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How a thousand years of history have helped the West Country capital to emerge from the blitz as a modern city of art and industry.
Documentary 1951 18 mins
How a thousand years of history have helped the West Country capital to emerge from the blitz as a modern city of art and industry. Explore mid-century Bristol in this City Council-funded documentary journeying from Clifton to King Street; around Hotwells, the Floating Harbour, and out to the Avonmouth docks, taking stock of the city's 'great men' and monuments.
This film was commissioned to promote Bristol as a destination for industry, culture and development at the Festival of Britain in 1951. Unusually for the time, it was directed by a woman - Mary Francis. Francis had a short career as a director for World Wide Pictures, but this was her last film.
Non-Fiction 1901 3 mins Silent Location: Glasgow
A flood of pedestrians and horse-drawn traffic in Edwardian Glasgow.
Amateur film 1935 12 mins Silent Location: Glasgow
Hold on tight for a joyous ride around 1935 Glasgow's bustling road, rail and river transport network in this Scottish educational film.
Government sponsored film 1950 4 mins Location: Glasgow
Experience Glasgow as you’ve never seen it before, in this wonderful early 1950s sponsored road safety film with bustling city streets, vintage cars and a startling warning.
Party political broadcast 1959 25 mins Location: Bristol
The Labour Party takes a heartfelt look at Bristol council’s social(ist) housing and education agenda, spinning a 'new story from an old city'.
War 1942 35 mins Silent Location: Chew Magna
Vivid colour footage of the wartime devastation wreaked on Bristol and Bath - and the barely affected village of Chew Magna.
Cinemagazine 1920 2 mins Silent Location: Clifton
Bristol landmarks look both ancient and familiar when seen through the patina of time in this American cinemagazine.
Non-Fiction 1928 0 mins Silent Location: Bristol
The future King Edward VIII takes to the waves at Bristol after opening a new dock extension
Documentary 1958 9 mins Silent Location: Bristol
Blitz-scarred Bristol's redevelopment programme was blighted by a succession of disputes, explored in this campaigning film
News 1964 1 mins Silent Location: Bristol
Work on the sister ship to the Scillonian is progressing in Bristol shipyard.
Documentary 1939 21 mins Silent Location: Bristol
Aeroplanes, mops and cigarettes are all produced in "busy Bristol" - as illustrated in this action-packed short film
Amateur film 1949 25 mins Silent Location: Rumney
A summer of shows – Rumney Horse Show Society's Show, Vale of Glamorgan Agricultural Show, Usk Farmers' Club Show – and a visit to Bristol Zoo where children ride on an elephant.
Amateur film 1931 1 mins Silent Location: Crewkerne
Madcap home movie road trip around south west England - speeding through rural Somerset and Dorset up to Bristol.
Animation & Artists Moving Image 1933 2 mins
Hand-drawn sound experiment by Bauhaus professor László Moholy-Nagy.
Advert 1974 1 mins Location: Shaftesbury
A classic slice of British advertising history, though that hill's not as Northern as it looks...
Non-Fiction 1901 3 mins Silent Location: Rotherham
Edwardian workers react to the camera at one of Rotherham's major employers.
Non-Fiction 1900 1 mins Silent Location: Great Moor St, Bolton
Eager youngsters burst out of the gates of a Victorian cotton mill.
Sport 1901 1 mins Silent Location: Henley-on-Thames
It's the first weekend of July 1901, and high society are on the Thames
Advert 1898 1 mins Silent Location: St Pancras
An unusual farewell in this charming early film
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