How can I trace the location and history of a particular cinema?

First look at what has already been published, whether in a local history book or on a local history website. Use the information provided but do check the original sources that the author or website compiler used. Ask the local libraries or local archives services if they hold any unpublished lists of local cinemas.

The National Library of Scotland Moving Image Archive (formerly the Scottish Screen Archive) holds the records of many cinema companies. These contain information about individual cinemas. <https://www.nls.uk/collections/moving-image-archive/> [accessed 26 April 2024]

If you don’t know where the cinema was located, look at any available old maps for period, especially Ordnance Survey (OS) editions. You can see OS maps up to the 1960s on the National Library of Scotland website and you can usually find more recent OS maps in local libraries.

To find the name of the cinema, check through back-copies of Post Office Directories for the town or county in question. Remember that if the cinema’s owners did not pay for an entry in these directories then the cinema may not appear in the alphabetical or classified sections.

It is possible that the local authority kept a register of licences granted to cinemas and theatres, but if these have not survived, go to the local authority archives service for the area and look at valuation rolls which record the owner, occupiers and purpose of most buildings in each town or village and are more reliable than Post Office Directories. However, checking through these can be time-consuming: you may need to devote several hours to this. Bear in mind that many street names have changed over the last century, especially in cities. You may also be able to find plans of the building in the building standards warrants or dean of guild warrants.