THE HAGGAR FAMILY
THE HAGGER'S CINEMA WHICH WAS ONCE MUCH LOVED IN PEMBROKE - ITS LOSS IS STILL BITTERLY REGRETTED BY MANY
The Hagger Family were ground breakers of the movie making industry in Wales. William Hagger Snr. had taken a keen interest in photography and toward the end of the 19th century started to experiment in cinematography. By the turn of the century he had perfected his technique sufficiently to enable him to shoot his first full length feature film, a famous Welsh folk story called the 'Maid of Cefn Ydfa'. By 1914 the Hagger family had made more than 60 films and William Hagger was truly a pioneer of film making in Britain.
HAGGAR'S BIOSCOPE
Hagger moved around the fairgrounds of Britain with his bioscope and his travelling theatre but the Great War put an end to all this when his traction engines were requisitioned for the War effort. Thus, the cinemas became a feature of permanent buildings.
THE HAGGER TRACTION ENGINE
 |
Pembroke Cinema was acquired by William Haggar Jnr who contributed much to the cultural and social life of the town. William was succeeded by his brother Walter who ran the cinema for a few years before his son Len Hagger took over in 1939. The building was re-furbished to incorporate not only the cinema but a Ballroom and Restaurant and was for many years the main social centre of the town.
MR LEN HAGGER PROPRIETOR OF THE PEMBROKE HAGGERS CINEMA
The end came slowly, television was the first blow and this, followed by Bingo and changing social expectations led to falling audiences. Eventually the cinema was closed in 1982 and the building with its beautiful ballroom was stripped of its finery and converted into flats.
THE HAGGERS CINEMA BEFORE CONVERSION
THE SCRIPT AND PICTURES BY KIND PERMISSION OF THE HAGGER FAMILY
OUR DEEPEST THANKS TO VICKI HAGGER-DYER FOR ALL HER ASSISTANCE WITH THE COMPILING OF THIS WEB PAGE
| HOME |