[jambutty]

Originally Posted by Wynonie Harris

Are you sure, Jambutty? I seem to recall that the Hippodrome was very near to the bottom of Ellison Street, with just a small yard between the theatre and the bus depot.

Not 100% sure because memory is a funny thing. But I’m pretty sure.

As you walked down Ellison Street from Blackburn Road there was a back street that led to the top of the Tenament, where the fair used to be. From the top of King Street was a short street (barely 20 yards) leading to the Tenament and joining up with the back street from Ellison Street. At the top of this short street on one corner was a pie shop where you could get potato pie, peas and gravy for one shilling and eat them in a little room inside. A meal to die for. Those were the days when Holland’s pies were not just good but excellent. On the other corner were a barbers and my school mate Johnny Preston lived next door.

The back street was the entrance to the gods and also the general exit from the main theatre.

So the Hippodrome was about half way down Ellison Street. Mind you it was so large that unless you actually walked all the way down it could have looked as if it backed onto the bus and tram depot. I’ve got vague memories of the Co-op grocery store just a bit up from the Hippodrome.

After the Hippodrome there were some buildings, either offices of the depot or houses, then at the end of those was the bus and tram depot across the bottom of the street as you can see from the photographs so thoughtfully supplied.