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The Empire Theatre Edmonton opened on 26 December, 1908 as a variety theatre.  It was designed by the noted architect Bertie Crewe (1860-1937) and built for and owned by Alexander Bernstein, the father of Sidney and Cecil.

The theatre was leased to and run by Harry Bawn until 1922 when Alexander died and his eight theatres were bequeathed to Sidney.  These theatres were:

• The Empire Edmonton,
• The Electrodome Bow,
• The Lyric Cinema, Guernsey and
• The Empire Group of Kinemas at Ilford, Plumstead, East Ham, West Ham and Willesden.

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In 1922 Sidney bought back the lease of the Empire Theatre Edmonton from Harry Bawn’s widow and continued to run the theatre in partnership with Maurice King.  Sidney Bernstein realised that Music Hall and Variety had lost much of their appeal to the public and that now the screening of film was gaining popularity.  In early 1927, the theatre was closed to undergo remodeling and opened on 18^th April, Easter Monday, as a new luxury Picture Theatre.

A Christie Theatre Organ was installed consisting of 2 manuals and 7 units of pipes, which were located in one chamber to the right of the stage level with the balcony.  The organ was quoted as having 2,800 pipes and 51 stop-keys and was said to have been installed in thirty-five working days.  The console was placed in the centre of the orchestra pit.

Bruce (Wendell) James was appointed to play at the opening ceremony with the organists Francis Soames and Stanley Peters taking up residence from the latter part of 1927 onwards.

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The Empire Edmonton was once again remodeled during 1933 and re-opened on Monday 28 August 1933 with a modern décor designed by Theodore Komisarjevsky.

The Empire Theatre Edmonton

The original Christie Theatre Organ installed at the theatre was really only an Orchestral Organ and unsuitable for solo work.  It was removed and remodeled and was transferred to the Adelphi Theatre Slough, which was to become part of The Granada Theatre Circuit in 1953.   Once the Christie Theatre Organ was removed, it was replaced by a Wurlitzer Theatre Organ, which consisted of 3 manuals and 10 units of pipes with the usual percussions and effects, plus a grand piano attachment.

The Adelphi Theatre Slough as a Granada Social Club

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It is of special interest to note that the Wurlitzer Theatre Organ installed at the Empire Theatre Edmonton was the first to be assembled in Britain.  Until then, complete organs were imported from the U.S.   Although the organ pipe work was shipped from the factory in the U.S., the console, keyboards, stop-keys and other sundry parts were built at the Wurlitzer Factory in North London where it was assembled.  Having an organ built and assembled in this manner meant that the final product was subject to less import duty than that levied on an imported complete organ thereby reducing the selling price.

The Wurlitzer Organ Factory was on Charlton Kings Road, Kentish Town, London N.W.5.
The organ in the foreground was installed at the Troxy Cinema Stepney and
the one behind, at the Granada Theatre Edmonton
This photograph appears with permission of Mr. Wayne Ivany

Don Baker, an American organist, played the Wurlitzer Theatre Organ at the opening of the Empire Theatre Edmonton in August 1933 and stayed until May 1934.  Cyril Elliott became the House Organist and remained at the theatre until the Organ was removed in 1969.  Other organists were resident at the theatre for short periods, usually for a month or so, and included Alex Taylor and Geoffrey Keith.  Star Organists performed solo spots between films while the House Organist provided whatever was needed including playing the customers into and out of the theatre, accompanied variety acts and provided the necessary solo performance when no solo organist was present.

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The Granada Theatre Edmonton closed at the end of July 1969.  Despite a bid from the BBC for The Wurlitzer Theatre Organ, it was sold to a Mr. Charles Hart for his Organ Museum at St Albans where it now resides unaltered.

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