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Academy Cinema

A staff firedrill

By Trevor Chepstow

This photograph of staff at the Academy Cinema in West Street Brighton was taken around 1949-50. I assume that the gentleman in the middle is the Chief Commissionaire and is demonstrating how the fire extinguisher works at the fire drill.

The tall gentleman to the left is Daniel Percy Bailey my grandfather who had recently retired from the army. Daniel Percy Bailey was in the Royal Artillery and was stationed at the Lewes Road Barracks. Originally from Manchester he fought in the 1914-18 War in the North West Frontier and again in the Second World War in the Middle East and South Africa. He retired with the rank of Corporal from the army.

Along with his job as commissionaire at the Academy Cinema; he was also messenger and commissionaire for the National Abbey Insurance Company whose building was right opposite the cinema. The National Abbey building has changed very little and is now home to the large chain of pubs called "Wetherspoons".

Staff firedrill

From the private collection of Trevor Chepstow

This page was added on 30/08/2006.

Comments about this page

The last film, on the last night, was 'The Last Picture Show'. How appropriate. I was there.

By David Wilkinson (22/07/2009)

My Father 'Ted' Tulley was the manager at the Academy, Odeon and Regent cinemas in the 50s/60s. You would see him either outside or in the foyer immaculately dressed in his evening suite with a carnation in his lapel.

By Robin Tulley (13/08/2009)

Hey - good entertainment at the Academy. I used to go there when our family lived in a council hostel on the seafront at Russell Street. There was another cinema called The Palladium on the corner of Russell Street. As kids we lived opposite, we were very poor and didn't have much to laugh at but we used to see the film then pop home for tea and then go back again - thanks to the good old bloke on the door. Wouldn't get that sort of understanding nowadays.

By Bob Golby (28/08/2009)

I went to the Academy in 1963 when I was on holiday with my father. We went to see Lawrence of Arabia, which was screened in 35mm with four-track magnetic sound, which sounded great.

By David A Ellis (13/10/2009)