The Twickenham Cinema Theatre, Richmond Road, Twickenham

Later - Queen's Cinema / Odeon / Gaumont

Above - The Twickenham Cinema Theatre when it first opened in 1928 - From The Builder, 23rd of November 1928.

The Twickenham Cinema Theatre, as it was sometimes called in the press of the time, or at other times The Twickenham Kinema or Twickenham Cinema, was situated on Richmond Road at the corner of Oak Lane and first opened on the 15th of October 1928 with the Film 'Beautiful Fraud'. The Theatre was built for Joseph Mears Theatres Ltd., and designed by the Architects Leathart and Granger.

Right - The Entrance Hall of the Twickenham Cinema - From The Builder, 23rd of November 1928.

Constructed primarily as a Cinema the Theatre also had a small Stage and two Dressing Rooms for artists. The Theatre was also equipped with a Compton Theatre Organ, Western Electric Sound, and a Tea Lounge above the Foyer for 200 Patrons.

The Architects' Journal reported on the Theatre in their 27th of March 1929 edition, along with some of the images shown here, saying:- 'The Twickenham Cinema stands on a site at the corner of Richmond Road and Oak Lane. It holds 1,141 persons. Seats are provided for 800 in the auditorium, and for 341 in the balcony.

Left - The Tea Lounge at the Twickenham Cinema - From The Builder, 23rd of November 1928.

The main front faces Richmond Road, and provides a triple main entrance. This leads to the entrance hall and pay-boxes, beyond which is the foyer leading to the auditorium and to the staircases to and from the balcony. There is also an entrance in Oak Lane for the patrons of the cheaper seats.

Above - The Tea Lounge at the Twickenham Cinema - From The Architects' Journal, 27th of March 1929.

On the principal front the central feature consists of three large windows. These windows light the tea-room above the entrance hall, which accommodates 200 persons. Each window has a decorative grille picked out in red, blue, white, and bronze, and beneath is a canopy treated in colours of bronze and azure blue. The soffit of the canopy has a sun-ray treatment in radiating bronze ribs on a rich blue ground. The whole of the walls are covered with Portland cement stucco, coloured in cream, the lower portions being treated in buffs and greys, and the lowest member of the plinth in black. The main doors are in lacquer red and bronze. The cornice is in glazed faience ware in two colours, red and blue, on a white ground, and the recessed wings of the main front, which provide space for posters, have a roof of green-glazed Roman tiles. The roof of the main building is covered with asphalt.

Right - Plans of the Tea Lounge, Balcony, and Projection Floors of the Twickenham Cinema - From The Architects' Journal, 27th of March 1929.

As will be seen from the accompanying plans, the seats in both the auditorium and the balcony are divided into three sections. The centre section in the auditorium provides 338 seats, and each of the two outer ones 231. Each seat measures 2 ft. 6 in. by 1 ft. 8 in. In the balcony the centre section seats 143, and the outside sections 99 each. The gangways to the seating accommodation are 4 ft. wide.

Above - Basement and Auditorium Plans for the Twickenham Cinema - From The Architects' Journal, 27th of March 1929.

The proscenium end of the auditorium is treated as a triple recess, splayed both vertically and longitudinally, over the proscenium opening. The top portion is evolved from a close study of the acoustic essentials of the auditorium which were worked out in detail by the architects.

Above - The Auditorium and Stage of the Twickenham Cinema - From The Builder, 23rd of November 1928.

The curtains in the proscenium end of the auditorium are in dove-grey velour, with rich satin-coloured applique in orange and green.

The organ grilles (shown right) are coloured with predominating old ivory, relieved with jade green and lacquer red.

Right - One of the Organ Grilles at the Twickenham Cinema - From The Architects' Journal, 27th of March 1929.

For the walls tones of cream and warm ivory have been used, accentuated at certain points by lacquer reds and greens. On each side of the walls are three decorative banners in grey velour with multi-coloured satin applique enrichment.

Left - A List of Contractors involved in the construction and fitting out of the Twickenham Cinema - From The Builder, 23rd of November 1928.

The cluster light fittings in the auditorium are of cast bronze metal, finished verdigris, with figured glass, tinted pale to deep amber, intermixed with cherry-red tinted glass finished with coloured tassels at the bottom.

The tea-room, situated on the first floor, is decorated in dove grey, with lilac walls and jade green ceiling. The enriched panel over the tea-room door is coloured in bright primary colours.

Above - The Auditorium of the Twickenham Cinema - From The Architects' Journal, 27th of March 1929.

The whole building has been planned on the most modern lines. In addition to the accommodation mentioned, there is a stage with two dressing-rooms, and in various other parts of the building a band-room, music library, projector room, heating chamber, Plenum room, engineers' store, organ chamber, transformer room, switch room, and generator room.'

The above text in quotes (Edited) was first published in the Architects' Journal, 27th of March 1929.

Above - A Google StreetView Image showing the site of the former Twickenham Cinema in May 2025 - Click to Interact.

The Twickenham Cinema had first opened on the 15th of October 1928 but was renamed the Queen's Cinema during the war in 1940, so as to not give away its location. In 1944 the Theatre was bought by the Odeon Theatres Chain, who reopened it, still with the Queen's Cinema name, on the 24th of December 1945.

In May 1950 the Cinema was renamed as a Gaumont Cinema but was closed by the Rank Organisation on the 1st of December 1956. The Theatre was subsequently demolished and today a Shell Petrol Garage stands on the site, see image above.

Some of the later information for this Theatre was gleaned from the excellent Cinema Treasures Website.

If you have any more information or Images for this Theatre that you are willing to share please Contact me.