The first Wurlitzer Theatre Organs installed in the U.K. were at The Picture House Walsall and The Palace Cinema Tottenham.  As a result of their success with the cinema-going public, The Provincial Cinematograph Theatres (PCT), the first national cinema chain in the U.K., decided to order Wurlitzer Theatre Organs for their Picture Houses in Glasgow and Edinburgh.  These Wurlitzer Theatre Organs were 2-manual, 8-ranks instruments and of the Style F type.

Wurlitzer Theatre Organ Style F

The organ at The Picture House Glasgow was opened by Jack Courtnay on the 8th October, 1925.  The organ was removed in 1957 and, unfortunately most of it was broken up and sold for scrap.

The Wurlitzer Organ installed at The Picture House Glasgow with organist Frank Olsen – awaiting permission to reproduce this photograph from Scottish Cinemas

The Facade of the erstwhile Picture House Glasgow now a part of the Savoy Shopping Centre – awaiting permission to reproduce this photograph from Scottish Cinemas 

The organ installed at The New Picture House Edinburgh opened a month later with Reginald Foort at the console.  Owning to a lack of funds and perhaps a lack of use, the instrument was sold back to The Wurlitzer Organ Company.   At the factory, two additional ranks were added, and along with a new console, was then sold to The Granada Theatre Circuit and installed it at the Granada Theatre Kingston on the 23rd August, 1939.  This installation is renowned for being the last to be undertaken in the U.K.

The New Picture House Edinburgh: Top, Exterior; Bottom: The Auditorium

These photographs appear here with the permission of Mr. Clive Polden

Today, this organ resides in a private residence in Cornwall.  Unfortunately I have not been able to find a photograph of this organ.

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The final two Wurlitzer Theatre Organs installed in Scotland were at the Kings Cinema Dundee and the New Victoria Edinburgh.

The organ installed at the Kings Cinema Dundee had 2-manuals and 6-ranks with a Style-165 console,  which was the successor to the Style-D.  This was opened on the 24^th September, 1928 by the organist George Hunt.  In 1961 the interior of this cinema was renovated and was re-opened as the Odeon Cinema.  During the renovation, the organ was removed and was sadly broken up.

Console Style-165 (the organist is unknown)

The Wurlitzer Theatre Organ installed at the New Victoria Edinburgh had been previously installed at the Embassy Theater Baltmore in 1926.  However The Wurlitzer Organ Company repossessed it, and following this, it was reconditioned and, as a 2-manual, 10 rank organ together with a Style F ‘Special’ console, was opened by Leslie James at the New Victoria Edinburgh on 25th August, 1930.

Console Style F

In 1964, the New Victoria Edinburgh was renamed as an Odeon and the organ was removed and sold to a private buyer in Kincaldy who added an additional two ranks to it.  In 1978, the organ was installed at the Civic Centre in East Kilbride where another rank was added and the console replaced with a larger 4 manual one.  This modified organ was removed from the Civic Centre in 1999 and was unfortunately broken up and the numerous parts were sold separately and used as additions to other organs throughout the U.K.

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The only Wurlitzer Theatre Organ that may be heard played today in Scotland is installed at Pollokshaw’s Burgh Hall in Glasgow.

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