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6 THE EMD CINEMA

At 186 Hoe Street the EMD is


easily the most notable cinema
A cinema site from 1907, the
present building dates back to
the 1930s and could hold 2,700
OTHER
building in Waltham Forest. The people. Now the building has a
POINTS OF
site is thought to have hosted Grade II listing and was the only INTEREST
London’s first film show in 1896. Waltham Forest cinema to
survive into the 21st century. ■ Leyton and
Sadly it closed in 2003 and is Leytonstone are 
now owned by the Universal transversed by two
Church of the Kingdom of God railway lines, one of
PIT-STOPS (UCKG). Unfortunately there is which was electrified and
■ Horizon café, 809 High no public access, but the building integrated as part of the
road Leytonstone. is the subject of a long running Central Line in 1947. The
■ Sir Alfred Hitchcock campaign by the McGuffin overground stations are
Hotel, 147 Whipps Cross Society (www.mcguffin.info) known as Leyton Midland
Road, London E11. fighting for at least a partial and Leytonstone High
■ The Hornbeam 458 retention of cinema use. Road. At the time of
Hoe Street, London, E17. Alfred Hitchcock’s birth
k ■ Rose & Crown pub 53 in 1899, many railway

WANSTEAD
Hoe Street, E17.
5 LEYTON HIGH STREET
& HOE STREET
806 Leyton High Street, now a
workers lived in Leyton,
as it was close to Temple
Mills’ marshalling yards.
community place, was a cinema
FACTFILE dating from the 1930s. The view ■ St Patrick’s Roman
DISTANCE 5.6 miles from the rear is an example of Catholic Cemetery
TIME 1-1.5 hours at an how a relatively narrow and (established in the
easy pace attractive facade, designed for 1860s). Hitchcock’s
rk
Pa film posters, can conceal large family were Catholics,
START Leytonstone tube
GRADIENT For elevation brick-built structures capable of and his father, who died
profile go to www.bikely. seating 1,000 to 2,000 people.   in 1914, is buried in the
com/maps/bike-path/ Only a stone’s throw away at cemetery, as is Mary Jane
d
The-Hitchcock-Trail (75m 468-474 Hoe Street ‘The Kelly, a victim of ‘ Jack
climb, 58m descend) Empress Electric Picture Theatre’ The Ripper’, whose
PUBLIC TRANSPORT could accommodate another murderous activities
Leyton tube (Central line), thousand viewers. It clearly were part of pre-1914
unfolded bikes eastbound shows cinema’s popularity in ‘Funeral of the World’s Greatest London folklore.
Blake Hall R

off-peak; Leytonstone Leyton and Walthamstow at the Monarch, King Edward VII The Associations between
High road (Barking to time. Opened in 1913 and closed Peacemaker’, ‘A trip to Banana sexual feeling and
Gospel Oak line) unfolded in 1963 it is now The Kingsway Land’ and ‘The Wonders of violence are made in his
International Christian Centre. Rhodesia’. The Company worked film The Lodger and,
d

bikes off-peak;
Walthamstow Central tube A little further (317 Hoe closely with the government notoriously, Psycho.
(Victoria line) no unfolded Street), now vacant and last on wartime propaganda from Murder — and attempts to
bikes; Walthamstow used as a telephone exchange is 1916, notably ‘The Battle of get away with it — are  a
Centre Rd

Central rail (Chingford to the site of the British and The Somme’. The bulk of the common theme of
Liverpool street) unfolded Colonial Kinematograph company’s output is now Hitchcock films, notably
bikes off-peak  Company, noted for what would severely deteriorated, Rope, Dial M for Murder,
GET A MAP http://tinyurl. now be regarded as politically destroyed, or lost (perishable Strangers on a Train and
Rd

com/HitchcockTrail incorrect short films such as  nitrate film was used until 1953).  Vertigo.

3 LEYTON FLATS
A peculiarity of East London
is the use of the word ‘flats’,
Hitchcock’s youth, but with no
known association. It’s an
example of how the private
4 CUNARD STUDIO SITE
245 Wood Street — the
site of an early purpose-built
meaning heathland — as in sector, rather than council has film studio, opened in October
Leyton and Wanstead Flats. promoted the famed connection. 1914 by Cunard Films Limited.
It’s likely that the young Leyton Flats and Hollow Ponds The ‘state-of-the-art’
Hitchcock visited both and saw were used by Walthamstow film studio provided offices, prop
the open flight of birds, which studios for open-air shoots and stores and film processing
became another feature of his are considered to be a major laboratories on the ground attracted to Walthamstow,
films. Leyton Flats is opposite early driver for an industry to floor, with glass-roofed stage because of its combination of
the Alfred Hitchcock Hotel, a settle at the fringes of a major on the first floor illuminated clean air and proximity to
building that existed in city, as in Hollywood. by 30 arc lamps and a search- central London. The first film
light. Taken over by Broad- actors were drawn from the
west Film Company in 1916 it West End theatres and could
quickly built up a team of be available for day-time
leading actors. It was later sold filming, returning to their
to British Filmcraft in 1926 theatres in the evening, via
and closed in 1932. the Wood Street and
Film studio owners were Walthamstow stations.

August-September 2010 London Cyclist 31

030031NEW_ride.FINAL.indd 31 06/07/2010 21:00

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