Granada Cinema Mansfield

Believed to be John Madin in the Granada February 1968
CHAD 26292
June 1973 Removing the Wurlitzer organ from the Granada
CHAD B+1894 A-B

I recently read some history about the Mansfield Granada cinema which said it was opened on the 4th August 1930 as the Plaza Cinema.  In April 1936 a Wurlitzer 3 manual organ was opened by organist Harold Ramsey and the cinema was taken over and renamed the Granada from April 1942.

On the 26th May 1973 the Granada was closed showing the film ‘Young Winston’ starring Simon Ward.

The Wurlitzer organ was removed by ex Granada organist John Madin  of Chesterfield who tried to find a home for it in Chesterfield, but was unsuccessful. 

He then sold it to a Mr Graham Fields who had it in a local restaurant which he subsequently sold to purchase a former Methodist Chapel in Matlock where the organ was fully installed and opened in 1995.  The Chapel was then sold when Mr Fields moved to Greece after which Mr Graham Atkinson bought the organ.

A few days ago my husband and I went to the Scarborough Fair Collection which is situated on the Flower of May Holiday Park, Lebberston Cliff, Scarborough, YO11 3NU and if you haven’t got a car, it is on the No. 120 Scarborough/Bridlington bus route.  We were so chuffed to find our Mansfield Granada Wurlitzer organ there in the café/ballroom being played for the afternoon tea dances, and also there is the Wurlitzer organ that had been situated at The Ranch, Sutton-in-Ashfield.  We told the organist Mr Michael Carr that as children we had sung to this very organ at the Saturday morning children’s film shows when it was played by Boyd Oxford.  He said he loves the mellow sound that it produces.  What a history it has, and it’s so good to think it is now giving so much pleasure to so many people once again.  I’m sure we’ll go back again some day to recollect the ‘old days’ of being one of the Saturday Grenadiers as we were called, and to also see the old fairground rides.

 

Acknowledgement to Mansfield Museum for the photos from their Chad Negative collection.

 

 

Comments about this page

  • I was 2nd projectionist at the Granada from 1st August 1965 to May 28th 1973 when it closed. I am very proud to have worked there and have lovely memories of the theatre and the stage shows that were truly magical. Unfortunately there aren’t many more of us around anymore, and so I really would like to team up with any old staff possibly for a last hurrah. Ian Watkins on Mansfield 103FM is preparing a piece on my time at the Granada which he is also planning to put in his News Journal.

    By Fred Shelton (03/10/2019)
  • Hello Rex, I’m sorry to tell you that the Granada cinema is no longer there, it was demolished around 1973 or 4 when the Four Seasons Shopping Centre was built. Primark now occupies the site approximately where the Granada was, in the past it was Littlewoods until they went on line, can’t remember if any other stores occupied it in between.
    There are no cinemas left in the town centre, the ABC has been taken over by a church group. The only cinema Mansfield now has is on Nottingham Road, the price of progress I expect, so many other options for entertainment these days.
    Thought I’d add I was a Grenadier in the early 60’s. Anyone else out there? Children could join the Grenadiers and we had a Saturday club, where we went to the Saturday matinee. I used to be dropped off at the Granada by my mum, who then went shopping while I watched the film, afterwards if we had the money, she would treat me to a milkshake in the Granada restaurant, above the cinema looking out onto West Gate, or we would go for fish and chips to the cafe up the alley at the side of the sweet shop next to the Granada, there for a reason, that’s where you bought your tuffees before going to watch the film. The alley led out onto Stockwell Gate, approximately were Barclays Bank is now.

    By Jenny Wright (30/12/2018)
  • Hello Alan,

    What is the Granada now? Haven’t been to Mansfield since 1968.

    By Rex Mirfin (25/12/2018)
  • The organist in the top photograph is Mike Slater, not John Madin

    By Keith Beckingham (13/03/2018)
  • Once again nostalgia at its very best for those who can remember the old picture places as we called them then.Great story yet sad in a way as progress ( if you can call it ) takes over from memories long gone .

    By G.Burton former Woodus Lad (30/10/2017)
  • Hello Shirley, what a lovely story.. Say Hello to Roy, I hope you are both keeping well.  I enjoy  listening to the Blackpool Organ on occasions. I always remember a friend of mine from Landers, He was an organist, he often stood  in to play the organ at the Granada. His name was Stanley . and for the life of me , I cannot recall his Second name. Love reading your memories.

    By Alan Curtis (05/09/2017)

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