London’s Screen Archives enables Londoners see their past come alive on film. Managed by Film London, we are a unique network of historic film collections that cares for, collects and screens heritage film across the city. Together we preserve London’s rich film heritage from feature films to home movies, public information films, newsreels, and records of the capital’s many different industries.
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Churchill's Funeral
Memorable home-movie showing the crowds in London watching Winston Churchill’s funeral procession as it travels down the Thames by boat.
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Overview
Winston Churchill’s funeral on 30 January 1965 was a remarkable state occasion, with the coffin passing through London and then down the Thames to the accompaniment of military bands and an RAF flypast. The mood is neatly captured on this home movie, which shows the crowds lining the streets and bridges to watch the event, Londoners almost universally clad in black and huddled against the cold. It’s a fascinating first-hand glimpse of a sober and dignified state ceremony.
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