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Ruins of the Opera House, Greymouth. Feb 1958.
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DescriptionJimmy Jingles
Story from my Dad Jim Anthony who was in the volunteer Runanga Fire Brigade at the time..they were called to the fire and had just taken delivery of a new fire truck....the pressure from their new fire hose pump knocked down the walls of the burning theatre so the Greymouth Fire Brigade told them to go home.
Terry MJ.."Spent many Saturdays arvo's in there watching the great old movies for I think 6p (sixpence) then across the road to Frank Bells milk bar for our Jaffas and ice cream. Ride home to Cobden on McGlashens bus was 1 penny. With Ian Innes driving we were home in a couple of minutes but if Bill Arthur was the driver, it took a bit longer."Date of PhotoFeb 1958Map[1] ContributorMoe Bowes
Story from my Dad Jim Anthony who was in the volunteer Runanga Fire Brigade at the time..they were called to the fire and had just taken delivery of a new fire truck....the pressure from their new fire hose pump knocked down the walls of the burning theatre so the Greymouth Fire Brigade told them to go home.
Terry MJ.."Spent many Saturdays arvo's in there watching the great old movies for I think 6p (sixpence) then across the road to Frank Bells milk bar for our Jaffas and ice cream. Ride home to Cobden on McGlashens bus was 1 penny. With Ian Innes driving we were home in a couple of minutes but if Bill Arthur was the driver, it took a bit longer."Date of PhotoFeb 1958Map[1] ContributorMoe Bowes
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Location (city or town)GreymouthOrganisation (eg business)Greymouth Opera HouseEventRuins of the Opera House, Greymouth. Feb 1958.Greymouth Opera House Fire
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Category Tagfire
From Facebook
Date Created4th October 2019CommentsTheresa Gibson: Oh no, they’ve demolished the Revington!
Geoffrey King: Yes sad that Revingtons is being demolished it has never been successfully run since the Marshalls / Thorntons retired.
Russell Nelson: Rubbish Geoffrey... When owned by the by the Barrow bro's...run by Ian McDonald and Monica.... Great pub
Steven Paul: Duncan Seddonvile?
Bob Laing: I think it is the remains of the European Hotel Charleston
.
Theresa Gibson: Bob Laing I don’t think it is. Looks like its on a sea front some where.
Laura Mills Detlaff: Richmond Quay?
Laura Mills Detlaff: Can see river in background
Geoffrey King: Laura Mills Detlaff Yes wd agree cnr Boundary and Richmond, Riverview House (had another name prior when a hotel) was there a fire or being demolished.
Laura Mills Detlaff: https://westcoast.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/7144
westcoast.recollect.co.nz
Shunters Shed . Greymouth.
Shunters Shed . Greymouth.
Laura Mills Detlaff: https://westcoast.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/14593
Manage
westcoast.recollect.co.nz
Corner of Richmond Quay and Boundary St, Greymouth,…
Maye Dunn: Laura not sure if it is either of those. There appears to be another building beside it. I don't think it is the European as there were no other buildings beside it in latter years. She was a stand alone.
Laura Mills Detlaff: I do love a good mystery!
Maye Dunn: Moe has plenty of them for us
Bob Laing: Sorry the posted photo is a copy of a photo and the line at the top is the top of the original photo not the sea nor the river. I remember the remains of the European in Charleston and that looks like what I remember
Ruth Naylor: To many lamp / telephone post for Charleston.
Lyn Moe: I have no idea Maye I thought the Royal on the quay.
Lyn Moe: Bob has a picture of the Royal on this site, not the one above.
Maye Dunn: There are no chimneys..so maybe it wasn't a hotel. Originally I thought it may have been the old Opera House but you can clearly see it is near the river.
Carolyn Graham: Maye Dunn my first thought was the Opera house too.
Brian McIntyre: Imperial Hotel ?
Brian McIntyre: Didnt one get washed away from there too.
Alan N Barb Cochrane: opera house
Maye Dunn: It's not the Royal look at all those chimney's. There is a child in the above photo who appears to be dressed like 1960's or late 50's. It still looks to me like the Opera House.
Brian McIntyre: Timber dont appear to be burnt from looking at my phone Maye Dunn
Maye Dunn: So you think it's a demolition Brian McIntyre..so that changes things.
