Foresters Cinema

Foresters Cinema was the later cinema identity of a historic entertainment venue at 93 Cambridge Heath Road in Bethnal Green, London. The site began as an extension of the Artichoke public house, a premises dating from approximately 1825 that obtained a licence for music and dancing in 1850. It subsequently developed into a dedicated music hall and passed through several names, including The Artichoke Music Hall, Foresters Music Hall, Royal Foresters Music Hall, New Lyric Music Hall and New Lyric Theatre. The venue became particularly significant during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. William Lusby acquired it in 1890 and oversaw a major reconstruction and enlargement, reopening the premises in 1891 as Foresters Music Hall. During Lusby's tenure, G. H. MacDermott and W. P. Pannell assisted with management between 1890 and 1904. The hall became one of London's more important music-hall venues, presenting live variety entertainment to local audiences. In 1906, Frank Macnaghten of the Macnaghten Vaudeville Circuit acquired the venue. His programming included a weekly opportunity show in which aspiring performers could appear before an audience. The event was known for its demanding spectators. Charlie Chaplin reportedly received a hostile response during an early attempt to perform there, illustrating the venue's reputation as a difficult proving ground for inexperienced entertainers. Macnaghten also introduced film projection equipment in 1906. Silent films initially supplemented live variety performances rather than replacing them. The venue later secured a cinema licence in 1912 and operated principally as a cinema until it closed in 1917. During its final period before closure it was known first as the New Lyric Music Hall and then as the New Lyric Theatre. The building reopened in 1925 as Foresters Super Cinema, restoring the Foresters name in a purposefully cinematic format. In 1936 it became part of the Odeon Cinemas circuit. Its operation was interrupted by structural damage during the Second World War Blitz, but the building was repaired and formally reopened on 10 October 1949. It continued screening films until its final showing on 20 August 1960. The building was demolished in 1964. Although no longer extant, the venue is notable for representing the transition from Victorian live entertainment to commercial cinema. Its successive identities reflect changes in ownership, management, programming and audience habits. The site also belongs to the early history of film exhibition in London: it showed projected films before becoming principally a cinema and was among the city's early licensed movie theatres. In brand terms, Foresters Cinema is best understood as a historical venue name rather than a surviving national cinema chain or current consumer brand.

Foresters Music Hall originated at the Artichoke public house in Bethnal Green. The public house was built around 1825, and in 1850 it received a licence permitting music and dancing. An entertainment hall was developed as an extension to the premises, creating the venue first known as The Artichoke Music Hall. It became a moderately successful local music hall and later adopted the Foresters name. William Lusby acquired the venue in 1890. A substantial rebuilding and refurbishment followed, including an expansion into the interior of the earlier public-house structure. The hall reopened in 1891 as Foresters Music Hall. For much of the period from 1890 to 1904, Lusby was assisted in management by G. H. MacDermott and W. P. Pannell. During this era the hall developed into an important London music-hall venue. It was briefly styled Royal Foresters Music Hall during the last three years of Lusby's tenure, although the word Royal was later removed. In 1906, Frank Macnaghten of the Macnaghten Vaudeville Circuit acquired the hall. His programming preserved its live-performance role while also creating a platform for developing performers. A weekly opportunity show allowed aspiring entertainers to appear before the public. The audience was notably exacting. Charlie Chaplin's unsuccessful appearance, during which he was reportedly booed and pelted with oranges and coins, later became part of the venue's theatrical lore. Macnaghten also introduced equipment for showing silent films in 1906. At first the films were used as additions to live variety programmes, reflecting the transitional character of early twentieth-century entertainment venues. The hall received a cinema licence in 1912 and thereafter operated primarily as a cinema. It closed in 1917, having used the names New Lyric Music Hall and New Lyric Theatre during its final period before closure. The building reopened in 1925 as Foresters Super Cinema. This marked a more explicit cinema identity and restored the Foresters name. In 1936 the venue joined Odeon Cinemas. Its operation was disrupted by wartime damage during the Blitz, which caused structural harm to the building. Repairs were completed and the cinema held a grand reopening on 10 October 1949. The cinema continued operating until 20 August 1960, when it presented its final screening. The building was demolished in 1964. Its history illustrates the changing economics and culture of public entertainment in London: a licensed music-and-dancing extension became a variety theatre, incorporated film into its programmes, transitioned into a dedicated cinema, and ultimately operated within a major cinema circuit before disappearing from the built environment.

• 1964

  Building demolished

  [1]Foresters Music Hallen.wikipedia.org

  The former music hall and cinema structure was demolished.

• 1960

  Final screening

  [1]Foresters Music Hallen.wikipedia.org

  The cinema closed after its last showing on 20 August.

