# Cane Hill Oct 2008 (PROJECTOR ROOM SPECIAL)



## odeon master (Oct 5, 2008)

Hi all,
This will most likely be my last visit to the hill now as demolition is moving fast.
I have documented here a place in the hospital that to my knowledge has not been seen before, at least no photographs on the net exist to my knowledge.
Most large asylums had a recreation hall in the complex, and most of these had a cinema installed at a later date.
At Cane hill, a brick structure was built at the balcony end of the main hall, this was attached to the outside wall and was accessed by a cast iron external stairwell, which leads to a patio area where access to the three projection room doors are located. Looking at the construction , i would say that the projection booth was constructed in the 1930's/1940's period. It has a flat concrete roof with a metal opening glass sky light in the middle.
As most people will know, the main hall was destroyed in a huge fire back in 2001. The hall was reduced to rubble, only the four walls left standing, and today nature is reclaiming it as it is now full of small trees !
The projection booth attached to the hall escaped the fire JUST. It got so hot in there that most plastic items had melted in the heat coming through the projector portholes. Un fortunately the gable end of the main hall collapsed in the fire, and fell backwards onto the projector room roof smashing the glass sky light.
today, a large pile of rubble is in the center of the room, and of course the rain gets in too so its in a sad state.
Apart from that, its a total timewarp in there, looking much the way it did when constructed.

Anyway, on with the photographs......

enjoy.







stairs leading to the projector room






through the gate and onto the patio area, noting old swan neck lamp.











switch for the swan neck lamp






looking to the door in from the patio






view from projector room door towards hospital church.






looking at projector portholes , they are covered with a interlocking cast iron shutter system on where when the handle is pulled, all four shutters at once open or close. i have not seen this anywhere else before.






projectionists view into the hall. hard to believe now that a film image would of ended up down where the trees are today !!!






another porthole shot showing where the stage would have been in the great hall.






makers plaque attached to the cast iron porthole shutters.






there were old chairs still in here, note the clock on the wall, and how the top part of the room is blackened with heat and smoke damage 






this shot has a great atmosphere. you can see all the rubble that fell through the sky light here.
And curse the moron who placed this loverly vintage record player here in the rain IDIOT !!!!!
On that old rocker chair was a half rotted copy of the Mirror dated 1990 !!
wonder if this was when the last film was shown?






one very rotten GARRARD record player. I think this was the one they last used as it played LP'S and 45's . The old vintage one in the metal case was a player for old 78 speed records !

as you can see , the heat from the fire of the great hall was tremendous in here. note the melted film spools hanging from hooks on the door. the alcove would be where the record players would have been, other bits and bobs were found here too.






look at those old turn knob light switches ! all the original electrical gear was still here.






the doors were made of solid oak too, shame they'l end up on the fire during demolition.






showing the projector splicing room + store room, various bits and pieces still found on the shelves






splicing room. this box contained one of the last projectors used . 
considering everything is so old in this hospital, these projectors would of only been about 6 years old
they were BELL & HOWELL 16mm filmosound projectors. not in the room, just the box they came in.






works docket found in store room from 1986






projector room lamp






box of miscellaneous crap ! note film cement bottle.






old rectifier instructions dated 1958. these would of been for projector equipment long since replaced.
i would think many types of projection equipment would of been used in this booth over the years.






box found in store room containing old valves from projectors gone by.






old valves.






a tannoy microphone connector











piece of film found in the splicing room.






the type of film used here was 16mm film. the soundtrack can be seen down the right hand side of the film shown as the jagged line. this is known as an optical sound track, and works by light emmited from an exiter lamp that shines through the jagged line and then amplified and read into sound.
this piece of film looks to be part of a practice film.






instruction book found in store room showing a 16mm filmosound projector used in here some time in the past.
i think the original projectors would have been large floor mounted ones such as the ones found at west park hospital.
these would have been replaced by the more portable and easer to use 16mm Bell & Howell filmosound units.






