The Yorkshire Film Archive collects, preserves, and shows film made in, or about Yorkshire. Our collections are non-fiction, dating from the 1890s to the present day, and providing a rich and visually compelling record of all aspects of lives, cultures, landscape, industries, major events and everyday activities, many of which are available to watch, free of charge, on our website.
This film is part of Free
Bradford Adverts Reel 2
Without trying to be too clever, these advertisements demonstrate the virtue of the uncomplicated: short, sweet and memorable.
From the collection of:
Overview
The changing face of trade is well illustrated with these ads for local shops and services in Bradford in the 1920s, with all three businesses featured having disappeared into the past, leaving very little, if any, trace. Although these animated ads are about as basic as possible, they still have the essential ingredient of appealing to peoples’ yearning for a better lifestyle – whether this means carpets, career or fresh cream.
This film originated with Mr Spink who owned a cinema in Yeadon, West Yorkshire. It isn’t known who made the film, very possibly Youngers Shoppers Gazette who made similar advertisements in Bradford during this period. Advertising in cinemas declined after the war, although a survey from 1943 showed that ads before the film were quite popular with the audiences. It was not helped by the poor quality of the adverts compared to television counterparts. Before then, in 1938, Associated Picture Corporation stopped advertising films in its 500 or so cinemas, with its Chairman and Managing Director, John Maxwell, declaring them “unethical” and that, “people come to be entertained not to be advertised at.”
Related
Watch for free
Food for Thought Food for Thought
Government sponsored film 1940 5 mins
Grumpy Grandma is put in her place during wartime food demonstration
Watch for free
Local Trader's Gazette Local Trader's Gazette
Advert 1930 9 mins Silent Location: East Sussex
This amazing discovery shows how cinema advertising used to look in Bygone Britain - a truly nostalgic gem of a film for lovers of Britain's past
Watch for free
Local Cinema Advertisements - Ammanford Local Cinema Advertisements - Ammanford
Advert 1935 6 mins Silent Location: Ammanford/Rhydaman
Adverts: romancing the world – and Ammanford - with golden rings and Scandanavian meat, leather soles and coal, Eve's soap and flowers.
Watch for free
Local Cinema Advertisements - Port Talbot Local Cinema Advertisements - Port Talbot
Advert 1934 2 mins Silent Location: Port Talbot
The message for cinema-goers in Port Talbot, Neath and Briton Ferry is that they should shop local!
Watch for free
J White and Sons Ltd the Furniture Specialists Chesterfield J White and Sons Ltd the Furniture Specialists Chesterfield
Advert 1905 14 mins Silent
Step inside a local Edwardian store.
Watch for free
Cinema Commercial for Jewellers Cinema Commercial for Jewellers
Advert 1920 0 mins Silent Location: Frome
It don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that bling… early silent cinema advert for a local business in Frome.
Watch for free
Bradford Laundry, Meat, and Coal Adverts Bradford Laundry, Meat, and Coal Adverts
Advert 2 mins Silent Location: Bradford
Meeting the everyday basic needs of the locals: keeping the family clean, warm and well fed.
Watch for free
Bradford Adverts Reel 1 Bradford Adverts Reel 1
Advert 1925 3 mins Silent Location: Bradford
Juno-Junipah, for girls, who “want to be bright, vivacious, attractive and slim”, and Carters Little Liver Pills to rejuvenate the elderly.
Watch for free
The Big Country The Big Country
Promotional 1970 16 mins Location: Newcastle upon Tyne
Tuning into the biggest consumer market for television advertising in Britain with Trident TV.
Watch for free
Bradford Adverts Reel 3 Bradford Adverts Reel 3
Advert 4 mins Silent Location: Bradford
No wearisome overblown advertising for cinema-goers back in 1931, just straightforward advice: don’t risk accidents and “Don’t buy a dud!”
Watch for free
The Official Opening of the First Building for the University of Bradford The Official Opening of the First Building for the University of Bradford
Promotional 1965 13 mins Location: Bradford
Prime Minister Harold Wilson opens the University's first building in this celebratory film that acknowledges decades of effort.
Watch for free
Bradford City: A Year of Healing Bradford City: A Year of Healing
Factual TV 1986 28 mins Location: Bradford
Numerous victims of the horrendous 1985 fire at Valley Parade manage to find positive outcomes to their suffering in this poignant film.
Watch for free
China O'Brien: The Reunion China O'Brien: The Reunion
Documentary 2024 60 mins
Cynthia Rothrock, Richard Norton and Keith Cooke reunite three decades on from the groundbreaking martial arts classic.
Watch for free
Women in Action Panel Discussion Women in Action Panel Discussion
Inside Film 2024 28 mins
Action Xtreme - the UK's leading action film studio - hosts this panel discussion with four leading women in action cinema - Soo Cole, Jo Rolison, Jadey Duffield and Ioanna Karavela.
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.