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Information

        
                 
   
                                                            History

 

 
The Magic of Cinema has been with us for the last 100 years. But from the 1960's onwards, 'Picture Palaces' were being boarded up, turned into Bingo Halls, split into multiscreen cinemas or razed to the ground for redevelopment. Projection equipment was being thrown into skips or sold for scrap.

In 1978 these developments led to a concerned group in the industry to form
 
Ernest Lindgren House The first meeting of the Trust was held at Ernest Lindgren House, Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire (left). This meeting set out the aims of the Trust as being

“To locate, preserve, renovate and exhibit the equipment and data, past and present, of still and moving images”.
 
In 1983 the Trust was registered as an Educational Charity, No. 288,239.
 
The Trust initially acquired equipment from many sources, not only projectors, arc lamps, amplifiers etc but items such as admission ticket machines from the London Pavilion, the Majestic Cinema, Reigate and other cinemas which were either closing or being updated. Meanwhile, various pieces of vintage equipment, including a selection of narrow gauge home movie cinema apparatus was being donated by collectors and is now on display at Bletchley Park.
 
Pictured (below) is a collection in the USA, which should have come to the Trust but was ‘skipped’ before it could be shipped over.
 (click image for enlargement)
 
USA collection 1 USA collection 2 USA collection 3
 

The Early Days

In the early days the Trust accepted almost everything that was offered to it. In a very short space of time we ran out of space to keep everything.

 
 
Our main area of operation was based on the National Film & Television Archive at Berkhamsted in the basement of the cottage We soon expanded (above) into the garage without doors, the old pig sty’s (open to the elements), the stables (left), the barn (at least weatherproof) and the listed grain barn which was in a ready state of collapse.
 
Our collection now has over 3,000 items of equipment and other valuable material.
 
An Executive Committee of six members, plus three other members manages the Trust. There are six regions, each with a co-ordinator who is responsible for the activities within those regions.

 
 
 
   
   

Aims of the Trust

Whilst we decided upon aims at the first meeting of the Trust in 1978, we have found it necessary to extend these aims more specifically, whilst maintaining the original intentions. These further aims are now:

    
   

Ensure the continuation of management and technical expertise

Ensure the continued area co-ordination where present dedication and expertise is apparent

Seek further participation with other areas of similar interest in order to exhibit equipment for the interest of the public at large

Promote educational facilities more rigorously

Bring the Trust into a higher level of recognition by publicity, further exhibition venues and word of mouth

Say to anyone who shares the Trust's aims - 'Come and join us'

Further the investigation into the digital projection of film images with a view to future archivingOrganise events of common interest

Publish at least two Information Sheets on specific subjects or pieces of equipment per annum

Seek a sponsor to provide a permanent Manager for the trust