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Search surnames for   Swindon  or   all  locations



38-40 Regent Street, Swindon, Wiltshire



At this address:
    ABC Cinema       [Source: Photograph  in the Old Cinemas collection on Flickr ]
    Savoy Cinema       [Source: Photograph  in the Old Cinemas collection on Flickr ]
    Cannon Cinema       [Source: Photograph  on the Cinema Treasures website. ]
    Citifaith Church       [Source: Photograph 03817]
    Savoy Pub       [Source: Photograph 01458]
Our photographs are a snapshot in time to show a building's history.  Businesses shown may no longer be trading here.

This Art Deco style building was built in the mid 1930s and opened on 1st Mach 1937 as The Savoy Cinema.  It has also been an ABC Cinema and Cannon Cinema and its final film was shown on 26th March 1991.  Since then it has been refurbished and is now is home to a pub - aptly named The Savoy - while in another area there is a church.

Our information comes from a couple of sources:  the pub's website  and the  Cinema Treasures  website.  Both websites also have some photographs of the building when it was a cinema.

The cinema was built on the site of the former Central Temperance Hotel.  Two heros of the Second World War were born at the hotel (their mother was proprietor).  Their stories make sad reading as both were killed in the war.  Squardon Leader Harold Morley Starr was shot after he had bailed out of his burning Hurricane during the Battle of Britain, aged 25 years; his wife was carrying their unborn child.  He is buried in  Radnor St. Cemetery in Swindon.  Harold's younger brother Wing Commander Norman John Starr (known as John) was shot down over Dunkirk aged 27 years - he was on his way home to be married the following day.  He is buried in Dunkirk Town Cemetery.  Two blue plaques to commemorate the two brothers have been put on The Savoy by the Swindon Heritage team and were unveiled on 8th September 2016 by their nephew retired Squadron Leader Peter Starr Mills (93 years young) and great niece Sue Giles.

38-40 Regent Street SN1 1JL
Oops photo: 06561 is missing - please let us know
The Savoy pub
Photo No: 06561     Size: 875k
Photo Date: December 2018
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Photo No: 09107     Size: 1280k
Photo Date: September 2016
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Photo No: 01459     Size: 721k
Photo Date: May 2012
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Photo No: 09110     Size: 1116k
Photo Date: September 2016
Oops photo: 09108 is missing - please let us know
Blue plaques to remember Squadron Leader Harold Starr and his brother Norman John Starr
Photo No: 09108     Size: 1044k
Photo Date: September 2016
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Before the plaques were installed
Photo No: 01458     Size: 1393k
Photo Date: May 2012
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Photo No: 09109     Size: 1188k
Photo Date: September 2016
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Some repair work in 2019
Photo No: 09115     Size: 1300k
Photo Date: August 2019
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Looking along Regent Street
Photo No: 04975     Size: 1311k
Photo Date: September 2014
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Photo No: 01468     Size: 758k
Photo Date: May 2012
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Just visible on the left is the projected sign behind the leaves of the Cannon cinema
Photograph used with thanks to Central Church
Photo No: 04802     Size: 879k
Photo Date: June 1990
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Photo No: 04976     Size: 1444k
Photo Date: September 2014
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Entrance to Citifaith International church
Photo No: 03972     Size: 1229k
Photo Date: July 2014
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Projected sign
Photo No: 09106     Size: 759k
Photo Date: September 2016
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Photo No: 03817     Size: 1597k
Photo Date: June 2014
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Alleyway at the side - going towards Regent Place
Photo No: 02668     Size: 1567k
Photo Date: April 2014
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Some of the ironwork on the building
Photo No: 02669     Size: 1454k
Photo Date: April 2014
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Photo No: 02670     Size: 1741k
Photo Date: April 2014
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The back of the building
Photo No: 09111     Size: 1116k
Photo Date: August 2019
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A new sign for The Savoy pub
Photo No: 09112     Size: 1321k
Photo Date: August 2019
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Building work during July 2019
Photo No: 09114     Size: 1126k
Photo Date: July 2019
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Photo No: 09113     Size: 1014k
Photo Date: July 2019
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Before the sign was installed
Photo No: 04406     Size: 1382k
Photo Date: June 2014
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Photo No: 02671     Size: 1352k
Photo Date: April 2014

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This page was last updated on 31/08/2022 23:09:26
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