Pre 'talkies' Nairn movie info

Hamish has another contribution for the Gurn. Hamish has told us that he left Nairn in 1941 at the age of 19 and that at the time the detail of many of the events in Nairn were not of much interest to him but he hopes his memories will be interesting to us all the same. This time he goes back to what it was like in Nairn before sound appeared on the big screen.

'When the Regal was opened town’s folk were most impressed by the internal décor, the lighting effects and, if I remember correctly, by the fact that an organ had been installed. Until a short time before then we had music from Mrs. Scott playing appropriate tunes on the piano in The Playhouse in Church Street. That was before “talkies” arrived in Nairn. Both cinemas changed their programmes three time each week so one could “go to the pictures” every night except for Sunday and see a new film – if they could afford to do that. Saturday matinees for children in the Playhouse cost 2d I think.'

In another nugget of information that will be of interest to the Wee County football faithful Hamish adds: 'Mr. Scott was the manager there and their son ‘Braddy’ played at outside right for the County.'

6 films a week to see in Nairn when there were two cinemas of dreams. Sounds pretty good doesn't it. Maybe films could come again to Nairn on a more regular basis as part of the legacy of the Ballerina Ballroom Cinema of Dreams festival. Incidentaly if anyone wants to keep in touch with other folk who attended the film festival there is a Facebook group with quite a lot of news and comment, pictures etc (you don't have to be a facebook member to have a look). There is also news to be had on the official site, and also a new page Mark Remembers.