Catalogue

The cinema was operating silent movies when it opened. At the same time a debate was being held between film directors and actors if to proceed with ‘talkies’ because of the costs and wondered if they would oust the silent picture or even rival the appeal of the theatre. It was only two months following the opening of the Regent that the cinema along with a further sixty of the Gaumont circuit cinemas were equipped with the Western Electric Company’s talking film installation whereby full-length films such as “The Singing Fool” and “Show Boat” could be shown.

The Regent Theatre in Hanley was opened in 1929 and waas the largest and most lavish seating over two thousand partons. It was not long after that the very first ‘Talkie’ in the Potteries was shown at the Regent in July 1929 when “The Singing Fool” starring Al Jolson took to the screen filling the 2134 seats at four performances a day. At the end of the week the demand was so great with constant queues around the block that the management decided to run the film for a further week. This meant that around 26,000 people came to see history in its making at The Regent and to witness actual words and music coming for the first time from actors. I doubt if there was one dry eye as he sang Sonny Boy. The Sentinel reported “Whenever it has been shown enormous crowds have been drawn to see it. It is a remarkable production and has secured almost universal approval. In it Al Jolson is revealed as one of the most powerful emotional actors on the screen”.

Two pages long

This article includes all the known ‘finds’ dating from the first century AD within the area known as Stoke-upon-Trent.

In the late 1920s and early 30s there were numerous Roman finds in the area, mostly documented by the late Thomas Pape of Newcastle. It was a further twenty years later in July 1955, when a group of volunteers excavated a series of trial holes in which Pape had worked. Two excavations were made, the first showed signs of occupation as a post hole were discovered. Adjacent to this lay a charcoal deposit, intermixed with pottery sherds and on the floor lay pottery consisting of lamp-holders, cooking pot lids, platters, flagons, and an incense burner. A crude hearth was found together with an iron poker. The pots were fashioned from local clay but at this point no kiln was unearthed. It was possible to deduce that the post holes supported a wattle and daub structure and with the profusion of potsherds, indicated a potter’s workshop. The building it would seem had been burnt to the ground suggesting a sudden vacation of the site perhaps the rebellion of Boudicca (A.D.61) demanding the return of all Roman outposts. Two x A4 pages and photographs.

On a typical early November morning in 1842 a group of friends and relatives stood around and open grave in St John’s churchyard, Burslem, to pay their respects to Thomas Roe, a well-known shoemaker of the town.

But this was not a typical death as it was clouded in mystery and disbelief. Whispers between mourners as to the cause of death almost beggared belief as the word ’blasphemy’ remained unspoken but rather mild in fear of the consequences.t is interesting to read the ’view upon death’ (inquest) held in Burslem three days after the funeral of Thomas Roe, especially following the 1913

As to the cause of death it was agreed that he died by the visitation of God ‘. One witness at the inquest stated that, while arguing with people in a pub he stated: 2 I would rather go to hell than to heaven. I intend to go there!” At another public house he observed:” someday the devil will come to me, and say, ‘I’m come for the now’ and I shall say to him, ‘well, I’m ready for thee!

Such remarks, it was reported, could scarcely be believed to have come from a sane mind. In the case of Roe, it was literally exemplified in the passage ‘in the midst of life we are in death’. All this was within an hour after being in the street in apparent good health. Following the enquiry, the inquest jury returned a verdict of ‘died by the visitation of God ‘- so be aware!’  1 page.