The year of 1910 was the most significant year for the screening of motion pictures since the first screening in the town by J. B. Wakely, on Tuesday 8^th February 1898.

On Saturday, 19th March 1910, the Parramatta Picture Palace opened for business.  The Parramatta Picture Palace, which was also called Bennington's Picture Palace or just Bennington's, was located in George Street, opposite Pearce's Sale Yards (northern side, between Church and Smith Streets), probably at the current location of the Civic Arcade.(1)

The Parramatta Picture Palace building was described as, 'the finest Picture Theatre yet seen outside Sydney'.  The walls were constructed of galvanised iron and there was no roof at this stage.  There was a seating capacity of 2,000 mainly on wooden benches.  The floor was flat and covered in ash, the front half was flat while the rear was stepped with wooden tiers.  The lighting for the building and grounds and the power to run the projector was provided by a 17 hp Hornsby gas engine.  The main entrance was off George Street and consisted of wire mesh gates covering a large opening, a vestibule with ticket windows each side.(2)  Twelve months later the seating would be increased by hundreds of extra seats and all the benches would be treated with damp-resisting paint.(3)

The opening was presided over by the Mayor, Alderman John Waugh.  The sole proprietors and directors were Messrs. Bennington Bros. (Albert and Samuel) and the Manager was Mr. Alfred Beszant.(4,5) Alfred Beszant would leave Bennington's in November 1912, due to an excessive work load, to take up a position with the Grand Theatre, Pitt Street Sydney, as chief projectionist, but would return a few years later.(6,7)

In addition to the films at the Parramatta Picture Palace, there was an orchestra, mechanical effects and illustrated songs, glass lantern slides containing the words of popular songs.  Performances were every evening at 8.00 pm and there was a change of program every Wednesday and Saturday.(8,9)

Two months later on Wednesday 18th May 1910, the residents of Parramatta saw the opening of their second theatre, the Butterfly Picture Theatre.  The proprietor was Mr. Henry (Harry) Mainsbridge and the theatre was located in Wentworth Street, opposite the railway station and Creasey's Hotel.  It was recorded that he had spent £1,100 on the equipment for the theatre.(10,11)

The building had a galvanised iron front, canvas walls and the seating was wooden benches on a brick floor.  Like Bennington's the theatre did not have a roof.  This caused a problem on opening night when it rained, but it would appear that this did not dampen the spirits of everyone who attended.  The opening of the theatre also caused ‘quite a stir’ in the vicinity of the station due to the illumination of  the front entrance.  Also like the opening of Bennington's the films were accompanied with effects and an orchestra.(12,13)

The winter months and an open air picture theatre may have been too much for the manager of Bennington's.  On Thursday and Friday, 6th and 7th July, Alfred Beszant screened films in Windsor, having just completed a successful season at the Parramatta Picture Palace.(14)  However, this may not have been the case for the Butterfly Picture Theatre, there are advertised screenings for the months of August and September.

The next theatre to be opened in the area was the Granville Picture Palace, on Saturday, 3rd September 1910.  The Granville Picture Palace was located in Railway Parade south, next to the post office and opposite Granville Railway Station, on the site formerly occupied by the business of Mr. W. H. Rowell.  The opening was attended by 1,500 people and during interval the Mayor of Granville, Dr. Kerr, addressed the audience and congratulated the manager, Mr. W. H. Kells, on the enterprise and wished the theatre every success during the 5½ years it was proposed to operate.  The Clyde Band played outside prior to the commencement of the screening, while a locally selected orchestra played throughout and some illustrated songs were performed by Mr. S. Hines, who also acted as stage director.(15)  Like the other two picture theatres in Parramatta this too was open to the weather.  This situation remained until April 1912 when a canvas roof was installed.(16)

From September onwards, both the Butterfly Picture Theatre and the Granville Picture Theatre were advertising screenings every evening at 8.00 pm with a complete change of program twice a week.

In an effort to attract more customers Bennington's Pictures commenced the first of their ‘Animated Beauty Competitions’.  Girls over the age of sixteen would send their photograph to the picture theatre and the twenty successful applicants would the ‘cinematographed’ and these films screened during the evening where the audience would vote for a winner.  The photographs were also displayed in Mr. Greagh's studio window.  A special staff of scrutineers were employed to record the votes and number of votes would be screened as the competition progressed.  Cash prizes of £10 for first and £3 for second were offered.(17)  Bennington's were also to hold beautiful babies competition.

