In London’s bustling West End are two streets that quietly shaped the foundations of British cinema. Long before the glitz of red carpets and blockbuster premieres, Cecil Court and Wardour Street were at the heart of a revolutionary cultural shift—the birth of moving pictures. These two streets have important historical connections with the birth of British cinema in the early 20th century.
Cecil Court as "Flicker Alley"
Cecil Court, which runs off Charing Cross Road, is famous these days for its book, map and coin collector’s shops, as well as possible connections to the Harry Potter novels of JK Rowling. But back at the start of the 20th Century its strong connections to the fledgling silent cinema earned it the name ‘Flicker Alley‘. The first film related company moved into Cecil Court in 1897, toward the end of the decade that had seen the concept of moving pictures become a cultural phenomenon across the globe. Over the next few years more companies followed suit.
By the height of the Edwardian era it was the place to go if you wanted to buy or hire films. There were also film equipment shops and, as the concept of cinema began to take hold, traders specialising in items such as confectionery for retail in the fledgling picture houses. Cecil court didn’t just attract British film makers, international companies such as the French Gaumont Film Company, as well as other European and American companies set up their UK offices there.
Pioneering Filmmakers
A City of Westminster plaque celebrates the street’s cinema and film connections, specifically referencing two pioneering film makers of the era who also had offices there. Born in Lewisham in 1874 Cecil Hepworth could be said to have had a connection to the development of cinema from early childhood. His father was the proprietor of a Victorian magic lantern show. The Hepworth family home in Somerset Gardens in Lewisham is marked by a British Film Institute plaque in the shape of a film cell.
Hepworth made one of the first British horror movies ‘Doctor Trimball’s Verdict‘, with fellow Lewisham resident and actor, Alec Worchester in the lead role. While based in Cecil Court, Hepworth leased a house in Walton on Thames at the sum of £36 a year. It was here he established his film studio where his best known film, the first ever cinematic adaptation of ‘Alice in Wonderland‘, was made. The studio later expanded to become the Nettlefold Studios. The Sainsbury’s supermarket which sits there today bears a plaque marking its place in film history.
Back to Cecil Court. The second name referenced on the Flicker Alley plaque is that of James Williamson. Born in Fife in 1855, Williamson trained to be a chemist and, after an apprenticeship in London, he opened his own chemist shop in Hove in Sussex. A keen amateur photographer he became an agent for Kodak equipment. Photography led to film making, which, in turn led to the formation of the Williamson Kinematographic Company, with offices in New York as well as Cecil Court.
Like Hepworth, Williamson experimented with early horror tropes. In his black comedy ‘The Clown Barber‘ the lead character cuts off the head of his client in order to style his hair better. He also pioneered early documentaries such as the 1902 Coronation procession of Edward VII. Later in life he developed the equipment used to record photo finishes in horse racing.
Evolution of Film Industry Locations
As the film and cinema industry continued to develop successful companies needed bigger premises and, from 1914 onwards, many moved their offices to Wardour Street in Soho, which then acquired the name Film Row. In fact another film pioneer, producer and distributer, Charles Urban, had already paved the way when he set up offices at 89 Wardour Street in 1903, naming the building Urbanora House.
By the mid-1920s forty film companies had their offices there. It was said that so much flammable film reel was stored in the basements of Wardour Street that it attracted the highest insurance premiums in London. The Rank Organisation came to Wardour Street in the 1930s, at around the same time as Hollywood arrived, with Warner Brothers establishing their London offices there.
Commemoration Through Plaques and Locations
Although the film industry has long since moved out of the area evidence of its history can still be seen on the names of many of the buildings along Wardour Street, such as Film House and Cinema House.
Of course there is also Hammer House, at 113 – 117 Wardour Street. Hammer Productions moved to the location in the late 1940s. By then the number of film companies based there had risen to over a hundred. It remained Hammer’s offices throughout the 1960s and 1970s when they were at the height of their success with classic horror movies starring the legendary Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing. Hammer also sublet office space in the building to Tigon Productions, who were also responsible for horror classics such as ‘Witchfinder General‘ (1968) and ‘The Blood on Satan’s Claw’ (1971).
A good place to eat in the locality, with a bit of 20th century cultural history, is the Fish and Chip restaurant around the corner from Wardour Street at 59 Old Compton Street. You’ll see a plaque above the door telling you this was once the legendary 2i’s Coffee Bar, birthplace of British Rock ‘n’ Roll.
It was here that artists such as Cliff Richard, Tommy Steele and Marty Wilde got their first crack at stardom. As well as a great menu you’ll find lots of old 1950s pictures and memorabilia adorning the walls. There’s also a Hammer Horror connection.
Many of the artists who performed at the 2i’s Coffee Bar went on to get their television break on Jack Goode’s ground breaking ‘Oh Boy!‘ pop show. The leader of the show’s house band, Lord Rockingham’s XI, was Harry Robertson, who later was later hired by Hammer Productions to compose the scores for a number of their big box office horror films in 1970s, including ‘Countess Dracula‘ (1971) and ‘Lust for a Vampire’, also released in the 1971.
Intrigued by the eerie origins of British film and the legends of Hammer Horror? Take your curiosity to the next level and join our History of Horror Walk and uncover the sinister stories behind the studios, streets, and screen legends that shaped British horror.