Brian McIntyre: I dont really know Maye I could have been at school that day
Alan Messenger: Old police station, Greymouth?
Anne Honey: The child could still b around if he is maybe he would know. Fiind the child.
Linzi Woods: No i'm not still around
Anne Honey: Why not Linzi.
Eric Martini: I believe the chocolate fish goes to Maye Dunn .... it does appear to be the Opera House. Its not along the Grey River as all the power or telegraph poles along Mawhera Quay are on the river side of the road. The photo above has the poles on the building side. I rest my case your honour....
Brian McIntyre: Eric Martini thanks Eric. Im convinced
Maye Dunn: I take a bow Eric Martini. Thank you.
Mary Moffitt: I'm sure it is the Opera House. I think that I posted a similar photo on here some time ago. My photo was a bit fuzzier than this one.
I have found it and posted it again. It is from a different angle, but you can orient it with the tall power pole.
Mary Moffitt: Here it is, again. Not sure if it went through.
Maye Dunn: Mary Moffitt and Eric Martini have produced enough evidence to say that it is the ruins of the Opera House. Thanks guys.
Sonia Moore
I saw the smoke from Stillwater
Ian Haussmann
How did the fire start
Kerry Keating
Ian Haussmann Strongly suspected arson, but no proof. It was put down to something else.
Ian Haussmann
Kerry Keating was a bad area down there in the day
Kerry Keating
No Ian. The building was old and needed replacing. The steel girders were in the Councel yards for several months. The st James was the replacement. Would you credit it??? The steel girders in the Councel yard were used for the frame work???
Reply31m
Terry MJ
Spent many Saturdays arvo's in there watching the great old movies for I think 6p (sixpence) then across the road to Frank Bells milk bar for our Jaffas and ice cream. Ride home to Cobden on McGlashens bus was 1 penny. With Ian Innes driving we were home in a couple of minutes but if Bill Arthur was the driver, it took a bit longer.
Reply1h
Norma Anthony
Seen the smoke from Runanga as well from our front door seeing Jim off in his fire gear to help put it out with the Runanga Fire Brigade Engine
Sonia Dando
Remember going there years ago on a Saturday arvo meeting up with Late Mark Dennehy and Kenny Baird us Blaketown girls
Jimmy Jingles
Story from my Dad Jim Anthony who was in the volunteer Runanga Fire Brigade at the time..they were called to the fire and had just taken delivery of a new fire truck....the pressure from their new fire hose pump knocked down the walls of the burning theatre so the Greymouth Fire Brigade told them to go home.
Dennis Gibbs
9d for the front 4 rows about 1956.
Terry MJ
Dennis Gibbs We paid 6d for the seats further back but that was 1953. Damned inflation haha !!!
Italina Sowman
What a shame
Allan Vincent
felt the loss as a kid.
Anne Honey
Was still smoldering when we got there.
Geoffrey King: Yes sad that Revingtons is being demolished it has never been successfully run since the Marshalls / Thorntons retired.
Russell Nelson: Rubbish Geoffrey... When owned by the by the Barrow bro's...run by Ian McDonald and Monica.... Great pub
Steven Paul: Duncan Seddonvile?
Bob Laing: I think it is the remains of the European Hotel Charleston
.
Theresa Gibson: Bob Laing I don’t think it is. Looks like its on a sea front some where.
Laura Mills Detlaff: Richmond Quay?
Laura Mills Detlaff: Can see river in background
Geoffrey King: Laura Mills Detlaff Yes wd agree cnr Boundary and Richmond, Riverview House (had another name prior when a hotel) was there a fire or being demolished.
Laura Mills Detlaff: https://westcoast.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/7144
westcoast.recollect.co.nz
Shunters Shed . Greymouth.
Shunters Shed . Greymouth.
Laura Mills Detlaff: https://westcoast.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/14593
Manage
westcoast.recollect.co.nz
Corner of Richmond Quay and Boundary St, Greymouth,…
Maye Dunn: Laura not sure if it is either of those. There appears to be another building beside it. I don't think it is the European as there were no other buildings beside it in latter years. She was a stand alone.
Laura Mills Detlaff: I do love a good mystery!
