National Screen and Sound Archive of Wales preserves and celebrates the sound and moving image heritage of Wales, making it accessible to a wide range of users for enjoyment and learning. Its film collection reflects every aspect of the nation’s social, cultural and working life across the 20th century, giving a fascinating insight into Welsh filmmaking, both amateur and professional.
This film is part of Free
Criccieth Beach, Aug. 1938
A J Sylvester, David Lloyd George’s private secretary, here catches the ex-British prime minister at leisure, with his family in Blaenau Ffestiniog and his apples in Surrey.
From the collection of:
Overview
David Lloyd George, ex-British prime minister, enjoys a picnic in the Blaenau Ffestiniog area with his family (daughter Megan does a delightful bit of dancing) and picks apples with his wife Margaret in his orchard at ‘Bron-y-de’, his farm in Churt, near Farnham, Surrey. Criccieth and London (views from Thames House where Lloyd George had offices) also feature on this reel, believed to have been shot by Lloyd George’s private secretary, A J Sylvester.
David Lloyd George had visited Hitler in Germany in 1936 and been impressed by the Fuhrer’s land drainage and motorway building schemes, both of which provided (enforced) work for the unemployed. Lloyd George was himself convinced that substantially more acres could be used to grow food for Britain, that poor land could be improved and that agricultural changes of this nature would also create opportunites for much needed employment. He practised new techniques and tested new machinery at his farm in Surrey.
Related
Watch for free
Local Cinema Advertisements - North Wales Local Cinema Advertisements - North Wales
Advert 1965 5 mins Location: Blaenau Ffestiniog
Trefro's Milk Bar, Ruthin, has lovable eclairs and the Taj Mahal Indian restaurants in Caernarfon and Bangor offer tables of enchantment!
Watch for free
Away but by No Means Resting Away but by No Means Resting
Non-Fiction 1922 1 mins Location: Criccieth
PM David Lloyd George gets outdoors, hoeing potatoes in Criccieth, Wales
Watch for free
Along the Cambrian Coast Along the Cambrian Coast
Travelogue 1930 3 mins Silent Location: Barmouth/Abermaw
Stencil coloured coastline of Wales
Watch for free
North Wales Camping Holiday North Wales Camping Holiday
Home movie 1967 17 mins Silent Location: Criccieth
The open road: Mrs Morgan of Pontypridd shows her talent for picnic-ing in style, being able to produce fresh chips, a pot of tea and buttered rolls at the roadside.
Watch for free
Holidays, Jolly Days and Happy Ways Holidays, Jolly Days and Happy Ways
Amateur film 1939 13 mins Silent Location: Criccieth
A Frenchman, writing in the 1600s, thought that the English took their pleasures “sadly”. Harold Cox, filming holidaymakers in Wales in 1939, is determined to prove him wrong.
Watch for free
Visit to North Wales Visit to North Wales
Amateur film 1950 17 mins Silent Location: Criccieth
Let the Rev. Albert Knowles of Grindleton be your guide to the attractive and interesting places of north Wales e.g. Llanystumdwy, Harlech and Aberdaron.
Watch for free
Getting it Back: The Story of Cymande - Q&A Getting it Back: The Story of Cymande - Q&A
Inside Film 2024 22 mins
The director of a documentary about British funk pioneers Cymande joins the band at BFI Southbank to talk about the film.
Watch for free
The West Case The West Case
Action and Adventure 1923 28 mins Silent Location: Tilbury
Plotting world domination, Devil Doctor Fu-Manchu steals plans for a new aero-torpedo in this earliest surviving thrill-a-minute serial instalment.
Watch for free
Enter the Scala!!! Enter the Scala!!!
Inside Film 2024 16 mins
Filmmakers Jane Giles and Ali Catterall discuss their documentary Scala!!!, revisiting the legendary and inspirational cinema venue and some of the most notorious films that screened there.
Watch for free
Smith Smith
Charity appeal 1939 10 mins
Long thought lost, this Powell-directed promotional short for a veteran’s charity was only rediscovered in 2003.
Watch for free
An Airman's Letter to His Mother An Airman's Letter to His Mother
Documentary 1941 6 mins
A poignant, stirring letter from a recently deceased pilot to his mother is read by John Gielgud.
Watch for free
The NHS75 Celebration The NHS75 Celebration
Short documentary 2023 3 mins
Former Bristol Poet Laureate, Miles Chambers reads a poem specially commissioned for the 75th anniversary of the NHS.