JUDITH Bowers, in Glasgow’s Lost Theatre, her book about the Britannia Music Hall, tells a story about the great showman A.E. Pickard and his White Elephant cinema, in Shawlands, which he opened in 1927. He advertised dinner and a fur coat, free with admission, to the first 2,000 patrons. Eager for such a bargain, women stood in a forbiddingly lengthy queue. And what did they see when they got to the front? Pickard and his cinema manager, handing out rabbits. A contemporary report said the White Elephant was the first cinema in the world to have, in its balcony seating, layers of fine rubber atop shock absorbers, rather than springs, underneath the velvet.

When it was converted to shops after closure in 1960, the facade was refaced and slightly cut down.

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The Herald Picture Store is proud to present these images in their actual condition. We haven't manipulated these photographs and are proud of their character.

Please be aware that due to their age some images may show imperfections. This is as a result of the technology available at the time they were captured and/or scanned and saved for our records.