Maye Dunn: Moe has plenty of them for us
Bob Laing: Sorry the posted photo is a copy of a photo and the line at the top is the top of the original photo not the sea nor the river. I remember the remains of the European in Charleston and that looks like what I remember
Ruth Naylor: To many lamp / telephone post for Charleston.
Lyn Moe: I have no idea Maye I thought the Royal on the quay.
Lyn Moe: Bob has a picture of the Royal on this site, not the one above.
Maye Dunn: There are no chimneys..so maybe it wasn't a hotel. Originally I thought it may have been the old Opera House but you can clearly see it is near the river.
Carolyn Graham: Maye Dunn my first thought was the Opera house too.
Brian McIntyre: Imperial Hotel ?
Brian McIntyre: Didnt one get washed away from there too.
Alan N Barb Cochrane: opera house
Maye Dunn: It's not the Royal look at all those chimney's. There is a child in the above photo who appears to be dressed like 1960's or late 50's. It still looks to me like the Opera House.
Brian McIntyre: Timber dont appear to be burnt from looking at my phone Maye Dunn
Maye Dunn: So you think it's a demolition Brian McIntyre..so that changes things.
Brian McIntyre: I dont really know Maye I could have been at school that day
Alan Messenger: Old police station, Greymouth?
Anne Honey: The child could still b around if he is maybe he would know. Fiind the child.
Linzi Woods: No i'm not still around
Anne Honey: Why not Linzi.
Eric Martini: I believe the chocolate fish goes to Maye Dunn .... it does appear to be the Opera House. Its not along the Grey River as all the power or telegraph poles along Mawhera Quay are on the river side of the road. The photo above has the poles on the building side. I rest my case your honour....
Brian McIntyre: Eric Martini thanks Eric. Im convinced
Maye Dunn: I take a bow Eric Martini. Thank you.
Mary Moffitt: I'm sure it is the Opera House. I think that I posted a similar photo on here some time ago. My photo was a bit fuzzier than this one.
I have found it and posted it again. It is from a different angle, but you can orient it with the tall power pole.
Mary Moffitt: Here it is, again. Not sure if it went through.
Maye Dunn: Mary Moffitt and Eric Martini have produced enough evidence to say that it is the ruins of the Opera House. Thanks guys.
Sonia Moore
I saw the smoke from Stillwater
Ian Haussmann
How did the fire start
Kerry Keating
Ian Haussmann Strongly suspected arson, but no proof. It was put down to something else.
Ian Haussmann
Kerry Keating was a bad area down there in the day
Kerry Keating
No Ian. The building was old and needed replacing. The steel girders were in the Councel yards for several months. The st James was the replacement. Would you credit it??? The steel girders in the Councel yard were used for the frame work???
Reply31m
Terry MJ
Spent many Saturdays arvo's in there watching the great old movies for I think 6p (sixpence) then across the road to Frank Bells milk bar for our Jaffas and ice cream. Ride home to Cobden on McGlashens bus was 1 penny. With Ian Innes driving we were home in a couple of minutes but if Bill Arthur was the driver, it took a bit longer.
Reply1h
Norma Anthony
Seen the smoke from Runanga as well from our front door seeing Jim off in his fire gear to help put it out with the Runanga Fire Brigade Engine
Sonia Dando
Remember going there years ago on a Saturday arvo meeting up with Late Mark Dennehy and Kenny Baird us Blaketown girls
Jimmy Jingles
Story from my Dad Jim Anthony who was in the volunteer Runanga Fire Brigade at the time..they were called to the fire and had just taken delivery of a new fire truck....the pressure from their new fire hose pump knocked down the walls of the burning theatre so the Greymouth Fire Brigade told them to go home.
Dennis Gibbs
9d for the front 4 rows about 1956.
Terry MJ
Dennis Gibbs We paid 6d for the seats further back but that was 1953. Damned inflation haha !!!
Italina Sowman
What a shame
Allan Vincent
felt the loss as a kid.
Anne Honey
Was still smoldering when we got there.
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West Coast New Zealand History (10th Apr 2022). Ruins of the Opera House, Greymouth. Feb 1958.. In Website West Coast New Zealand History. Retrieved 7th Dec 2024 10:05, from https://westcoast.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/26219