Show on mapThe Victoria Pier was built in 1875 and intended to be 2000ft long, the Griffin and Corrymbus collided with it in a storm in 1874 before it was even complete and it was shortened by 200ft.
The pier had two two pavilions, the first an indoor skating rink. The second pavilion located in the middle of the pier, was for band concerts.
In 1898 the Birger collided with the pier, splitting it in two and leading to its closure closed.
In 1923 the end of the pier was renovated and a glass and metal pavillion placed on top.
In 1928 this was in turn demolished and the New Pavilion Theatre built which finally became the Regent Cinema in the 1960s
 
I was tempted to search for The New Pavilion Theatre today and discovered this site. It brought back memories. As a young man of 18 I was an assistant stage manager playing parts in weekly repertory with “The North Riding Theatre Company” operated by one W.H. Lorraine from, I believe, Whitby. This was in the 1950’s.
I had come over from what was then Northern Rhodesia (Zambia) to join a London newspaper but by chance applied for this job and got it!
It was extremely hard work rehearsing a play every week whilst performing the one from the previous week. After the second house on Saturday we would “strike” the set and put the new one in place, often working in freezing wind off the sea as the sets were painted under the stage and were brought in via the beach!
I returned to Rhodesia, then worked in broadcasting in Kenya and Tanzania before joining the BBC where I met the former producer at the Pavilion, Peter Ashby Bailey who was an actor in the “English by Radio” series of the BBC’s Overseas Services.
This is something of a moving experience for I too appeared with Te North Riding Theatre Company and at a young age making my stage debut in “The Family Upstairs” also playing Denis in Agatha Christies’ “Murder At The Vicarage. With the same Company I appeared at The Spa Theatre Whitby and The Playhouse Saltburn.
I still have the programmes……no longer young but remeber every moment. Regards, David Michael Cooney.
Hi David.
Do you have photocopies of programmes for Saltburn Playhouse ?
Come across advert in Saltburn Guide Book for the NETC under Mr W H Loraine.
Cheers
Eric Lindsay
Saltburn
Hi David, we’re campaigning against the proposed demolition of the New Pavilion Theatre in July 2020. Could you contact me on 07792541411. Very interested that you have original programmes.from the Theatre.
Regards,
Paul White
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I have,..not so much a comment, but rather a question,…that maybe someone could answer for me.
I grew up in Guisborough, and in my distant youth spent many, many hours on Redcar beach with family and siblings.
Now,…….I remember this cinema, from the 1950’s. I remember the huge ‘ACHTUNG’ warning painted onto the ‘sea facing’ back wall……. a left-over from the war,…my dad said, ( to confuse an invading army ?), I think the lettering, about 15 ft in height, high up, was painted in red, the lettering being Germanic in style. The last time I visited Redcar ( about 25 years ago now, sadly ) this had been covered-up,….alas another childhood memory dissappeared )
Does anyone remember if it was red or black, but most of all, that it WAS THERE.! My family (still in Guisborough ) think I’m imagining it !
Any response would be appreciated,…….if a photo exists, it would be well received. Thanks. ……p.s. I hope a new pier will one day stride out through the waves on Redcar beach. X
I was just talking about this ACHTUNG sign and have not been able to find any other reference, I was told as a child in the early sixties that invading German troops would stand up and do a Hitler salute when they spotted it and would be easily picked off.
It wasn’t to confuse the Germans! It originally said “ACHTUNG! MINEN!†and warned that the beach was mined, thereby putting off any potential German invaders. The “MINEN†bit was either worn away or more likely lost when the wall was repaired. It wasn’t in a Germanic style either, it was bog standard lettering.
My mother (Mollie Faulkner) was also a Stage Manager / Actress with The North Riding Theatre Company at Saltburn Playhouse and New Pavilion Theatre Redcar. She was just 17 years old and one of the youngest ever Stage Mangers listed by Equity.
I have programmes* and pictures+ of the following shows from the Summer 1953 Season if anyone is interested.
