street, E.C. Mr. Hermann is not only an efficient picture theatre manager, but an electrician, operator, pianist, amateur photographer, etc. His abilities are proved by the illustrations, which are from photographs taken by Mr. Hermann specially for THE BIOSCOPE, by the courtesy of Mr. Israel Davis, the proprietor.
A word must be said of the projection by Mr. L. Le Cren, the picture given being one of the best conceivable. The first-class machines in use are Messrs. Gaumont's Chronos. For appropriate music a high-grade piano and organ have been secured, whilst the Vivaphone and the Animatophone supply the musical portion of the program.
The whole of the buildings, including the beautiful internal decorations, were designed and erected under the personal supervision of Mr. Israel Davis, at whose beautiful shooting box in Essex, a Bioscope representative recently learned that similar fine palaces, under the same control, will be erected in various parts of London.
The first will shortly be opened at Clapham, while another, which is proposed to make as near perfection as possible, will be in one of London's West End thoroughfares, and if the whole of the property can be acquired, will be capable of seating close to 2,000.
Right - The Staff of the Electric Pavilion, Holloway Road when it first opened in 1910 - From The Bioscope, 18th of August 1910.
The success of the Electric Pavilion is in no small measure due to its efficient advertising, while the courtesy extended to all by the proprietor and manager, together with the entire staff, has undoubtably proved a highly favorable factor.'
The above text in quotes was first published in The Bioscope, 18th of August 1910.
Renaming to The Highgate Empire
Above - A Google StreetView Image showing the site of the former Electric Pavilion / Highgate Empire in July 2024 - Click to Interact.
The Electric Pavilion, Highgate had first opened on the 30th of April 1910 and was immediately very successful but the Davis Family sold it in 1914, along with their other early Cinemas, in order to be able to fund the construction of their new Marble Arch Pavilion which opened the same year.
The Highgate Electric Pavilion was then altered and refurbished and had a Stage added for its reopening as the Highgate Empire under the Management of W. Williams on the 19th of October 1914, see advertisement shown right, and a Review of the opening from the Holloway Press of the 23rd of October 1914 here.
Right - An Advertisement for the opening of the Highgate Empire in 1914 - From the Holloway Press, 16th of October 1914.
The Highgate Empire was later operated by Sidney Bacon Pictures Ltd., by 1934. And was taken over by Union Cinemas in 1935 and ABC in 1937.
The Empire was eventually closed in April 1957 and converted into an Irish venue called the Gresham Ballroom which opened in August 1959. This was successful and continued in operation up until 1998 when it was finally closed. The Building then remained empty and unused until its eventual demolition in May 2001. A Sainsbury's Supermarket stands on the site today.
Some of the later information for this Theatre was gleaned from the excelent Cinema Treasures Website.
If you have any more information or Images for this Theatre that you are willing to share please Contact me.