Not to be outdone, the Butterfly Picture Theatre also held women's beauty competitions, men's beauty competitions, beautiful baby competitions and beautiful hair competitions.  Two of the prize winners for one of the Butterfly's ladies competition were first prize of £6 to Miss S. Howlett and second prize of £3 to Miss D. Rennie.(18) 

Ways of attracting customers were not only restricted to cash prizes for beauty competitions, in August 1912, Bennington's were offering a ‘lucky door prize’ of a silver mounted umbrella for a Wednesday evening screening.(19)

The Granville Picture Palace also added a gentleman's singing competition to the list of possible competitions being offered.

From all accounts these competitions proved very successful in attracting customers.

The screenings may have been so successful that there was considerable discussion at one of the Parramatta Council meetings, in March 1911, as to the effect the screening of films was having on other forms of popular entertainment.  In particular, their concern was to the loss of revenue from lack of hiring of the Town Hall, since the issuing of the two licenses to the two picture palaces.  The amount of revenue for 1909 was £314, during 1910, £310 and the first three months of 1911 council received only £84 and might not receive much more.  The Council resolved to allow the Finance Committee to develop a plan that will allow for the letting of the Town Hall more frequently and make it a "revenue-producing property".(20)

Whether it was because of what was discussed at Council or the ambition of the proprietors of Bennington's Picture Palace.  Bennington's no. 2 company stated screening at Parramatta Town Hall on Easter Saturday, 15th April 1911 with a matinee at 3.00 pm and the evening screening at 8.00 pm.(21)  The screenings at Bennington's no. 2 cinema must have lasted for a few months due to this venue being mentioned in the Bennington's Prospectus of 1st June.  But after that date it is not mentioned again and there are no advertisements for any screenings.

At the same time as the screenings at the no. 2 cinema ceased, Bennington's announced the first roof on its George Street theatre.  In May 1911, a canvas roof was installed and in August of the same year this was converted to galvanised iron and canvas.  The canvas would enclose the side which could be removed during the warm evenings and replaced when the whether turned cold or wet.(22,23)  The canvas sides would eventually be permanently enclosed.  Also during May 1911, Mr. Mainsbridge erected an iron roof on the Butterfly Theatre.(24)

Once the both picture theatres were roofed they were able to commence a tradition that would last for many decades, the Saturday afternoon matinee.

During the first half of 1911, the Bennington Bros. tried unsuccessfully to sell their business.  However, in June 1911, an abridged prospectus was issued for the public float of Benningtons' (sic) Pictures Ltd., and an active campaign was staged to encourage both large and small investors to purchase shares.  According to the prospectus the purchase price for the business would be £3,250, which would comprise 1,000 shares at £1 per share.  Also, included in the prospectus were details of the receipts, expenses and nett receipts for the twelve months from July 1910 to June 1911.  The nett receipts were £1,013 and they were predicting a thirty per cent return on capital invested.(25)

The Provisional Directors were many notables of the town:

Dr. Reginald Bowman (Chairman):  associated with Parramatta District Hospital; Chairman of Park Trust; Vice President of Parramatta Horticultural Society.

Walter Francis Jago: Alderman - Mayor during 1911; Executive Committee Parramatta District Progress Association; Parramatta School of Arts; Parramatta Horticultural Society; Committee Parramatta Orchestral Society.

John Brown Smith: Alderman.

Arthur Henry Collett: Alderman

Francis John Thomas: Alderman; Parramatta School of Arts; Parramatta Horticultural Society.(26)

Their directorships were confirmed at the statutory meeting held on Tuesday, 14th November 1911.(27)

Between June and the end of the year two more picture theatres would open in  Parramatta and Granville.

On Saturday 14th October, Mr. George Ralph, local auctioneer of produce and second hand materials(28), opened his open air picture theatre, situated near the fire station in Church St. Parramatta.  The building of the theatre was supervised by Mr. Ralph's second eldest son, Mr. J. Ralph, and had a capacity of 2,500 or 3,000 people.  Mr. Whiting was to be in charge of the ‘flickerless’ cinematograph machine.(29)  In January 1912, Ralph's Picture Theatre, later to be called the Star Picture Theatre, were only screening on Saturday nights until they were ‘covered in’ or roofed.(30)  The theatre was roofed in May 1912, with the roof consisting of 15 tons of iron and steel.(31)

After seven months in construction, a second picture theatre was opened in South Street, Granville on Saturday, 4th November 1911.  The theatre was to be known by the names of Bergan's, named after its owners, John and James Bergan, or the Castle Picture Theatre named after its unique design.  Using ‘Wunderlich’ material, made to look like stone work, the theatre was built like a medieval castle complete with turrets and battlements.(32)  The theatre must have been a very imposing structure, 150 ft. (46 m.) long and 250 ft. (76 m.) deep, with an estimated capacity of 12,000 and the possibility of doubling the capacity after the addition of galleries.  The screen was to be the largest outside of Sydney.(33)

During the next few years there would be many changes to the operation of picture theatres in Parramatta and surrounding areas.  Picture theatres would open and close, and people come and go.

