Films no more but memories remain as Lowood icon for sale

The old theatre, which was built in 1935, is up for sale.

UNDER CONSTRUCTION: The Jubilee Theatre was designed by John Walters and built in 1935. Picture: Contributed

EIGHTY-three years after her great-grandfather, John Walters, built Lowood's Jubilee theatre, the decision to sell the historic building and the adjoining former cordial factory has been a difficult one for Fran Finn.

"Lowood, and this property in particular, hold a really special place in my heart," she said.

Designed and built by Lowood pioneer John Walters in 1935, the picture theatre has always remained in the Walters family, long since the films stopped showing on June 18, 1966.

Walt Disney's Big Reg was the last film screened at The Jubilee as the growth of home televisions brought an end to the glory days of the pictures.

For many years afterwards, the building was used by local carpenters to store timber, and housed the TAB. Now Wayne's World operates out of it.

The Jubilee was purpose built to replace the makeshift theatre in a converted shop that had burned down, and it also doubled as a dance space, with a tongue-and-groove beech floor specially designed to avoid warping.

For many years it drew big crowds to the Saturday night showings, seating 450-500 people across two levels. Films such as Tarzan, Dad and Dave, and Ma and Pa Kettle were popular, while romance movies missed the mark.

"The family ran theatre; they had a lot of history in Lowood," Ms Finn said.

"My great-grandfather arrived in Lowood in 1901 and was in storekeeping, produce, he had a saddle shop, a bakery, a garage, and the Shell depot.

"If you look at any of the old photos of Lowood there's Walters Stores, and Walters this and Walters that. The name covered the town."

In fact, the theatre building is set upon Walters St, named in honour of John Walters.

His son, Ms Finn's grandfather, Jack Walters, continued the family name in Lowood, running the picture theatre with his wife Margaret, as well as the bakery and garages.

Their daughter Caroline - Ms Finn's mother - was born in Lowood Hospital, one of the properties the family also owned at the time.

Ms Finn said she had always felt honoured to have such a special connection to Lowood, despite not having grown up there, and the choice to sell a piece of her family history had been a difficult one.

"We feel that we would like to give someone the opportunity to preserve the history of Lowood for future generations," she said.

"Imagine what someone could do with that building, it would be stunning."