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
Day They Shelled Scarborough
Scarborough has the dubious distinction of being the first place to experience total war, and this excellent documentary has rare footage from the time and eyewitness accounts.
From the collection of:
Overview
This is a fine documentary on what some have claimed to have been the first example of ‘total war’, with civilian casualties, as Germany brought the war to Britain in December 1914. Presented by Austin Mitchell, the documentary has rarely seen cine film taken at the time showing the damage caused by the shelling of Scarborough by German battle-cruisers, and interviews with people who were there at the time.
It isn’t clear why Yorkshire Television decided in 1977 to make a feature on the raid of Scarborough. It did, however, mean that we have interviews with people who were there at the time. The raid was quickly followed by the shelling of Hartlepool and Whitby. In total 114 civilians and 16 military personnel were killed. It seems that the target was the Naval Wireless, so it isn’t certain whether civilians were deliberately targeted; but if it was intended to strike a blow against morale, it seriously backfired. The documentary was presumably made just before Austin Mitchell left Yorkshire Television, which he had been with since 1969, to be elected as a Labour MP for Grimsby in a by-election in April 1977.
Related
Yorkshire Riviera Yorkshire Riviera
Amateur film 1958 19 mins Silent Location: Redcar
A nostalgic dip and drive around the North Yorkshire coast in the sun-kissed 50s.
Scarborough Ahoy! Scarborough Ahoy!
Drama 1994 33 mins Location: Scarborough
A straight woman and a gay man cruise their way across North East England in this Tennessee Williams-inspired short.
'Scarboro' 'Scarboro'
Non-Fiction 1922 1 mins Location: Scarborough
Hockey on the beach at Scarborough
Pleasant Dreams Pleasant Dreams
Home movie 1955 4 mins Silent Location: Scarborough
The relativity of pleasure, as seen with one family escaping Castleford for the delights of a brisk Scarborough beach, sea and donkey rides.
One Man's Meat One Man's Meat
Amateur film 1951 7 mins Silent Location: Scarborough
Not too sure what the poison would be in this delightful film of two couples enjoying the Yorkshire coast, certainly not the end of the day beer.
Max Jaffa: Farewell to Scarborough Max Jaffa: Farewell to Scarborough
Documentary 1986 24 mins Location: Scarborough
Middle England out on the east coast of Yorkshire enjoy the soothing music of Max Jaffa in his final year, playing for his devoted followers.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.