Century-Old Movie Posters Make a Star-Studded Comeback at Settle Hall

A remarkable collection of more than 60 movie posters from the 1920s has been returned to Settle Victoria Hall in Yorkshire, bringing a piece of local history back to its original home. These posters were used to advertise films at the hall, which was once known as 'The Picturedrome'. Among the collection are two especially eye-catching posters, one pink and one yellow, both carefully protected in plastic sleeves. The pink poster features movies such as 'Knave of Hearts', 'The Moon Child', and 'Waiting at the Church', while the yellow poster advertises 'The Power of Right', 'Les Miserables', and 'Hands Up! '.

The posters, which are nearly a century old, spent most of their lives folded and stored in a shoebox. They were recently discovered by a volunteer who decided to donate them back to the hall. Josie Guthrie, the archivist at Settle Victoria Hall, expressed her amazement at how these fragile items had survived for so long and managed to find their way back. She explained that the music hall began showing films at the end of World War One, as people’s interests shifted from music performances to cinema. The hall, which first opened in 1853, operated as the town’s cinema from 1919 until 1939.

The posters offer a fascinating glimpse into the history of cinema in Settle, advertising silent films like 'The Knave of Hearts' and 'The Power of Right'. Just as modern movies use famous actors to attract audiences, these posters featured stars of the time such as James Knight and Alma Taylor. Later posters from the hall’s Kirkgate Kinema era promoted Charlie Chaplin films and a serial version of 'The Three Musketeers'. One poster even mentions the lost 1921 film 'The Price of Possession', starring Ethel Clayton, who is honored on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The Grade II listed building has served as a music hall, theatre, community meeting space, and indoor market over its 172-year history. Josie Guthrie said the hall has never closed its doors and remains a central part of Settle’s community. Plans are now underway to scan the posters and create digital copies for future reprints, ensuring that this unique history can be shared with generations to come. Josie believes these posters are fantastic pieces of history that highlight the hall’s lasting importance to the town.