• 1949

  Grand reopening after wartime repairs

  [1]Foresters Music Hallen.wikipedia.org

  Following Blitz damage and repair work, the cinema held a grand reopening on 10 October.

• 1936

  Joined Odeon Cinemas

  [1]Foresters Music Hallen.wikipedia.org

  Foresters Super Cinema became part of the Odeon Cinemas circuit.

• 1925

  Reopened as Foresters Super Cinema

  [1]Foresters Music Hallen.wikipedia.org

  The site returned as a dedicated movie theatre using the Foresters Super Cinema name.

• 1917

  First cinema-era closure

  [1]Foresters Music Hallen.wikipedia.org

  The venue closed after its period as the New Lyric Music Hall and New Lyric Theatre.

• 1912

  Cinema licence granted

  [1]Foresters Music Hallen.wikipedia.org

  The venue obtained a cinema licence and became principally a film-exhibition site.

• 1906

  Silent-film equipment installed

  [1]Foresters Music Hallen.wikipedia.org

  Frank Macnaghten introduced film projection equipment, initially supplementing live vaudeville and variety performances.

• 1891

  Reopened as Foresters Music Hall

  [1]Foresters Music Hallen.wikipedia.org

  Following reconstruction and enlargement, the venue reopened under the Foresters Music Hall name.

• 1890

  William Lusby takes control

  [1]Foresters Music Hallen.wikipedia.org

  William Lusby acquired the venue and initiated a period of redevelopment and stronger prominence in London's music-hall circuit.

• 1850

  Entertainment hall established

  [1]Foresters Music Hallen.wikipedia.org

  The Artichoke public house received a licence for music and dancing, and the associated hall began operating as The Artichoke Music Hall.

A local East London entertainment venue that moved from music-hall variety programming into early cinema exhibition and later operated within the Odeon circuit.

• Live entertainment · 1850

  Live music-hall performances

  The venue's original and most important nineteenth-century offering was live music-hall entertainment, including variety acts, musical performances and other popular stage presentations. It served local audiences in Bethnal Green and became sufficiently prominent to be regarded as one of London's more important music halls during the period associated with William Lusby.

• Talent and vaudeville programming · 1906

  Opportunity performances

  Under Frank Macnaghten, the venue hosted a weekly opportunity show that allowed aspiring performers to appear before a paying audience. The format functioned as a demanding proving ground for new entertainers, with audiences judging acts directly and sometimes harshly.

• Early cinema · 1906

  Silent-film presentations

  Film projection was introduced in 1906 as an accompaniment to live variety entertainment. These silent-film presentations represented the venue's first sustained involvement with cinema and formed the bridge between its music-hall identity and later operation as a dedicated movie theatre.

• Cinema exhibition · 1925

  Foresters Super Cinema screenings

  After reopening in 1925, the venue operated explicitly as Foresters Super Cinema. Its core offering was commercial film exhibition, later delivered within the Odeon Cinemas circuit from 1936 until the final screening in 1960.

• 1949

  Reopen after Blitz damageOther

  Background

  The building sustained structural damage during the Second World War Blitz.

  Action taken

  The cinema was repaired and given a formal grand reopening on 10 October 1949.

  Aftermath

  Film screenings resumed and continued until the final showing in August 1960.

  Source

• 1936

  Join the Odeon Cinemas circuitM&A

  Background

  Foresters Super Cinema was operating as a dedicated movie theatre in the interwar period.

  Action taken

  The cinema became part of Odeon Cinemas.

  Aftermath

  The venue continued under circuit ownership or operation until its final screening in 1960.

  Source

• 1925

  Reopen under a dedicated cinema identityStrategy

  Background

  The venue had closed in 1917 after operating under the New Lyric names.

  Action taken

  The site reopened as Foresters Super Cinema, emphasizing film exhibition and restoring the Foresters name.

  Aftermath

  The cinema continued operating and later joined the Odeon circuit.

  Source

• 1912

  Transition to principal cinema operationStrategy

  Background

  Film presentations had initially been an addition to live performances since 1906.

  Action taken

  The venue obtained a cinema licence and shifted its principal programming toward movie screenings.

  Aftermath

  Foresters became one of London's early cinemas and continued primarily as a cinema until its 1917 closure.

  Source

• 1906

  Add silent-film projection to live entertainmentProduct launch

  Background

  The venue was still operating primarily as a music hall and vaudeville site, but film exhibition was becoming a new form of popular entertainment.

  Action taken

  Frank Macnaghten installed equipment for showing silent films, initially using films to supplement live variety programmes.

  Aftermath

  The change established the venue's connection with cinema and preceded its later transition into a principally film-based theatre.

  Source

1. 1Foresters Music Hallen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Foresters Music Hall, 93 Cambridge Heath Road, Bethnal Greenarthurlloyd.co.uk