The Cinema Museum, Kennington

The Cinema Museum, Kennington

On Friday I went with a small group from my choir for a guided tour of the Cinema Museum, perhaps one of London's best kept secrets. Housed in a former workhouse it has links to Charlie Chaplin. Charlie stayed here for a few days aged five and came with his brother (aged seven) and his mother. The workhouse did not cater for children and the two Chaplin boys were moved on. Eventually when Charlie could afford to he paid for his mother to be moved somewhere private and later to a house in the grounds of his own home in the US.

While on the topic of buildings, just outside the gates is the former Magistrates Court where The Train Robbers first appeared before the case was moved on. This is now a Buddhist Centre. The land the building stands on is owned by the NHS who now want to sell. The life of the museum is somewhat precarious. Their own bid was not successful but a developer is in talks with them. They seem favourable about keeping the museum but there is nothing in writing yet.

The Cinema museum holds the largest collection of items including a library. When cinemas were closed down they picked up items 'for beer money' from the the workmen, mostly art deco pieces. They have an active programme of films and open days when the public can take along their old cine film to show. They are unique and deserve a bit of publicity!

On arrival there was a fascinating talk with slide show presentation about the history of cinema, the museum and details of some of the collection. We then had refreshments before going outside where Maurice (our guide) talked about the building and its past. We observed the workhouse's former water tower, now a residential property with a guide price of over £1m. Back inside we watched five short films on original film - the sort of things that used to get shown before the main feature. These films included floods in Paris (River Seine), the last days of the trolley bus/trams, an art film by Len Lye (who I had come across in one of my art courses!) and coffee shops in Soho.

Lots of memories were evoked from this day, stuff I suddenly remembered from going to the cinema years back. Maurice could talk for England. He knows his stuff and is eager to impart it. The tour therefore took longer than stated and we were all frozen at the end. However, it is a brilliant place and on a warmer day it would be fine!

Here is the Len Lye film after which follows some photos from the day.

The main room is the former chapel of the workhouse

Charlie Chaplin installation

When talkies first came the sound was separate from the film.
It came on a record but played from the centre to the edge. All was fine until the film needed repairing
(They caught fire a lot) .
Then film and sound no longer synchronized! 

The £1m home (former water tower)