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One of my most vivid memories of the Granada Theatres of Slough, was that the interior decor of the Adelphi Theatre did not havethat Granada look.  In fact it looked like an ABC Cinema to my untrained eye.  I remember thinking that it lacked, in my mind, both the grandeur and presence of either the Granada or the Century Theatres.

The Adelphi Cinema opened to the public in February 1930 and was without a Theatre Organ.  In 1933, the cinema was taken over by Slough Playhouse Ltd. and a second-hand Christie Theatre Organ was installed and made its debut in May 1933 with Bruce Wendall at the console.   The Organ had originally been installed at the Empire Theatre Edmonton, which was owned by The Bernsteins, and who had decided to replace it with a Wurlitzer Theatre Organas part of their Theatre’s refurbishment.

The Christie Theatre Organ while at the Empire Theatre Edmonton had 2 Manuals and 7 Ranks.  Once it was sold, it was refurbished by Compton to 3 Manuals and now with 8 Ranks following the addition of a Melotone and was installed at the Adelphi Cinema Slough together with a new Morrison-built console.The revamped Theatre Organ was first played at its new home in April 1937 by Alex Taylor.

Left: Dudley Savage (1937); Right: Hubert Cooter (1938)

These photographs were provided by Mr. Wayne Ivany

Click here to hear an interview with Dudley Savage

Click here to hear Mr. Savage play the Theatre Organ

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In 1933, the Adelphi Theatre was operated by Southan Morris (Super Cinemas Chain) for a short time, but passed to Union Cinemaslater in the same year.  In 1937, the Theatre was taken over by Associated British Cinemas (ABC), which continued to operate it until 1953, when it passed to an independent operator for a while, but was quickly taken over by Granada Theatres.

At this time, The Christie Theatre Organ apparently bore little resemblance to its original form, as it now had a Compton Music Deskand Wurlitzer–style ends.  In 1971, the Organ was removed from the Adelphi Theatre and broken up.  The Wurlitizer-style (Granada) ends of the Adelphi Theatre’s Christie Organ are now attached to the Christie Theatre Organ at Castle Hill United Reform Church, Ipswich.

Organist David Ivory at the Christie Theatre Organ at Castle Hill United Reform Church, Ipswich in 2003.

This photograph was provided by Mr. Wayne Ivany

The Compton parts of The Organ are now in storage in Norfolk.

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The Adelphi Theatre eventually closed in May 1973 and became a Granada Social Club.  In May 1991, the erstwhile Adephi Theatre-cum-Granada Social Club became a Gala Bingo Club and is still in operation today.

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