The Box is a major cultural and heritage attraction and archive, which opened in Plymouth’s city centre in September 2020. Its collection, formally the South West Film and Television Archive (SWFTA), is the regional film archive for the South West of England, comprising the combined programme libraries of Westward Television and Television South West (TSW). It also includes a significant number of donated film collections dating back to the early 1890s.
This film is part of Free
A Storm brews in St Ives
Fishermen batten down the hatches in St Ives.
In partnership with:
Overview
Local fishermen tie up and take extra precautions in St Ives in Cornwall as some of the worst storms in years batter Britain culminating in a night of severe gales on 7 March 1962. Here hasty preparations see all hands on deck as crew and locals do everything to protect vessels and livelihoods, tying up firmly and adding tyre fenders. The storm is thought to have developed off the east coast of Canada on 24 February and for a time stayed in the mid-Atlantic.
Today many ports and marinas have hurricane or storm plans but 1962 was a year of some of the worst weather and the country was caught counting the cost of extreme tide levels, damage to sea walls, homes and infrastructure, all requiring emergency intervention. St Ives, Penzance and Newlyn endured extensive damage to coastal defences with the army helping in the clean-up operation. Storm surges over several days happen when they coincide with high tides and hit low-lying coastlines resulting in severe flooding and flood damage. Nowadays storm surges are measured by skew surges which are the difference between the maximum observed sea level and the maximum predicted tide.
Related
Watch for free
Hart's Ice Cream of St Ives Hart's Ice Cream of St Ives
Current affairs 1983 4 mins Location: St Ives
Tune down, turn off and scoop out as the famous outlet for ice cream closes its doors.
Watch for free
Rough Seas at St Ives Rough Seas at St Ives
1925 1 mins Silent Location: St Ives
The notoriously windy Cornish art and fishing town is hit upon by the sea
Watch for free
The Duchy of Cornwall The Duchy of Cornwall
Travelogue 1938 15 mins Location: St Ives
Rapid survey of early Cornish history, featuring its language, landscape and industries.
Watch for free
Cornwall Trip 1935 - Part 1 Cornwall Trip 1935 - Part 1
Amateur film 1935 12 mins Silent Location: Penzance
The open road: come along on a motoring trip around the West Country in this early holiday home movie
Watch for free
Scenes on the Cornish Riviera Scenes on the Cornish Riviera
Advert 1912 19 mins Silent Location: Plymouth
From Saltash to St Ives, a whirlwind tour of Edwardian Cornwall.
Watch for free
Beatniks of St Ives Beatniks of St Ives
News 1963 2 mins Silent Location: St Ives
Clive Gunnell wanders around St Ives and ponders the Bohemian lifestyle of the beatniks.
Watch for free
Starve Acre - Exclusive Q&A Starve Acre - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2024 24 mins
Daniel Kokotajlo talks to Nia Childs about Starve Acre, his folk horror about a couple digging deep into grief in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales.
Watch for free
Sky Peals - Exclusive Q&A Sky Peals - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2024 30 mins
Sky Peals director Moin Hussain and lead actor Faraz Ayub talk to Tomisin Adepeju about their magic realist drama.
Watch for free
Inside the Archive: The Early Films of Michael Powell Inside the Archive: The Early Films of Michael Powell
Documentary 2024 42 mins
Documentary exploring the BFI National Archive’s role in rediscovering and remastering the early films of Michael Powell.
Watch for free
Inside the Archive: The Riviera Revels Inside the Archive: The Riviera Revels
Short documentary 2024 12 mins
Bryony Dixon, curator of silent film at the BFI national archive, explores the origins of a series of comic travelogues, and Michael Powell's involvement in making them.
Watch for free
New Perspectives: Oldboy New Perspectives: Oldboy
Short documentary 2024 4 mins
Discover why Dan George of Northumbria University believes everyone should experience Oldboy at least once.
Watch for free
New Perspectives: Wings of Desire New Perspectives: Wings of Desire
Short documentary 2024 4 mins
Trixie Parkin-Christie of Northumbria University offers fresh insight into why Wings of Desire remains essential viewing.