Jimmy died in the early sixties when times were changing and holiday makers starting to go abroad for their holidays. Control of the theatres and Cinemas passed to a brother who was not really interested in them and he sold them off one by one. The Queen's was demolished.

Right - Site of the Queen's Theatre in 2003 D.A.

Even though he was a very very mean man Jimmy Brennan is still remembered affectionately in Blackpool.

Jack Taylor was my uncle. My father died when I was 11 years old and I went to Jack for all my school holidays because my mother had to go out to work. It was a wonderful world to enter after the drabness of Dewsbury where I was born.

Jack was born in Morecambe and apprenticed to be an electrician. He took an interest in theatre lighting which was in its infancy before the first world war and soon began to work full time in theatres. During the twenties he decided to go into management because he realised early on in life that you do not make big money working for someone else.

He based himself in Blackpool and took an office in Birley Street that he kept until the end of his life. He began with small touring revues and pantomimes around the number three theatres in Yorkshire and Lancashire in the late twenties and soon got himself a reputation for quality and innovative lighting that he did himself. He was almost wiped out with the advent of talking pictures (see below) but at this time managed to procure the summer show contract at the old Central pier theatre.

Above - The Palace Picture Theatre Blackpool 1938

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