Peter Stewart

And it was the brainchild of a local woman. And it's her that our road is named after. Over the next few weeks, across the Christmas and New Year period and starting today, hear the story of Bancroft Road. What was built there? And why and who by? And we go behind the scenes in a special bonus episode to see what is left of their legacy today.

And it was the brainchild of a local woman. And it's her that our road is named after. Over the next few weeks, across the Christmas and New Year period and starting today, hear the story of Bancroft Road. What was built there? And why and who by? And we go behind the scenes in a special bonus episode to see what is left of their legacy today.

This week, we start the miniseries with the episode we've entitled When Harry Met Emmy. It's a breezy afternoon, as you might be able to hear on the microphone, and I'm probably at one of the highest points in Reigate Town Centre. Where am I? I'm at the top of the town's only multi-storey car park. Why? Well...

This week, we start the miniseries with the episode we've entitled When Harry Met Emmy. It's a breezy afternoon, as you might be able to hear on the microphone, and I'm probably at one of the highest points in Reigate Town Centre. Where am I? I'm at the top of the town's only multi-storey car park. Why? Well...

I want to tell you about Harry and Emmy Bancroft and the story of Reigate's open-air swimming pool and the story of one of Reigate's cinemas as well. They're all intertwined. And why have I come up here? Well, because I'm now looking over Bancroft Road. And Bancroft Road wasn't always here.

I want to tell you about Harry and Emmy Bancroft and the story of Reigate's open-air swimming pool and the story of one of Reigate's cinemas as well. They're all intertwined. And why have I come up here? Well, because I'm now looking over Bancroft Road. And Bancroft Road wasn't always here.

I mean, no, local roads were always here, of course, but Bancroft is a relatively new addition to Reigate, coming long after Bell Street and the High Street and Church Street, which it turns off from. And it owes itself and its name to Harry Bancroft and his wife, Emmy, a one-time music hall double act.

I mean, no, local roads were always here, of course, but Bancroft is a relatively new addition to Reigate, coming long after Bell Street and the High Street and Church Street, which it turns off from. And it owes itself and its name to Harry Bancroft and his wife, Emmy, a one-time music hall double act.

who fell in love and became local entrepreneurs, creating not only the road, but also an outdoor swimming pool and a cinema as well. Yeah, Bancroft Road used to have the majestic Lido. It's where Paul House is now, opposite the cinema. And the cinema is where the cinema used to be. The majestic. The majestic Lido and the majestic cinema, together... Owned, run, operated by the Bancroft couple.

who fell in love and became local entrepreneurs, creating not only the road, but also an outdoor swimming pool and a cinema as well. Yeah, Bancroft Road used to have the majestic Lido. It's where Paul House is now, opposite the cinema. And the cinema is where the cinema used to be. The majestic. The majestic Lido and the majestic cinema, together... Owned, run, operated by the Bancroft couple.

Hear their story over the next few weeks on the Planet Reigate podcast. Now, Bancroft Road is not actually really named after someone called Harry Bancroft, because Harry Bancroft didn't actually exist. At least, that wasn't his original name. He was actually born Henry Abraham in around 1873 into a Jewish family living in Whitechapel.

Hear their story over the next few weeks on the Planet Reigate podcast. Now, Bancroft Road is not actually really named after someone called Harry Bancroft, because Harry Bancroft didn't actually exist. At least, that wasn't his original name. He was actually born Henry Abraham in around 1873 into a Jewish family living in Whitechapel.

Harry had a quick wit and a good voice, and from the age of 15 in the late 1880s, he trod the stage of many a London and suburban music hall as an entertainer in a double act with his sister Fanny, who actually used the name Rosa on the stage, and they called themselves the Bancrofts. OK, so why did they actually change their name?

Harry had a quick wit and a good voice, and from the age of 15 in the late 1880s, he trod the stage of many a London and suburban music hall as an entertainer in a double act with his sister Fanny, who actually used the name Rosa on the stage, and they called themselves the Bancrofts. OK, so why did they actually change their name?

Well, despite never actually using Abraham on the stage, Harry and his siblings didn't legally become Bancroft until the mid-1930s, with the rise of fascism across Europe. Yeah, think about it. Abraham, 1930s, you know what was just around the corner. Anyway, back to our story. Now, Fanny married in 1902, and so she retired as his partner.

Well, despite never actually using Abraham on the stage, Harry and his siblings didn't legally become Bancroft until the mid-1930s, with the rise of fascism across Europe. Yeah, think about it. Abraham, 1930s, you know what was just around the corner. Anyway, back to our story. Now, Fanny married in 1902, and so she retired as his partner.

And for a while, our hero Harry worked as a solo comic, actor, singer, until teaming up with an already successful music hall artiste and pantomime performer, glorious and glamorous Emmy Ames. who he actually went on to marry. Now, until World War I, they travelled the length and breadth of Britain very successfully with their double act. But they were getting increasingly worried.

And for a while, our hero Harry worked as a solo comic, actor, singer, until teaming up with an already successful music hall artiste and pantomime performer, glorious and glamorous Emmy Ames. who he actually went on to marry. Now, until World War I, they travelled the length and breadth of Britain very successfully with their double act. But they were getting increasingly worried.

Music halls were dying out because of the rise in popularity of the cinema, and they could see their income drying up, unless they, as we might say today, diversified or pivoted. Now, Reigate had a cinema, the Hippodrome in Bell Street, which had been opened in 1911. Originally, it was called the Palace Picture Drome. And in 1916, Harry and Emmy came to Reigate, saw it and took it over.

Music halls were dying out because of the rise in popularity of the cinema, and they could see their income drying up, unless they, as we might say today, diversified or pivoted. Now, Reigate had a cinema, the Hippodrome in Bell Street, which had been opened in 1911. Originally, it was called the Palace Picture Drome. And in 1916, Harry and Emmy came to Reigate, saw it and took it over.