In September 1912, Mr. (Dave) Roberts took on the directorship of the Star Picture Theatre, and changed its name to the Roberts' Star Picture Theatre.(34)  In August 1913 the name was changed to Wilkes' Star Theatre, presumably under the proprietorship of a Mr. Wilkes.(35)  Then from approximately mid 1915 it reverted back to its original operator, George Ralph.

Wednesday 29th September 1915 saw the opening of Parramatta's newest theatre, the Alfred Theatre, located in Church Street on the southern side of the Lennox Bridge.  Built by Mr. A. T. Leabeater, and named after his son, the theatre was 155 ft. (47 m.) by 51 ft. (15.5 m.) with a capacity of 2,000.(36,37)  Twelve months later on Saturday, 12th August 1916, Mr. Leabeater held a Grand Re-opening of the theatre.  It would appear that Mr. Leabeater had difficulty in obtaining films, because on that night he explained that he had overcome the difficulty he had encountered some weeks earlier in obtaining bright, new films for the public and that he intends to operate Wednesday, Friday and Saturday evenings.(38)  After this date there were no further mention of this theatre in the local press, as either advertising or new items.  A comment in the Cumberland Argus in November 1917 indicated there were only four cinemas (presumably Bennington's, Butterfly, Star and Globe) in Parramatta at that time.

The next picture theatre to open was not at Parramatta, but at Wentworthville.  On Saturday, 9th October 1915, Mr. George H.A. Matthews opened a picture theatre called ‘The Movies’, then changed the name to Wentworthville Movies.(39)  Mr. Matthews used an Edison projector powered by a petrol engine.(40)  Advertised as the only the only picture show between Parramatta and Penrith it proved popular in its first few months of operation.  A few years later the name was changed to Peace Picture Theatre.

The final picture theatre to open in Parramatta for some time would be the Globe Theatre, situated on the corner of Church and Ross Streets, Parramatta North.  This theatre was built by the same person who built the Star, George Ralph, opening night was on the Friday, 15th October 1915.  For most of there operation the Star Picture Theatre and the Globe Theatre screened the same films on the same night.

Not to be outdone at this time there was considerable activity at Bennington's Picture Theatre.  During May 1915, Mr. M.P. Hogan became the manager.(41)  In December of that year he moved to the Alfred Theatre.(42)  Then a month later he returned to Bennington's and changed its name to the George Street Theatre.(43)  During his one month absence, Messrs. Greer and Fraser became the new proprietors.(44)  In April 1916, the George Street Theatre only screened Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Public Holidays and matinees, the reason for this was on account of the cold weather.(44)  From May it reverted back to being called Bennington's and from August 1916 to May 1917, the films being screened at Bennington's were the same as that being screened at the Star and Globe.  It is possible that George Ralph might also be operating this cinema in addition to his other two. 

In August 1917 some stability finally returned to Bennington's Picture Theatre, Alfred Beszant returned as manager. He was to be assisted by Albert Bennington and a joint manager Mr. Shorten.  It would appear that the previous proprietors had let the theatre deteriorate, which caused a decline in patronage.  Alfred Beszant installed all new machinery and totally remodelled the theatre and it was not long after its re-opening that Bennington's had returned to its ‘old status’.(46,47) 

Soon after this, Alfred Beszant became the manager of the Castle Picture Theatre and then many other picture theatres through Parramatta Cinema Ltd. and Western Suburbs Cinema Ltd.(48,49)

Whether it was competition from the new remodelled Bennington's and the continuing professional approach adopted by Henry Mainsbridge at the Butterfly Theatre or if it as George Ralph is reported to have said, ‘to give the Butterfly and Bennington's a fair go’, George Ralph closed both his Star and Globe Theatres on Saturday, 17th November 1917.  As the Cumberland Argus commented, ‘No doubt four picture shows were too many for Parramatta, and the closing of two should be an advantage all round’.(50)  One month later, George Ralph advertised the Star Theatre or the Globe Theatre for hire, letting or selling.(51)

During the years between 1910 and 1918 the picture theatre that provided the towns people of Parramatta and surrounds with continued screen entertainment was Henry Mainsbridge's Butterfly Theatre.  There was no change in management, no period when it did not operate and as will be shown later he participated in many facets of community life in Parramatta.  His involvement also extended to other aspects of the film exhibition.  For a period of time around 1914 he was also Chairman of the Picture Showman's Association.(52)  Alfred Beszant may have gone on to become very influential in the picture theatre industry of Parramatta and throughout the western suburbs of Sydney.  However, when the industry was just beginning in Parramatta, the Butterfly Theatre was the one leading the way.

References