The days when they crammed picture-goers into the Cora cinema in Sunderland
What a picture house it was.
The Cora picture house is the cinema in question and it got the attention of Echo follower Val Hudson.
Val lived in the area and loved the memories, especially from the 1950s.
‘You got squashed up to fit more people in’
She told us: “I used to live in Devonshire Street as a child and went to the Cora with my cousins.
“The seats were lone wooden forms with backs on. You used to get squashed up so they could fit more in.
Six shillings to get in
“I think it cost 6d then which would have been the early 50s.
“My mam and dad used to go to the Colliery School over the road from the Cora.”
She said the Echo picture gallery brought back ‘lots of lovely memories’.
It opened as the Wheat Sheaf
The cinema was opened in 1907 by James Tindle and was called The Wheat Sheaf Picture Hall.
Within four years, the name had been changed to The Coronation Picture Palace to mark the Coronation of George V.
And before long, locals had shortened the name so that it became known as the Cora.
Tell us about the picture house of the past which brings back most memories for you.
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