The season started on Thursday 23rd July and shows changed every Thursday
The white sheep of the family+
Here we come gathering*+
September Tide
Cat and the canary
Joking Apart
The Breadwinner*
The Day is gone* (finished Thurs Sept 16th)
The shows at the New Pavilion Theatre Redcar were
Mon Sept 21st – Ten little niggers
Mon Sept 28th – Travellers Joy
Mon Oct 5th – The Deep Blue Sea
Mon Oct 12th – Thark *+
Mon Oct 19th – Relative Values*+
Mon Oct 26th The Heiress*+
Mon Nov 2nd Fly Away Peter*+
Mon Nov 9th The Hasty Heart
Mon Nov 15th Lady look behind you*+
The Young Elizabeth*
The Winter Season at Redcar then continued with a reprise of “The White Sheep of the family”
Hi Paul,
Keen to discuss the ‘at risk of demolition’ New Pavilion Theatre in Redcar,
Many thanks,
Paul White, Redcar
Hi Paul,
Please feel free to give me a call on 07720446921 about my Mothers pictures and programmes.
Paul. My mam knew Jimmy Beck and recently passed away. She may have known your mam too. I too now work in theatre and unfortunately have little photos from this time . Any pics or playbills you have of anything I’d really be interested in seeing. Mam mentioned Hasy Heart. I am a huge Dads Army fan and also local to here
About “achtung”, I remember it too. My mam told me that it was to warn any invading German troops that the beach was mined.
Please can you tell me where the Saltburn Playhouse was situated. I’m guessing either the Pier or the Spa on Saltburn Bank?
I’ve spoken to a Saltburn expert and he doesn’t think the “Playhouse” was a building as such, more of a touring group who would perform wherever the could, although he did think the Spa seemed like the most likely venue.
I can’t give a definitive answer to where the Saltburn Playhouse was located in the 50’s, but I can assure everyone that it was a real place. I have a number of programmes of shows that my Mother performed in during the summer of 1953. She was with The North Riding Theatre Company.
The programmes don’t give an address for the Playhouse, but the ticket office was located at 26 Milton Street. The ticket office had the phone number Saltburn 49. When the Theatre Company moved to Redcar Pier for the Autumn Season they ran a Bus Service from Milton Street to Redcar Pier. I therefore suspect that the Playhouse was itself on Milton Street – possibly on the site now occupied by Sainsbury’s?
Many thanks to Chris and Paul. I’ve played at the Spa, musician, many years ago and can confirm it had a very respectable stage with tabs etc and a degree of lighting. This facility was removed a few years ago when the main hall was remodeled.
I was employed as juvenile leading actress at Redcar in 1949. Lots of plays but I am too old now (92) to remember them. The cast included David Lawton, David Kelsey and Olga Dawn. The Producer was Nick Brent. Employer W.H Lorraine. It was a happy company
but my first rep job so I am biased.
Pearl Catlin
I grew up in Saltburn. We were next door neighbours of the Lorraines in Windsor Road right opposite the church. He owned the fish shop & greengrocers in Milton Street for many years. He financed the Satburn Rep company – probably from about 1947. The performances were in a building in one of the side streets off Milton St; possibly it was Emerald St. The building may have been a disused chapel. It was in existence before WW1 when my mother remembered it.I appeared in a production of J.B Priestley’s “When We Are Married” in 1949 or 1950. A maid!.
Some ten years later & far away from any theatrical event, I met my future husband who had been part of the company at that time. Such a small world.
Hi Katherine, my Great Uncle Will was behind quite a lot of the rep stuff in Saltburn. My grandmother and Grandfather live on Pearl Street (above the fruit shop) and the 53 society had a floor there which if I remember correctly was full of props. I also believe (from family anecdotes) that he was involved in the early careers of Carmen Silvera and Roy Kinnear.
If I find anymore stuff I will post….currently working on the family tree ! Any stories you may have, please share 🙂