Teenager In Kilburn

A Memory of Kilburn.

I lived in Kilburn from 1936 to 1969.
The Gaumont State cinema was part of my life as a teenager. It was one of a number of cinemas in the area at that time and every Saturday evening I would go to the 'pictures' at one of them with a group of friends. Often we would have to queue to get in and maybe stand for some time once we got in. We sat in the 1/6d seats. Films ran continuously in those days and we often saw the end of the film before we saw the beginning.
We would walk home after the cinema and probably buy a bag of chips plus a pickled onion if we were flush. Of course we also (the boys that is) smoked a fag or two - Turf, Weights or Woodbine.
All cinemas at that time had only one screen. The State was the biggest cinema in Europe and if you sat at the back it was a long way to the screen. I only experienced this once when we were allowed to collect for the Boys Brigade between films and were given free seats.
Other cinemas within easy walking ditance for us were -
The Grange, almost opposite the State in Kilburn High Road,
The Prince of Wales, Harrow Road,
The Odeon, Kensal Rise, and
The Palace, Kensal Rise