TIM Addyman is too young to remember what is often called cinema's golden age. At 29, he marks the start of his film-going adventures with an unforgettable trip to see George Lucas's 1977 science fiction classic Star Wars. But there is something about those magical days, when it seemed as though every city centre street had its own picture house, that fascinates him.

He did a GCSE project on the history of York cinemas, and organised an exhibition at City Screen on Coney Street. Now he plans to bring out a book on the same subject.

It is turning out to be a lengthy project. The Norwich Union worker, who lives in Shipton-by-Beningbrough, has been working on the book for several years. He is still a fair way from finishing it.

"The book project is very much a labour of love and will take me a long while to research and complete, as I have to work it round my full time job." he said.

A lot of the information and mementoes he's gathered so far come from readers responding to previous appeals in the Evening Press. But he is still keen for more people to come forward.

"As I want to make it as interesting as possible I am conducting a thorough search for previously unseen material and memories from your readers," he said.

He is particularly keen to include previously unpublished photographs of the cinemas: "Photographs tend to be quite rare, especially of inside the buildings."

If anyone can help Tim, please write to him at Rose Villa, 23 East Lane, Shipton-by-Beningbrough, York YO30 1AH, or telephone him on 07905 884915.

His last inquiry in the press was about the mural which encircled the foyer of the Rialto cinema, now the doomed Mecca bingo club on Fishergate. It depicted the history of the city from Roman times to the 1950s.

June Lloyd-Jones, daughter of the Rialto's former owner Jack Prendergast and brother of film composer John Barry, came to Tim's aid.

Mrs Lloyd-Jones had some of the original pictures on which the finished artwork was based. An artist herself, she helped the painter who did the mural.

Another source of material is the Cinema Theatre Association. Tim is a member of this London-based study group, through which he obtained one picture of the inside of the ABC, and another of Edward Farley, resident organist at the Regal in Piccadilly.

Much of Tim's knowledge of cinema-going in bygone years comes from family members.

"My grandfather, Ted Chittock, was born in Hungate and used to go to The Electric, now the Macdonalds furniture shop in Fossgate," he said.

His grandmother, Marjorie Addyman, was a Layerthorpe resident who was a regular at the Rialto.

The site of the Rialto had been associated with entertainment since the turn of the 20th century when a roller skating rink was built there.

By 1914, it had become the City Picture Palace, then the Casino, and then the first Rialto was built. A terrible fire destroyed it in April 1935. But by November, the present building was ready to be opened. Jack Prendergast, ever the showman, ensured this was a huge public event.

It was closed as a cinema in 1961 and was converted into a bingo hall. The Rialto is due to be demolished later this year to make way for the car park for a purpose-built bingo club.

Many veteran cinemagoers will remember Edward Varley. He was resident organist at the Regal, Piccadilly, which opened in 1937. Unfortunately, the Compton organ was badly damaged in the 1947 floods and was eventually removed in the Fifties.

The Regal's silk curtains remained in place until the building was demolished in 1987. They were subsequently rescued by Copmanthorpe Theatre Group, although Tim says their whereabouts are now unknown.

York's first purpose-built cinema was the Electric in Fossgate. It was one of three Gaumont British Cinemas in the city, the other two being St George's in Castlegate and The Picture House, Coney Street.

Tim says the heyday of the cinema ran from the Twenties and the Forties.

"Then it was one of the only forms of entertainment, other than the theatre which could be an upper class entertainment.

"The war years were a boom time. There were a lot of people stationed in York.

"And people came out to forget the problems in the early Forties."

Tim has a price list from the Grand dating from the Second World War.

It states: "The proprietor, Alderman RJ Pulleyn, of The Grand Picture House, Clarence Street, York (via Gillygate from city) offers reduced prices to men in HM Forces."

For evening shows, tickets at 10d were discounted to 8d, 1/2 became 10d and 1/6 became 1/2. "One Lady Companion admitted at the same Reduced Prices," the poster boasts.

Has this jogged your memory? Have you any knowledge, memories, souvenirs or pictures of York's old cinemas? Were you a regular at the Victoria Hall, Goodramgate; the Electric/Scala, Fossgate; the Picture House, Coney Street; the Grand, Clarence Street; the Tower, New Street; St George's, Castlegate; the Regent, Front Street, Acomb; the Rialto, Fishergate; the Odeon, Blossom Street or the Regal/ABC, Piccadilly?

Then Tim would love to hear from you.

Updated: 11:09 Monday, August 12, 2002