CLASSIC CINEMA

King Street, East Grinstead, Sussex

 

One of the many cinemas built in the heyday of film going was the Classic sited practically in the centre of this busy Sussex town. Following the tradition of the theatre, owners and managers continue to wear immaculate formal suits complete with sparkling white shirts and bow ties.

 

Although after the war the habit began to die out, many old style conventionalists continue to appear in 'evening dress'. One of these traditional, owner managers was Mr. Christopher of the Classic who died in the 1950's.

Twenty years later in February 1970 Mrs. Chamberlain, an usherette in the Classic, was in the balcony one evening and during an interval felt someone pass her. She turned to look into the body of the cinema and saw the figure of a man leaning forward over the balustrade looking down into the stalls.

 

On walking down the stairs towards him to ask him to sit down, she noticed he was wearing a 'very dark suit with a white shirt and bow tie', but just as the usherette reached him the apparition 'vanished into thin air'.

 

The full description she gave later exactly fitted that of Mr. Christopher whom she had never seen or heard of. Other members of the staff have also occasionally reported similar incidents of the tall man in the balcony, and sometimes in the coffee lounge looking down the centre circular stairway. Being a conscientious executive the owner would often 'help out', even to filling the boiler with fuel at night to ensure the temperature' was maintained for the following day's performance.

 

In January 1970 a hinge pin from the door of the huge boiler was found to have been removed and it took 'five men several hours to replace the door'. The sounds of someone filling the boiler at midnight have also been heard by cleaners and night staff, despite the fact that this job is now done in the morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Story by Andrew Green: 'Our Haunted Kingdom'

 

 

 

 

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