The best photo by far of Coggeshall's famous Kinema
'Top Hat' and 'The Big Broadcast of 1936' came out in August and September 1935, so the photo probably dates from 1936 - films took a while to reach remote places like Coggeshall.
At the bottom you can just see the wall and gate of the 'Rec' which are still there.

Not clear exactly when the Kinema opened but it closed in 1959-1960.
The last time I remember going there I was with with cousin, Doug Wood, for the Saturday morning show for the kids. What an experience that was, the noise of it - the booing the hissing, the clapping, the shouted comments (often very funny), the stamping feet - stuff being thrown! It was brilliant and so different from refined luxury and restrained manners of the Penn cinema in Wolverhampton that I was used to.

Angela Moore; 'Can well remember going to the Saturday mornings pictures as we called it and getting bombarded with sweet papers thrown from the back rows! Didn't we pay about sixpence to get in?'

Doug Wood; 'Remember us pouring out of the cinema and Mr Potter the manager trying to stop us all stampeding across the road to the Rec.'

Susan Turner; ' I just remember the picture house my dad and I used to go to. My dad used to go 3 times a week and he would take me on a Friday night, life in a village is so different than a big city every one knew you.'

Steve Lappage; 'My dad was a projectionist and my mum (Joy Lawrence) was an usher at the cinema...that’s where they met.'

Sharon Chalk; 'My dad Edward Potter used to run the cinema and met my mum there.
Annette Newlove; 'Yes, she was an usherette wasn't she?'

Barbara Hodges; ' I saw my first film there aged 4 with our neighbour, she was asked to take me out because I stood up and shouted "oh look, that is a pussy cat". Don't remember the name of the film but "Snow White" comes to mind. Didn't go again until I was 14.'

Anne L'esperance 'My husband used to work the projector there 6o years ago'

Charlene Danby; 'My Nanna was usherette in the cinema ... she just told me the back rows were double seats.'

Alan Digby; 'My mum was in there the night the church was bombed.'

Patricia Woods; 'I worked at photo kraft first job and had our lunch at Edna's - cheese roll and hot black current drink - wonderful days went to the movies every Saturday morning used to live on East Street so was just down the road.'

Roderic Miller ; 'The place closed in 59/60 to the best of my recal. Kids had a bonanza as Mr Potter sold off the last of his stock of sweets at half price. My Bro Steve, Pat Perkins and I then went to Braintree flicks on Saturday mornings.'

Photo Courtesy Jenny Abram (and her friend Angela Moore).
Jenny got the photo when she worked at Photokraft the firm which took over the building when the Kinema closed down.
Probably 1936
Ref; 103/72