History of Kilburn and West Hampstead

As the local population grew, several buildings were opened to provide amusement in Cricklewood.  The Cricklewood Dance Hall and Skating Rink, 1920s In the 1920s at No. 200 Cricklewood Broadway  (over time the numbering changed), there was a dance hall, a roller skating rink, and a cinema all next door to each other. This postcard shows the dance hall and skating rink. The Palace, or Electric Palace cinema (which was out of view on the right-hand side of the above picture), opened in November 1910 and continued to the early part of WWII. It was built by converting existing shops, and was part of a small chain of 11 London cinemas which was registered as a limited company in January 1909. There were performances of films from 2.00 to 11.00 daily, and the Cricklewood cinema was licensed for 400 seats. One resident remembers going to the Saturday morning children’s sessions in the 1930s. He saw, ‘Cowboy films, The Three Stooges and cartoons. There was a piano player for the sil...