Grand Cinema, Turnpike Lane

by Hugh

Jun 25, 2012

The cinema on the corner of Wightman Road at 139 Turnpike Lane was Harringay's fifth cinema, Although it seems to have been listed under various names in local directories, advertisements and references in the local press always called it the Grand Cinema till at least 1928. Directory listings show that it started life in 1912 as the Bioscope Picture Palace. By 1920, it had been renamed as the Grand Picture House. By 1928 it was the Grand Cinema and by 1931 it was the New Clarence cinema.

Below is an advert from the Hornsey Journal in 1915:

By 1934 the cinema had closed down for good. The building was then empty for five years until CSM Motor Bodies took on the premises in 1939. C.S.M. remained in the building until 1965 and soon after the building was demolished as part of the Wightman/Turnpike/Hornsey Park crossroads alignment in 1973/74.

You can see the cinema in context in 1930s aerial photo.

Thanks to Jeremy Buck for finding Kevin Wheelan's photo and publishing it in his book 'Cinemas of Haringey'.

  • Reginald summers

    Another memory for me my brother worked at CSM Motor Bodies for a while in the 1960's and I worked at an engineering firm making dartboard wire fronts spot welding together the wire frame circle and spot welding the numbers on.

    Sep 20

  • Hugh

    More on CSM here, Reginald. Where was the engineering firm you worked for located?

    Sep 20

  • Reginald summers

    Hi Hugh it was at the back of the shops that were in Turnpike  Lane well before any changes to the area and behind  CSM if I remember correctly it was called Bramber Engineering. 

    Sep 20