Oak Lane Twickenham

A Memory of Twickenham.

Re: the Regent Cinema razed to the ground for a garage.  Before it was a cinema, it was... a garage.  Really, it was a coachworks called Twickenham Motorworks which was a coachworks.  This belonged to my grandfather, Jotham Harrison and his brother Edwin. The business had about 12 people working at one time.  They had engines and wheels and chassis and put the bodies on afterwards for the cars and carpets in the interiors.  My grandparents had a fine time riding round in brand new cars!  My mother was taken there sometimes and Ms. Cattermole kept an eye on her.  The WW1 saw them off, as they had a large order for the barrows and unfortunately for them the government commandeered the railways so they had to use the roads.  It was more expensive, the order failed and so did the business.   Next door to them was a small cinema called "the Lyric" which showed cartoons such a "Felix the Cat".  Obviously, my mother must have been taken to see this.  It was also called "The Fleapit".  The Billiard Rooms were built on that site.  I believe they have now gone.  Mum's 94 yrs old.