Bell & Howell 16mm filmosound model 666A projector.






showing two projectors in tandem. 
there were always two projectors in a professional booth as a feature film comes on several spools.
once the first spool is about to run out on projector no.1, the second projector is started up with spool no.2 in place. When that runs out, no.1 projector will be cut in again with the third spool running. A small que mark in the corner of the screen tells the projectionist when to change over.






microphones and record players could be hooked up if needed to the projector.






the way out.











corner of admin, this is the area that is internally blown up ! where the safe was.






showing metal cage for patients to sit out in the open. not how it even has a roof to the cage so they carnt climb out !











pharmacy .











pharmacy .











unusual shot of admin






entering browning/blake via conservatory 
















old lamp post infront of the nurses home block






side of nurses block






rear of nurses block






newer nurses accomadation built behind nurses block


think thats about it this time folks, hope you'v enjoyed that lot.
lucky i went when i did as the demolition team were knocking down one wall of the main hall. a few more days later and the projector room would be gone.
at least there saving all the bricks and slates for re use else where.
looks like everything else wood and paper wise ends up on the fire.
of course all the metal will be sold for scrap

THE ODEON


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## MD (Oct 5, 2008)

great report mate 
really interesting 
cheers


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## sqwasher (Oct 5, 2008)

Very informative & interesting report! Good to see those old valves & paperwork so intact-well done for finding & documenting these!


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## mr_bones (Oct 5, 2008)

Cor blimey mate! You've covered that projection room well - really glad you managed to get back for another look before it disappeared.


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## pdtnc (Oct 5, 2008)

nice stuff, those valves are pretty darn cool.


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## smileysal (Oct 5, 2008)

Excellent work OM, loved reading about the projection room, and loved seeing those transisters still in there. Never seen pics from projection room before on any forum, in fact, haven't seen them at all. Can't those books, transisters and bits and pieces be saved out of there? such a shame if they're just burn't when the demolition crew get to that part.

Agree with you about the old record players. Can't believe they've just been left there. :icon_evil

Excellent pics mate, loved seeing them all.

Cheers,

 Sal


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## OSPA (Oct 5, 2008)

Is that an old roll of film? Amazing, and it sounds like you did it just in time too! Cane Hill look like a fantastic place to go, pity its at the other end of the country for me!


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## Flinders (Oct 5, 2008)

Wow, what a detailed and fascinating report.
My Dad is a valve nut and I'm sad enough to know that the top left one is a KT66. Betcha didn't know that huh?!

Well done, really interesting, reminded me of JonDoe's shots of the projection booth at Graylingwell.


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## odeon master (Oct 5, 2008)

*kt66 valve*



Flinders said:


> Wow, what a detailed and fascinating report.
> My Dad is a valve nut and I'm sad enough to know that the top left one is a KT66. Betcha didn't know that huh?!
> 
> Well done, really interesting, reminded me of JonDoe's shots of the projection booth at Graylingwell.



cheers,
dont worry mate, there all in a safe place !
they wont be burnt.


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## PROJ3CTM4YH3M (Oct 6, 2008)

Great report, I can't get enough of this place pity the demolition is moving so fast would have really liked to have seen this place before it was gone! how much of cane hill has gone now?

Ben


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## The_Revolution (Oct 6, 2008)

Interesting to see the old record player. Are they standard kit for asylum projector rooms?






This one was at Denbigh.


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## Lightbuoy (Oct 6, 2008)

Facinating report and pics OM 

Indeed, a rarely seen and over-looked part of the Hill.

Top stuff -cheers!

Lb:jimlad:


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## Richard Davies (Oct 6, 2008)

The_Revolution said:


> Interesting to see the old record player. Are they standard kit for asylum projector rooms?
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I'm guessing that turntables were linked to the same sound system as the projector's sound output, & could also be used for playing music with silent films.


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## chelle (Oct 6, 2008)

*Awesome*

This is awesome stuff mate..will be interested to hear if Simon did this one...take a bow.
regards
Stu


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## Mr Sam (Oct 6, 2008)

great stuff!! loving the clock


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## odeon master (Oct 6, 2008)

thanks for all your comments , so glad i got here when i did as the projector room had only a few more days left to live. As i'm into all things cinema, it just had to be documented. the record player would indeed be connected into the projectors amplifier system. the output would be amplified again elsewhere in the auditorium to cope with the large speakers that would be behind the screen.

THE ODEON


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## nursepayne (Oct 7, 2008)

Oh wow what an amazing set of pics!I never realised this little treasure had survived the hall fire.Brilliant read.


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## Wreck-photo (Oct 17, 2008)

*When will it be destroyed?*

This place looks amazing. Have you any idea how long until its destroyed?? are they destroying it at the moment? i would love to see it before its gone  

Thanks


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## odeon master (Oct 19, 2008)

Wreck-photo said:


> This place looks amazing. Have you any idea how long until its destroyed?? are they destroying it at the moment? i would love to see it before its gone
> 
> Thanks



theres 18 months till the site is cleared, all that will remain is the administration building at the front with the clock tower and the church. it is also likely that the water tower will remain too, but dont quote me on that one.
in around a months time only the ward blocks will remain along with what i'v mentioned.

cheers

THE ODEON


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