Palace Cinema staff, V.E. Day

Andrew Lougher of the Palace Cinema, Cinderford wrote: "Attached is a fantastic photo of the cinema staff just after the war. Most are wearing brown wrap around factory overalls because war time shortages meant that as uniforms wore out they couldn't be replaced. They started by passing serviceable items from cinema to cinema resulting in a mishmash of colours and styles until ending up with the factory overalls when the supply ran out. They are also wearing their VE day ribbons".

Back row L to R ; Mr Rodway, Eric Hughes, Malcolm 'Max' Maxwell (an evacuee), Mrs Colwell, Tony Roberts, Iris Bowkett (now Butt who donated this photo), Les Hewlett (chief projectionist)
Front Row L to R ; June Gabb, Gwen Weyman, Bill Wallace (manager), Mrs Roberts, Beth Weyman, Mrs Ensor.
"Absent from the photo is Gwen Jones who started at the Palace in 1927 became managers secretary and then manager herself before her death in 1963 after 35 years at the cinema".
Left : Andrew added: "Tony Roberts and Max Maxwell both carved their names and the Gaumont-British logo and date into the ceiling plaster on VE Day and VJ Day, as seen on the second photo".

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